Mataiva, Kaukura, Hao

The other islands in the Tuamotu

Mataiva

Tropical aquarium

Located at the extreme northwest end of the Tuamotus, Mataiva is a small reticulated atoll covered with coconut trees and surrounded by islets such as motu Teaku, better known as the "bird motu", which shelters many different sea bird species. A natural tropical aquarium, Mataiva's round-shaped lagoon is made up of 70 bassins about 25 feet deep and nine channels that gave her her original name: "nine-eyes island". The main village of Pahua is connected by a bridge over a shallow pass bordered by a few houses.

The people, who live off of fishing and coprah production, often take travellers to the centre of the island (Mataiva Papa), rocky islet in the middle of the lagoon. Its legend, is similar to the one of Papiro marae where an enormous coral throne is said to embody King Tu's, a giant who watched over his pass and could cross the island in three steps to kill his enemies. The "Turtle Rock", an old coral reef emerging from the lagoon, is a must for visitors willing to learn the secrets of ancient meteorology when passing clouds would announce the coming of turtles and therefore the beginning of the hunting season.

Kaukura

Fishermen's atoll

Discovered in 1722 by Dutch Navigator Roggeveen who also discovered Easter Island, Kaukura is the southern Palliser island. This magic oval shapped atoll is surrounded by a coral reef with a single channel on its east coast, Faape pass, and is made of 65 islets gathered in five groups of land dropped into a crystal-clear shallow lagoon.

The main village, Raitahiti on the big northeast motu and close to a small airfield hosts most of the population under its coconut trees. Most people live on fishing or from the numerous fish parks and sell their production in the Papeete market. Tourism in pensions is an additional activity for inhabitants who are always willing to take visitors to a pearl farm by boat or tell the story of God Tutonu whose stone statue reminds everyone of those mythical times of ancient villages.

Hao

The island of the harp

Discovered by Quiros in 1606, Hao, also named "the island of the arc" or "island of the harp" because of its configuration, has the shape of a crown placed on one of the largest Polynesian lagoons.

Open to the ocean through the Kaki pass, the atoll area is about 40 square miles... An underwater world that will show divers its unknown wealth. Mussels, starfish, urchins and crustaceans are a small part of the coral reef population, where deep water fish mingle with smaller species in a fairytale mineral site.

The atoll is made of numerous "motu" (islets), hosting pearl farms and holiday homes shaded by coconut trees and pandanus. Otepa, the main village on the northern islet is located 2 miles away from the airport and displays some marvellous, scented gardens.