Polynesie | Maupiti

Dawn and Jocelyn greeted us with the obligatory flower necklaces, and took us to the pension in their boat. That square cliff face on the left is known as Mt. Hotu Parata.

Maupiti sunset

Lagoon tour with Sammy and his young crew

Experimenting with Sammy

Hotu Parata towers over the village

Uru (breadfruit)

Some fun before lunch on motu Auira. Maupiti in the background

Walking carefully on the makatea (elevated reef). It

Motu Auira

Lunch: reef fish (one surgeonfish, one unknown), tuna, coconut, breadfruit, coconut bread, slaw.

The girls made plates from pandanus leaves. They are from a French family from the metropole (mainland France) living in Tahiti.

Playing with food

Sammy

Last look at Maupiti from the water

cycle tour around the island. Check out the fellow on the scooter. Polynesians are rarely skinny, and cases of extreme obesity are all too common

Vaiea village, view from the trail up Mt. