Polynesia · SAILING

The 15 Best Sailing Trips in Polynesia

26 tours  ·  from $115

Catamarans out of Moorea and Bora Bora, day charters across to Taha’a, and the crossing to Tetiaroa. The 15 below are priced by the day and clear about how much sailing is actually under sail.

Half Day Tour : Moorea Snorkeling & Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo - Three snorkeling stops with different rewards
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Half Day Tour : Moorea Snorkeling & Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo

1.Half Day Tour : Moorea Snorkeling & Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 529 reviews · from $157Our pick

Spend four hours aboard the Taboo catamaran in Moorea’s lagoon, with stops for blacktip sharks, stingrays, tropical fish, coral, and underwater tikis. The small group, capped at eight, gets snorkeling gear, fruit, juice, and maitais. Guides such as Max, Louis, Leo, Mai, and Flo are praised for clear instruction and warm service, though rough weather can affect visibility.

“Amazing. It was easy to find the pick-up spot, we loved how small the group was (7 total), and the guide was super informative. The boat had shelter, for those who didn't want to be in the sun, but we all enjoyed being at the front of the Read more”

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Sunset Cruise : Moorea Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo - Sailing through Moorea’s reef waters
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Sunset Cruise : Moorea Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo

2.Sunset Cruise : Moorea Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 245 reviews · from $156

Sail Moorea’s northern coast aboard Taboo, a compact catamaran limited to eight people. Captain Leo or Captain Neil guides you through Cook’s Bay, Ōpūnohu Bay, and waters inside and outside the barrier reef, sharing local history and geology. Cocktails, including Mai Tais, and fruit juice are served while you watch the sunset.

“This was a beautiful, relaxing, sunset sail with a couple of mai tai and amazing views. We had a beautiful night and were able to see the full mountains as Leo told us some of the history of the area. We were confused about the meeting area, Read more”

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LUXURY Catamaran Bora Bora : Sailing, Snorkeling & Floating Bar - Sailing Past Mount Otemanu
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LUXURY Catamaran Bora Bora : Sailing, Snorkeling & Floating Bar

3.LUXURY Catamaran Bora Bora : Sailing, Snorkeling & Floating Bar

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 157 reviews · from $327

Spend about four hours aboard Vitamin Sea, a former 40-foot racing catamaran, with hotel pickup, drinks, guided snorkeling, and a stop at a floating bar. You’ll sail past Mount Otemanu, swim above coral and fish, and relax with a small group. Captains and crew have included Tony, Alex, Clement, Ocean, Jane, and Dylan.

“Great sailing! Great crew! Beautiful day. Too rough to snorkel but the rum flowed and we had lots of laughs while we enjoyed the beautiful scenery!”

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From Tahiti: Tetiaroa Island Tour by Sailing Catamaran - The 2.5-hour catamaran crossing
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From Tahiti: Tetiaroa Island Tour by Sailing Catamaran

4.Tetiaroa Island Tour by Sailing Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 156 reviews · 11 hours · from $227

Leave Papeete at 6:00 AM for Tetiaroa aboard a large catamaran. Enjoy breakfast during the crossing, a guided walk to Bird’s Island, free beach time, Tahitian lunch, reef snorkeling, and a fruit salad with punch on the return. The tour runs in English and French and lasts about 11 hours.

“Great catamaran, beautiful location, food was excellent. French speaking so missed a bit of the explanation by the guide on the island. The boat crew tried to explain to us separately which worked ok.”

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Introduction to sailing and discovering the lagoon - Starting at Hauru and finding your sea legs
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Introduction to sailing and discovering the lagoon

5.Introduction to sailing and discovering the lagoon

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 144 reviews · from $126

Spend four hours aboard Vaapiti, a handmade double sailing canoe for up to eight people. Learn to raise the sail, steer, and hear stories of Polynesian navigation from guides such as Jr, Nainoa, Raphael, and Jean Roland. Swim among tropical fish, rays, black-tip sharks, turtles, and underwater tikis, with fruit, drinks, snacks, and snorkel gear included.

