Along with hiking trails, dramatic landscapes and beaches, Cook's Bay features hotels, restaurants, and shops. It’s also the location of the Pao Pao Market and Moorea Juice Factory. From Cook's Bay you can begin driving to Belvedere Lookout, a scenic viewpoint awarding aerial views of Opunohu Valley, Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay. Tours of the island often pass along Cook's Bay and lagoon excursions often depart from here.
Cooks Bay is located on the northern coast of the island, and the coastal road that circles the island goes right along its shores. Travelers relying on public transportation can catch the local bus here (dubbed Le Truck). It's about a 15-minute drive from the airport or 20 minutes from the ferry terminal, with connections to Papeete on the main island of Tahiti.
Like all of French Polynesia, Cook's Bay is best visited during the dry season, which runs roughly from April through October. However, this is also the most crowded time of year to visit (along with Christmas and New Year’s). December and January are the wettest months on the island.
French Polynesia is famous for its black pearls, and the Cook's Bay area is a great place to pick up black-pearl jewelry. These prized pearls tend to be dark gray, and the darker ones tend to be the most expensive. They're formed from black-lip oysters and are the largest export in French Polynesia.
