Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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With its shallow lagoon and channel visited by sea turtles and eagle rays, Tiahura Beach is a good shore access snorkeling spot in Moorea. Formerly the private beach of Club Med, this pretty beach is now accessible to everyone.
Tiahura Beach is located at the northwestern tip of Moorea Island. Access to the beach is well signposted, about 200m after the “Le Petit Village” shopping center when arriving from Papetoai and Tiahura. On-site parking is available.
Tiahura Beach is close to two other famous Moorea snorkeling spots, which can be reached by kayak or with boat tours: Motu Fareone and the Sharks Sandbank.
Enter the water directly from the beach.
On this spot, two snorkeling areas are recommended:
1. The shallow areas (↕1-2m) extending in front of the beach (area 1 on the map). Here you’ll find large sandy beds and small reefs, made up of coral rock and living corals. Parts of the reef are covered with sea anemones, in which orangefin clownfish are sometimes seen.
Keep an eye out for crown-of-thorns starfish, which are quite often reported here. This part of Tiahura Beach is perfect for discovering the Polynesian lagoons sea life. You’ll spot an amazing variety of colorful fish species, including angelfish, butterflyfish, damselfish, wrasse, triggerfish and porcupinefish.
2. The channel that extends past the pontoon of the former Club Med (zone 2 on the map), often visited by spotted eagle rays and green sea turtles (↕3-5m). Be careful, because this channel is used by boats to navigate in the lagoon. Do not venture into this area if there is current.
There are several roulottes, restaurants and shops within walking distance of the beach.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
