The Australs & the Gambier Archipelago
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©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd The Australs & the Gambier Archipelago Includes ¨ Why Go? The Australs ............... 194 Isolated and straddling the Tropic of Capricorn, the mag- Rurutu ........................ 194 nificent and pristine Austral Islands are arguably French Tubuai..........................197 Polynesia’s most underrated destination. The climate here is temperate, but everything else befitting a tropical paradise Raivavae ..................... 198 is here: flower-filled jungles, sharp peaks, outrageously blue The Gambier water and genuinely friendly people. The islands here have Archipelago ................ 201 had less of a history with Europeans and less influx from the Mangareva ................. 201 outside world, so have kept their culture alive. If, after visiting the Australs, you still feel the urge for more off-the-beaten-track adventures, consider travelling to the Gambier, where visitors are an absolute rarity. All the Best Places makings of an island holiday paradise can be found in this to Stay jaw-droppingly beautiful archipelago, but it’s so far away (about 1700km southeast from Tahiti) and expensive to get ¨ Manotel (p196) to that it remains one of the best-kept secrets in French ¨ Teautamatea (p196) Polynesia. ¨ Raivavae Tama (p199) ¨ Maro’i (p202) When to Go ¨ During the dry season (May to October), the climate is Best Outdoor significantly cooler than in other parts of the country. Experiences ¨ With average daily temperatures around 20°C, which can drop to a low of 15°C at night, the June to September period ¨ Walking to the top of Mt is not the best time to visit if you’re hoping to laze around on a Hiro (p199) beach, but is an ideal time for hiking. ¨ Exploring caves (p195) ¨ The islands are hottest in January and February. in Rurutu ¨ The Australs have two important religious festivals: the ¨ Swimming off Motu Piscine Tere, which is held in early January, and the Me, which is (p198) celebrated in May. ¨ Lagoon touring in Tubuai ¨ The whale-watching season runs from July or August to (p197) October. ¨ Horse riding (p197) on the ridges of Rurutu 194 THE AUSTRALS AD 1000 and AD 1300. The islands came to European attention during the second half Fly south towards the Tropic of Capricorn of the 18th century. to find the blustery Austral Archipelago, Apart from a colourful chapter in the where it’s cool enough to grow peaches yet Bounty saga, when the mutineers unsuc- warm enough for bananas, coconut palms cessfully tried to establish themselves on and turquoise, coral-laden lagoons. On these Tubuai, contact with Europeans and the outrageously fertile islands, you’ll find some Western world was limited until the late of the most authentic Polynesian culture 19th and 20th centuries. This long period, in all of French Polynesia. Best of all, they during which English missionaries (or more are wonderfully varied, from the limestone frequently their native representatives) held caverns of Rurutu and the Bora Bora–like sway, has ensured that Protestantism re- lagoon of Raivavae to the windy bays of Tu- mains strong to this day. buai and the alluring coastline of Rimatara. What you shouldn’t expect, though, is a thriving nightlife. These are quiet islands. There are no resorts, just a smattering of Rurutu POP 2400 welcoming family-run guesthouses where The island’s geology makes it unique; Ru- visitors can sample delicious local-style meals rutu is one of the South Pacific’s largest and genuinely interact with their hosts. raised atolls (makatea). Vertical limestone History cliffs pockmarked with caves line the coast, while the volcanic interior is a fertile, mind- THE AUS The Australs were the last of the Polynesian bogglingly abundant jungle. While there’s islands to be settled; the first arrivals were very little fringing reef, there are a few believed to have come from Tahiti between T R A Maria Island 0 400 km LS & See Rurutu 0 250 miles Ana Aeo Map (p196) Rurutu T h e A T u s t r HE G a Rimatara l s Mt Taita Tropic of Capricorn A The Gambier Archipelago Tubuai MBIER ARCHIPEL Motu Piscine See Raivavae Map (p199) Totegegie Cathédrale Mangareva Saint-Michel Mt Duff (441m) Rikitea SOUTH Gambier Archipelago Taravai PACIFIC Mt Mokoto (1000km; (425m) Aukena OCEAN ag see inset) O O Akamaru THE AUS THE RU R Kamaka Marotiri U Rapa Iti (Bass 0 20 km T (Rapa) Rocks) U 0 10 miles tra LS The Australs & The Gambier Highlights 1 Exploring the surreal 3 Scaling Mt Taita 5 Taking a lagoon and limestone cave of Ana Aeo (p197) and feasting your island tour to Taravai (p195) on Rurutu. eyes on 360-degree views of (p201) in the Gambier. 2 Motu-hopping in the the lagoon. 6 Marvelling at the radiant Raivavae lagoon and 4 Watching the imposing Cathédrale Saint- picnicking on idyllic Motu magnificent Rimatara Michel (p201) of Rikitea. Piscine (p198). lorikeet in its natural habitat on Rimatara (p200)..