The Australs & the Archipelago

Why Go? The Australs ...... 204 Isolated and straddling the Tropic of Capricorn, the mag- ...... 205 nifi cent and pristine are arguably French ...... 207 Polynesia’s most underrated destination. The climate here is ...... 208 temperate, but everything else befi tting of a tropical paradise is here: fl ower-fi lled jungles, sharp peaks, outrageously blue ...... 209 water and genuinely friendly people. The islands are won- The Gambier derfully varied, from the limestone caverns of Rurutu and Archipelago ...... 210 the –like lagoon of Raivavae to the fertile slopes ...... 210 and windy bays of Tubuai – heaven on earth for ecotourists. If, after visiting the Australs, you still feel the urge for more off -the-beaten-track adventures, consider travelling to Best Places to the Gambier, where visitors are an absolute rarity. All the Stay makings of an island holiday paradise can be found in this jaw-droppingly beautiful archipelago, but it’s so far away » Manôtel (p 206 ) (about 1700km southeast from ) and expensive to get » Rurutu Lodge (p 206 ) to that it remains one of the best-kept secrets in French » Raivavae Tama (p 209 ) Polynesia. » Maro’i (p 211 ) W hen to Go Best Outdoor During the dry season (May to October), the climate is Experiences milder than in other parts of the country. With average daily » Walking (p 206 ) temperatures around 20°C, July and August are not the best time to visit if you’re hoping to laze around on a beach, but » Lagoon touring (p 209 ) are an ideal time for hiking. The islands are hottest in Janu- » Exploring caves (p 205 ) ary and February. The Australs have two important religious » Whale-watching (p 206 ) festivals: the Tere, which is held in early January, and the » Horse riding (p 206 ) Me, which is celebrated in May. The whale-watching season runs from July to October. (Bass Rocks) see inset) (1000km; To Gambier Archipelago ightscost fl

arrives arrives ies to Rurutu fl

Tropic of Capricorn (p 211 ) of (Rapa) (p 210 ) in the 210 (p Cathédrale Cathédrale Tuhaa PaeTuhaa IV Aukena Marvelling at the Marvelling Taking a lagoon and a lagoon Taking

s imposing imposing Saint-Michel Rikitea and island tour to to island tour Gambier archipelago 6 l 5 Motu Piscine

(www.airtahiti.pf) (www.airtahiti.pf) a r t 00 400 km 250 miles Map (p208)

s See Raivavae

u O C E A N

The cargo ship A Getting There & Away Air

Motu e Within the archipelago, interisland interisland archipelago, the Within

marae h Tubuai 19th 20th and This centuries. long period, (or more missionaries which English during held representatives) their native frequently re- that Protestantism has ensured sway, day. strong to this mains BOAT 8 Rurutu, Tubuai, Raivavae and Rimatara are about600km south of Tahiti. AIR between 10,000 CFP and 18,000 can You CFP. also add an ‘Australs Extension’, which includes Raivavae, Rurutu andTubuai to some Air Tahiti air passes (see p 249 ). and Tubuai four days a weekand Raivavae to and Rimatara three days a week. One-way fares include Tahiti–Rurutu (22,500 CFP), Tahiti– Tubuai (25,000 CFP), Tahiti–Raivavae or CFP). (27,000 Tahiti–Rimatara three times monthly in251 the Australs; see p details.for

S O U T H P A C I F I C T ) (p 207 while -hopping in the ) (p 209 Tubuai

Motu Imagining the glorious

past of unique visiting its temple) (traditional radiant Raivavae lagoon and lagoon Raivavae radiant picnicking on idyllic Piscine 4 3 ux from theux from Ana Aeo Rurutu fl See Rurutu Map (p205) Aukena Totegegie islands came to rst arrivals were fi

ὄ ὄ Aukena 20 km 12 miles Akamaru Rikitea The Gambier Archipelago

the last of the Polynesian the last of the Polynesian Cathédrale Ana Aeo

Saint-Michel (425m) Mt Mokoto so have kept their culture kept andso have

Rimatara Rurutu Mangareva

ὄὄὄ ὄὄὄ saga, when the mutineers unsuc- saga, when the mutineers

Swimming with Swimming the surreal Exploring 0 0 Taravai Mt (441m)

awe- inspiring awe- humpback at whales ) (p 206 of cave limestone (p 205 ) (p 205 on Rurutu 1 2 The Australs & The Gambier Highlights Apart from a colourful chapter in the Maria Island History outside world, outside the islands to be settled; between come from Tahiti believed to have TheAD 1000 and AD 1300. during the second half European attention of the 18th century. Bounty cessfully tried to establish themselves oncessfully tried to establish contact with Europeans and the Tubuai, was limited until the late world Western delicious local-style cuisine alive. Pandanus cuisinedelicious local-style alive. Pandanus and these crafted is still a mainstay weaving sought afteritems are greatly islanders in by Theother archipelagos. that climate means banana carrots grow alongside peaches and taro plantations. trees and vast The Australs were

THE AUSTRALS of a history had less The have islands here and less in with Europeans

THE AUSTRALS THE AUSTRALS & THE GAMBIER ARCHIPELAGO

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