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HuahinePOP 6430

Includes  Why Go? History...... 95 Huahine is immaculately tropical and effortlessly Poly­ Sights...... 95 nesian. Lush and scarcely developed, this is an island to visit Activities...... 98 for extreme calm, communing with nature and a genuine taste of culture. There are plenty of opportunities for diving,­ Tours...... 100 surfing, snorkelling, exploring top-notch archaeological Sleeping...... 100 sites and horse riding, but the beauty of this place is just Eating...... 103 how easy it is to relax and do very little at all. The days go by, your skin gets a little darker and your smile a little wider. Huahine feels like one island, but in fact it’s two, ­connected by a short bridge. Huahine Nui (Big Huahine), to the north, is home to the bustling little village of Fare Best Places and most of the main tourist and administrative facilities. to Stay ­Rugged and isolated Huahine Iti (Little Huahine), to the ¨¨Maitai Lapita Village south, offers the islands’ best beaches, azure lagoons and a (p101) serene, get-away-from-it-all atmosphere. ¨¨Tifaifai Motu Mahare (p101) ¨¨Tupuna (p102) When to Go ¨¨July through to September is the dry and sunny high ¨¨Moana Lodge (p102) season – perfect for outdoor activities, especially hiking. ¨¨Meherio (p101) ¨¨In July, the Heiva cultural festival is a prime time to be on the island for some spontaneous fun. Best Places ¨¨May, June, October and November are good shoulder- to Eat season months for decent weather. ’s biggest sporting event, Hawaiki Nui canoe race, starts on ¨¨Chez Tara (p103) Huahine in early November. ¨¨Huahine Yacht Club ¨ (p103) ¨Diving and surfing are popular year-round. ¨¨Tenahe – Relais Mahana (p103) ¨¨ Restaurant (p103) Huahine Sights 95 l

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i i B i a t h i ea ) i s F i ei B an t 4 i as H Snorkelling over colourful fish and colourful over Snorkelling (Fitii) Pass Diving in the Avapeihi Nui Fauna Lake riding around Horse Taking the uphill Taking your and finding Hiring a dinghy Feasting on Tahitian specialities at specialities Tahitian on Feasting (p100) for panoramic panoramic for (p100) Hiking Mt # ap F 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 44 4 4 P ( v A at Hana Iti Beach paradise of slice own (p98). (p103). Tara Chez 2 3 4 5 6 Huahine HighlightsHuahine 1 7 views over the island and lagoon. the over views (p98). de Corail Jardin at Le coral (p35). (p100). (p97). The shallow expanse of Lake Fauna Nui The shallow expanse of Lake Fauna Fauna Nui. It’s also possible to turn off to also possible to turn off It’s Nui. ­Fauna oceanthe airporton the road the take and and then returnside of the lake to the main Maeva part at of the island by the bridge village. is in fact an(also known as Lake Maeva) ­inlet from the sea. The land to the north of Ovarei. this is known as Motu 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ­ ­ ­ ­ LAKE Marara Marara English TOWN, BEACH TOWN, island shipping, while the Avapeihi Sights Huahine Nui Huahine You’ll find a good stretch a good find of white-sand You’ll which Bay, Haamene over out looks Fare Lake Fauna Nui Fauna Lake Fare stepping almost feels like Fare A visit to tiny back in time, so perfectly the does it capture port. of a sleepy South Seas image There’s part of Fare’s not a lot to do, but that’s ­appeal. Check out the colourful waterside boutiques, or hiremarket and a few creative a bicycle and just around a bit. pedal beach on the northern outskirts town of ­ Te (follow the coastline from New and for sunbathing great It’s restaurant). excellent sunsetswimming, offers and ­vistas. The here wide, super-clear lagoon providing some truly great quickly, drops off and dense amid stunning coral snorkelling populations. fish northernthe sea: the to passes two has is the main entrypoint for Pass ­Avamoa inter-­ diving site. to the south is a great (Fitii) Pass A convenient way to see the sights is to start way A convenient and complete a 60km circuit around in Fare direction. island in a clockwise the larger 1 1 About 2km north of Fare, the main sealed About 2km north of Fare, road runs along the inland side of Lake Protestant missionaries out, the islandProtestant Protestant. ­remains predominantly ed. Although the French kicked the ­ kicked ed. Although the French hine supported the Pomare royal family in hine supported Pomare the and there strugglethe againstFrench, the and 1888 1846 clashes between several were rule was eventually accept before French sionaries moved to Huahine to escape the to Huahine sionaries moved They remained for only turmoil on . but returneda year in 1818 to furtherthe spread of Christianity in the region. Hua Europeans first arrived here in 1769, when in 1769, here arrived first Europeans on landed company and Cook James the inhabited shores. Polynesians ­Huahine’s before Euro of years island for thousands to archaeological excavations peans arrived: reveal earliestthe some of norththe Fare of in the . of settlement traces Despite a hostile reception from the native Cook returnedinhabitants, to Huahine of 1808 a group In and 1777. in 1774 twice, London Missionary Society mis (LMS) History