As our cruise ship anchored in the harbour, I pulled back the curtain waiting to discover what new tropical world I would be discovering today.

Making my way to the top deck of Norwegian Spirit, I gazed into the sunrise where I was greeted by eight voluminous mountain peaks rising from the translucent blue lagoon. Standing there next to my Kiwi friends, I turned and said “Oh wow, do you know what this reminds me of?”

Without hesitation, simultaneously our voices described what was before our eyes: “This is a tropical Milford Sound!”

Only this wasn’t New Zealand’s South Island. It was French Polynesia’s Moorea - a geographical marvel with contrasting green-lush mountain tops and blue lagoons full of inquisitive sea creatures and beaches better than advertised on TV.

Just over a 9-hour flight from Australia (via NZ), Moorea sits 43km west of Tahiti, with regular 40-minute short ferry services running hourly, making it an affordable and easy tropical paradise to get to. It’s also a destination easily reached by cruise ship - we were visiting as part of our Norwegian Spirit itinerary that also visited Tahiti and Raiatea, before sailing on to Samoa and Fiji.

Despite being the lesser-known French Polynesian paradise and Tahiti’s “little sister”, my fleeting time in Moorea blew away my wildest dreams. Stepping off the cruise ship, we were transported to our own remote island to experience the best of what French Polynesia has to offer - aqua life, local cuisine, picturesque beaches, traditional music, and an escape from reality.

As we set sail, our guide Arii, with ukelele in hand, serenaded us and told stories of the French Polynesian people. While travelling along Moorea’s coastline, the lagoon’s colours inspired a chorus of “wows”.

Up ahead we spotted stingrays and white-tipped reef sharks basking in the water. Before I knew it, we were joining them, submerging ourselves chest deep in the water. Then, with my snorkelling gear ready to go, I put my head underwater where I was transported to a natural real-life aquarium with hundreds of tropical fish brushing past as if I was invisible.

We sailed on to the remote island Motu Fareone Beach for music and a barbecue lunch, before being taught how to bash open coconuts and taking part in a traditional French Polynesian dance.

With 16,000 friendly locals, towering cascading waterfalls, crystal clear lagoons, dolphin and whale watching, scenic mountain hikes, adventure activities like off-road quad biking, ziplining, parasailing, catamarans at every turn, and luxury beaches, it’s no wonder Tahitians flock to “little sister” Moorea on their days off.

Whether you want the thrill of sea adventure, climbing peaks resembling Milford Sound’s mountains or relaxing by the beach, this hidden gem offers it all. Even better, the island is naturally formed in the shape of a heart.

Like a teenager smitten by their first love, I can’t get Moorea and all her natural beauty out of my mind. If you’re planning your next holiday, dive in and let the “tropical Milford Sound” take you on a date. You might just fall in love too.

DETAILS

Norwegian Spirit visits Moorea as part of a 15-day South Pacific: Fiji, Moorea and Samoa cruise, departing from Tahiti on December 8. For more information and prices, go to ncl.com

This article originally appeared on the NZ Herald and has been republished with permission.