Maupiti

⚠️ Timetables, opening hours, prices and access conditions may change without notice, for reasons beyond our control (season, weather, decisions by operators, venues or local authorities). Before every trip, check the information with the relevant authorities and service providers. Entry requirements and local rules (reserves, quotas) are subject to the same caveat.

Maupiti is the smallest of the high islands in the Leeward Islands, part of the Society archipelago in French Polynesia. Lying 307 km from Tahiti, west of Bora Bora, this 11 km² volcanic island rises from a very shallow lagoon fringed with motu and their white sand beaches. Just over 1,250 people live here, mostly around the village of Vai'ea. There are no hotels, only family guesthouses: visitors come for the lagoon, the manta rays, hiking and local life.

A volcanic peak in a shallow lagoon

Maupiti belongs to the Leeward Islands, the western part of the Society archipelago, 307 km from Tahiti. Formerly known as Maurua or Vaitu, this small high island of volcanic origin covers 11 km². Its mountainous interior rises to Mount Teurafaatiu, at around 380 m. The main village, Vai'ea, lies at the foot of the Hotu cliffs, where colonies of seabirds nest. The island has just over 1,250 inhabitants, most of whom live on the main island.

A barrier reef encircles a very shallow lagoon dotted with motu and their white sand beaches: Tuanai, home to the airport, Pae'ao, Tiapa'a, Auira and Pitiahe. The lagoon opens to the ocean through a single pass, Onoiau, in the south of the island between two motu; the local dive club describes it as one of the most dangerous in Polynesia. According to Tahiti Tourisme, you can walk from Tereia beach to Motu Auira in about thirty minutes, with the water a little above knee height.

Maurua, marae and Polynesian legends

Settled by Polynesian navigators, Maupiti retains many traces of its past. On Motu Pae'ao, a ninth-century archaeological site bears witness to early settlement, and an ancient marae survives on Motu Auira. On the main island, Air Tahiti mentions a royal marae and petroglyphs in the Haranae and Vaiahu valleys; those at Haranae depict two crabs and two turtles. The island was also known for making the penu, a basalt pestle. Like the rest of the Leeward Islands, it came under French sovereignty at the end of the 19th century.

Legends remain bound to the landscape. In the Vaitia valley, a large flat stone is said to be the canoe of the god Hiro; near Tereia beach, the Lizard Cave is linked to the lizard that supposedly gave Moorea its name, Mo'o Rea, the "yellow lizard". The traditional economy is based on copra, crafts and growing melons and watermelons. According to CNES, residents rejected large hotel complexes in a local referendum in 2004: the island only has family guesthouses.

Vai'ea, carved valleys and ridge trails

Exploring starts in Vai'ea, the main village, home, according to a local guesthouse, to the town hall, the post office and the Air Tahiti agency. The road around the island, roughly ten kilometres long, can be covered on foot or by bike and leads to the main sites: the Haranae petroglyphs, the Vaiehu marae (Vaiahu according to Air Tahiti), reached by a hiking trail, the Lizard Cave and, near Tereia beach, the "coral palace" of the artist Ah-Ky Firuu.

Hikers head for two viewpoints. The trail from Vai'ea to the top of the Hotu cliffs (250 m) is rated for experienced walkers, and a professional guide is strongly recommended. The climb up Mount Teurafaatiu (around 380 m) is fairly demanding: some routes require climbing with knotted ropes. Avoid the hottest hours, take water and a hat, check trail conditions locally before setting off, and do not hike alone.

Tereia, motu and manta rays

Tereia beach, on the main island, is the starting point for the walk across to Motu Auira, through a lagoon whose water barely reaches above the knee. The other motu are reached by boat or outrigger canoe, arranged through your accommodation; several guesthouses are located on Motu Pae'ao and Motu Tiapa'a. Local operators run half-day or full-day trips combining a coral garden, the manta ray site and a picnic on a motu.

The lagoon has a manta ray cleaning station, which can be visited snorkelling or diving with the island's dive club. The rules are strict: freediving near the rays is forbidden, they must not be touched and should be watched from a distance. Tahiti Tourisme also asks visitors to use reef-safe sunscreen and leave no litter. From July to November, humpback whales visit the Society Islands. Check sea conditions with operators before each outing.

Getting to Maupiti and hopping between motu

From Europe, you first fly into Tahiti-Faa'a international airport. Air Tahiti then links Tahiti and Maupiti with a direct flight of about 55 minutes and also serves the island from Raiatea and Bora Bora; flight days vary by period, so check the airline's schedule. The airport (MAU) is on Motu Tuanai: a municipal shuttle boat reaches the village in about 15 minutes according to Air Tahiti, paid on the spot, and accommodation providers can arrange transfers.

By sea, the Apetahi Express (Tuatea Ferries) advertises a regular service to Maupiti, and Tahiti Tourisme mentions sailings from Bora Bora depending on the period. Their frequency is not always published, so check with the operators before planning your stay. On the island, you get around on foot or by bike, hired from guesthouses, and the motu are reached by boat or canoe. Timetables, fares and conditions may change independently of Dem-Tukki: check them with the operators and the relevant authorities before every departure.

Dry season, cash and guesthouses to book

Maupiti has a tropical climate, with temperatures generally between 20 and 30 °C and water at 27–29 °C. The dry season, from May to October, is the most pleasant; the hot, humid season runs from November to April. The peak tourist season is June to September. Accommodation is limited to family guesthouses, of which Tahiti Tourisme lists fewer than thirty, so you need to book before you arrive, especially in high season.

The currency is the CFP franc (XPF), pegged to the euro: 1,000 XPF equals €8.38. Banking services on the island are very limited and several operators accept cash only: bring enough cash before you arrive and check with your guesthouse. In October 2026, Air Tahiti listed return flights to Maupiti from 63,084 XPF including tax, and some guesthouses hired out bikes from 1,500 XPF a day; these prices may change. French citizens can enter with a valid national ID card; other travellers should check official sources before departure.

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Nearby islands: Bora Bora, Tahiti & its Islands, Moorea and Fakarava.

Photo : Kyprianos Biris, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons