stopover in tahiti

Hi all,
I am hoping you can advise whether it is possible to get to Moorea for 1 day. I fly into Papeete arrive midnight 29th... stay all day, sleep over on 30th then fly out vary late on night of 31st. Do some of the hotels offer shuttles to the hotels in Moorea - at midnight or later- and would it be worth staying in Moorea for another night then heading back to catch my plane the next night? Thanks for any advice on if this is possible. Budget is not too tight as I will only be there for a short time and just want to relax!!!

You can't get from Papeete to Moorea at midnight.

There are two ways to get to Moorea (no hotel shuttles), Air Moorea or via ferry/catamaran.

The ferry departs from downtown Papeete, you might consider flying one way (the fares are considerably less when purchased there) and taking the ferry (and stopping to see the central market in Papeete) the other.

Since your budget is not too tight, I'd fly over at about 6:30am or so (thats about when the first flight of the day is). You can sleep on the floor of the airport behind the cafe from arrival until check-in about 6am, or pay an arm and a leg (comparatively) and stay in Papeete at the Mandarin etc (about US$125 for just a few hours sleep!] . But no couches or benches at the airport, maybe bring a blow-up $5 air mattress.

Arrange in advance for one-night at a decent place on Moorea, and have the transfers included, at least for arrival. Leave around mid-day from Moorea the following day, either by boat if it's calm, or flight if it's rough seas. Check out the large market as Silvano suggested, then eat at one of the "roulettes" along the water for dinner. You can get le truck back to the airport if it's not too late. Take a taxi if you have a lot of bags. Have fun!

I don't believe that hotels on Moorea are allowed to do transfers themselves (taxi drivers union).

However, you can buy transfer vouchers at the Air Moorea counter (where you buy your ticket) in Tahiti (they are not sold in Moorea). They cost about 550 each, so for a round trip you buy two. Then when you get to Moorea you go to the transfer company counter and you'll be put in a shared van that will drop you anywhere on the road that circles the island. Tell them when you want to be picked up the next day. This is a very easy process and everyone I encountered spoke English. (However, if you are planning on leaving in the evening then double check the hours of operation for the transfer company and also whether you will need two vouchers to pay for the evening ride.)

If you are taking the ferry then the Moorea Le Truck will take you for 300 (it does not go to the airport).

If you arrive in Papeete from Moorea mid-day, as Raro suggested, you can try leaving your luggage at the nearby tourist office. I was able to do that while I walked around. They close at 5, I hung around in the "park" where they are located until the roulotte trucks showed up after 6. You'll see other tourists there with their luggage having the last meal.

Thank you so much for these suggestions!