The pineapple trail in Moorea

Published on 25 July 2023

Reading time: 4 min.

Moorea, in the Society Islands, is famed for the cultivation of pineapples. Visit the pineapple trail on a four-wheel drive excursion and you’ll visit some pineapple plantations and see some magnificent scenery. The route will take you to the Opuhonu scenic viewpoint, which has a truly magnificent view over Moorea.

There are two different circuits that take you to the center of the island, one from Opunohu Bay and the other from Cook’s Bay. You’ll pass some small houses, a college and an amazing scenic viewpoint, but, as its name suggests, the Pineapple Trail goes mostly across agricultural land, especially pineapple plantations. You’ll find pineapples for sale all over the island, in the shops or at the roadside. And you can visit the Rotui fruit juice factory a sample some of their juices and preserves. The pineapples of Moorea are famous for being fruity and sweet. On the Pineapple Trail, you’ll learn all you need to know about this delicious fruit, notably, that it doesn’t grow on trees!

The pineapple plantations of Moorea

Go on the Pineapple Trail with a guide and learn about the cultivation of this emblematic fruit of Moorea. The trail passes through some glorious scenery and offers magnificent panoramic views, especially over Mount Toheia, Mount Rotui and the pierced mountain. Your guide will also tell you some of the legends and tales of this surprising island.

A couple in the middle of a pineapple field © Tahiti Tourisme — A couple in the middle of a pineapple field

View of Mount Rotui and Moorea's two bays © Stéphane Mailion Photography — A couple in the middle of a pineapple field

Cultivating pineapples is a very precise affair. The plant blooms with a blue flower which slowly turns into a fruit over the next few months. Then you have to wait until the fruit is fully ripe before picking it, because pineapples cease to ripen once they’re picked. It takes about a year from planting to harvest. The more the fruit is exposed to sunshine, the sweeter it becomes, which is why the pineapples of Moorea are so delicious.

Sample the delicious tahitian pineapples

Pineapples are very much appreciated in The Islands of Tahiti. You can buy them in all the shops and at roadside stands everywhere. You can eat them fresh, pressed as a juice or in a deliciously sweet jam. Polynesians also say that they have medicinal properties and help to reduce water retention and improve digestion.

Tour en quad dans les champs d'ananas ©_Tahiti Fly Shoot — Quad bike tour of pineapple fields

When you cross through a pineapple plantation, please resist the temptation to pick a fruit. Firstly, that would be stealing, and secondly the fruit almost certainly won’t be ripe, or the grower would have picked it. Anyway, you’ll find pineaples for sale all over the islands and they really aren’t expensive, so you can eat, drink and enjoy them as much as you like.

Choose your excursion

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