Maupiti

Little sister of the Leeward Islands, Maupiti, formerly called Maurua, retains all the Polynesian authenticity. Located just 40 km south of Bora Bora, this secret island shares similarities with the Pearl of the South Pacific: a mountainous island surrounded by a crystal clear lagoon and bordered by motu with white sand beaches.

Nicknamed the Bora Bora of the 60s, Maupiti is an unspoilt paradise, untouched by major tourist infrastructures. There are no hotels, bars, restaurants or nightclubs here. The island offers friendly guesthouses on the main island or motu, as well as a charming motel on Tereia Beach. The welcome is warm and authentic.

A captivating simplicity

Life on Maupiti is simple, centered on growing watermelons, melons and harvesting copra on the motu. Bringing cash is essential, as the bank only has one representative who does not stay permanently on the island.

Accessible by plane via Bora Bora or Raiatea, or by boat with the Maupiti Express from Bora Bora, the only pass connecting the island to the outside remains relatively dangerous, which explains its protection against European penetration for centuries.

Today, the approximately 1,300 inhabitants of Maupiti form a deeply religious community, marked by the influence of Protestant missionaries.

Discoveries and activities

Renting a bike at the main village of Vaiea allows you to explore the island. The inhabitants, living in fares on stilts by the sea, fish daily in canoes and willingly share their way of life.
The beaches of Maupiti are ideal for memorable walks. Some are home to protected turtles and sacred egrets, while Tereia Beach, nicknamed the lovers’ beach, invites romance with its white sand and clear waters.
The Maupiti lagoon reveals its treasures during dives near the Onoiau pass. Hammerhead sharks, eagle rays, manta rays, multicolored fish and coral gardens enchant with each immersion.

History and culture

Hiking through the lands of Maupiti allows you to visit Vaiea, its cliffs where seabirds nest, or the Hotu Parata cliff. Fields of watermelons and melons, as well as traces of history, enrich the experience.
The sacred sites reveal the soul of the island: the Haranai valley and its lithic monuments, the Vaitea valley and the legendary Hiro canoe, the red cliff of Nina Here, the Ofera marae on the motu of Tiapa’a, as well as an archaeological site dating from the 9th century, one of the oldest in Tahiti and its islands.

Local immersion

Sharing the daily life of the inhabitants by participating in fishing for lobsters or fish in a canoe, or during excursions to the motu, offers total immersion. Maupiti, with its discretion and intact beauty, embodies authentic Polynesia.