“Un grand merci à Raphaël et à Jean Roland qui nous ont transmis leur passion pour leur lagon. Des pauses snorkeling qui nous ont permis de voir tortue, raies pastenagues immenses et requins pointe noire.. Dommage que le temps n'ait pas été au rendez-vous !”

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LUXURY Catamaran Bora Bora : The Sunset Escape - Drinks, Snacks, and the Onboard Mood
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LUXURY Catamaran Bora Bora : The Sunset Escape

6.LUXURY Catamaran Bora Bora : The Sunset Escape

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 129 reviews · from $267

Sail around Bora Bora aboard the 46-foot Vitamin Sea catamaran for about two hours. Your hotel dock pickup, captain, and hostess are included, along with lounge music, snacks, chilled drinks, and views of Otemanu Mountain. Crews have included Thelma, Alex, Camille, Cami, Dylan, and Jane, though staffing can vary.

“A beautiful catamaran in a gorgeous location. The staff and crew were amazing and we enjoyed every minute of our relaxing and spectacular voyage! We were picked up directly from our hotel and ferried by a small boat to the catamaran where we met other guests and our crew for our 2+ hour sunset sailing cruise. A must do activity in Bora Bora if you love the water!”

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PRIVATE Half Day Tour : Moorea Snorkeling & Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo - The underwater tiki and Moorea’s changing route
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PRIVATE Half Day Tour : Moorea Snorkeling & Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo

7.PRIVATE Half Day Tour : Moorea Snorkeling & Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 105 reviews

Spend three to four hours aboard Taboo, a private catamaran for up to four people. Captain Leo, Flo, Max, Louis, and other crew members lead snorkeling stops with blacktip reef sharks, rays, turtles, colorful fish, coral gardens, and an underwater tiki. Gear, snacks, fruit, juice, water, and selected drinks are provided, with pickup available.

“We had the best time on Taboo! The guide was phenomenal and spent so much time with our 4 year old daughter teaching her about the fish and helping her snorkel. She really made the day special for our family and especially our daughter. Definitely recommend it!”

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Sunset sailing - A traditional canoe, not a party boat
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Sunset sailing

8.Sunset sailing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 56 reviews · from $115Best value

Meet Vaapiti at 3 p.m. for a three-hour Moorea lagoon outing with JR, Rollo, Raphael, or another member of the small local crew. You’ll look for rays, sharks, and turtles, hear Polynesian sailing stories, use the snorkeling gear, enjoy fruit and a cocktail, and watch the sunset from a traditional canoe.

“This has been the most amazing experience RJ and his assistant were so helpful, friendly, caring about our well-being. We all loved them!!!! We stopped to swim with the raies and friendly sharks and had other beautiful surprises for us … lettRead more”

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Moorea Discovery Half-day Sailing - Motu Tiahura, rays, sharks, and snorkeling
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Moorea Discovery Half-day Sailing

9.Moorea Discovery Half-day Sailing

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 53 reviews · from $115

Spend about three hours sailing Moorea’s lagoon with a professional local guide, with morning and afternoon departures, hotel transfers, fruit, drinks, and a stop at Motu Tiahura for snorkeling, rays, sharks, and a visit to the motu. Groups are limited to five people, creating a quiet alternative to large boat tours.

“Repos et liberté entre amis ! Une très belle prestation. Je le recommande fortement ! À très bientôt,”

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Excursion to Tetiaroa by Catamaran Visit Lunch Snorkeling - Walking Tetiaroa with a local hostess
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Excursion to Tetiaroa by Catamaran Visit Lunch Snorkeling

10.Excursion to Tetiaroa by Catamaran Visit Lunch Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 52 reviews · from $235

Leave Papeete at 6:00 a.m. on a spacious maxi catamaran for the long crossing to Tetiaroa. A local hostess shares island stories, then you get beach time, breakfast, raw fish in coconut milk, barbecue tuna, and snorkeling with supplied gear. The boat carries up to 50 but limits this trip to 25 guests.

“Magical and exciting time spent on a catamaran travelling to Tetiaroa, great lunch in a buffet form, perfect views and helpful staff”

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PRIVATE Sunset Cruise : Moorea Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo - Sailing along Moorea’s coast
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PRIVATE Sunset Cruise : Moorea Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo

11.PRIVATE Sunset Cruise : Moorea Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 42 reviews

Sail privately aboard the Taboo catamaran with Captain Leo and his crew, leaving from Moorea for Cook’s Bay, the outer reef, open ocean, and Ōpūnohu Bay. The 2-hour-20-minute cruise includes coastal views, island stories, mocktails, cocktails, and round-trip pickup from your accommodation.

“This was a highlight of our vacation. Conditions were spectacular with low wind and some clouds. Everyone on board had a fantastic experience (2 friends, adult child, my spouse and me. The meeting point is a little tricky but if you read thRead more”

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LUXURY PRIVATE Catamaran Bora Bora : Half-Day Trip - Snorkeling where the fish gather
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LUXURY PRIVATE Catamaran Bora Bora : Half-Day Trip

12.LUXURY PRIVATE Catamaran Bora Bora : Half-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews

Spend four hours aboard Vitamin Sea, a private 40-foot former racing catamaran, with a captain and host devoted to your group. Sail Bora Bora’s lagoon, swim above coral reefs, spot fish, and pause at Paradise Bay’s floating bar for cold drinks, snacks, and music. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

“The trip on the Vitamin Sea is 4 hours of paradise. Excellent crew, amazing boat and an unforgettable trip. Can’t recommend enough.”

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PRIVATE Full Day Tour : Moorea Snorkeling & Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo - Sailing Beyond Moorea’s Reef
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PRIVATE Full Day Tour : Moorea Snorkeling & Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo

13.PRIVATE Full Day Tour : Moorea Snorkeling & Sailing on a Catamaran named Taboo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 30 reviews

Sail Moorea aboard the private catamaran Taboo with Captain Leo, Kevin, or Liza. Your six-and-a-half-hour outing can include reef views, snorkeling among sharks and rays, coral gardens, underwater Polynesian tikis, and a quiet beach stop. Snorkel gear, tropical fruit, and refreshments are included. Bring your own picnic lunch.

“The best boat day with the most amazing captain! He provided the most amazing experience by taking us to the best areas, teaching us about the history of the places we went too, and preparing a lovely snack and drinks & providing a peRead more”

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Private sailing adventure - Meeting Rays, Blacktip Sharks, and Turtles
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Private sailing adventure

14.Private sailing adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews

Join Vaapiti for a private sailing trip from Hauru aboard a traditional Polynesian va’a. JR, Nainoa, Raphael, and their crew tailor the outing around sailing, snorkeling, fishing, surfing, or quiet lagoon time. Expect fresh fruit, local snacks, rays, blacktip sharks, turtles, and a hands-on look at Polynesian sailing.

“What an epic morning out on the ocean on a super cool sailing vessel. Unique experience that I highly recommend to anyone visiting Mo'orea. Captain and guide JR and Nainoa were professional, welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable.”

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LUXURY PRIVATE Catamaran Bora Bora : Full-Day Trip - Sailing past Mount Otemanu
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LUXURY PRIVATE Catamaran Bora Bora : Full-Day Trip

15.LUXURY PRIVATE Catamaran Bora Bora : Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 20 reviews

Spend six hours aboard Vitamin Sea II, a private catamaran with a captain and hostess. Sail past Mount Otemanu, swim near the reef, spot rays through the nets, and enjoy snacks, drinks, alcohol, music, and hotel transfers. Crews have included Thelma, Nick, Alex, Clement, and Perla.

“Nick and Alex were fantastic! We had such a great day. Our only complaint was that it didn’t last long enough!”

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