Maupiti

Known as 'Little Bora Bora', this serene high island has a crystal-clear lagoon and mainly family guesthouses. You can wade out to sandbar islets or climb for views over the lagoon.

Maupiti lies at the westernmost end of the Leeward Society Islands in French Polynesia, about 300 km from Tahiti and about 40 km west of Bora Bora. It is a high island of about 11 square kilometres, ringed by a chain of coral islets (motu) and a broad lagoon. It is often called 'Little Bora Bora', or 'Bora Bora as it was thirty years ago'. There are no large resort hotels. Accommodation is mainly family guesthouses, life moves slowly, and about 1,200 people live here, mostly in the main village of Vaiea on the east coast. Main activities include climbing Mount Teurafaatiu for views over the lagoon; wading at Tereia Beach out to Oira islet; taking a lagoon boat to the manta ray cleaning station and to islets for snorkelling; and cycling around the island to see the marae ruins and petroglyphs. May to October is the dry season, with sunshine, little rain and pleasant temperatures. November to April is hot and humid with frequent showers and occasional cyclones. Getting there: the main option is a small Air Tahiti flight from Papeete, or from Bora Bora or Raiatea (several a week). The airport is on the northern islet of Motu Tuanai. From there it is about 15 minutes by boat to the main island, and guesthouses usually meet guests at the airport. The only lagoon passage, the Onuavaiu Pass, is narrow and strong. When sea conditions are poor, boats cannot enter or leave, and cargo and ferry schedules are unreliable. The island has only a few shops and restaurants, and cash is needed, so bring CFP francs from Papeete in advance. Plan 3–4 days.

Top sights

• Mount Teurafaatiu – The highest point on Maupiti's main island, at about 380 m, with 360-degree views over the emerald lagoon and surrounding motus; on clear d…
• Tereia Beach – A white-sand beach at the southwest tip of the main island, with calm, mirror-like shallow water. You can wade across the lagoon to Oyra is…
• Manta Ray Cleaning Station – A coral head in the southern lagoon near the Onuavi'u channel where manta rays gather to be cleaned by cleaner fish; you can snorkel or div…
• Motu Auira – A sandbar islet on the western side of the lagoon, reached by wading from Tereia Beach; coconut palms, empty beaches and reefs for snorkell…
• Motu Tiapaa – A small island southeast of the lagoon, whose lagoon side has a rich coral garden full of fish; it has family guesthouses and is a regular…
• Marae Vaiahu – The most important ancient Polynesian stone ceremonial platform on Maupiti, right by the shore; it was once the royal assembly ground of th…
• Haranae Petroglyphs – Ancient rock carvings in a valley north of the main village, including sea turtles, a few minutes' walk along a forest path.
• Motu Paeao – A small islet at the northern end of the lagoon where remains of one of the oldest Polynesian settlements in the Society Islands were unear…
• Maupiti Island Loop Road – A coastal road circling Maupiti's main island, about 10 km around. Cycle it in two to three hours to explore the villages, meeting house, p…

Where to eat

• Tarona – The island's top restaurant on the lagoon outside Vaiea village, where you eat tuna sashimi and raw fish salad with you…
• Chez Mimi Beach Snack – A simple snack shack on Tereia Beach, the perfect stop before or after wading across the lagoon to Motu Auira, serving…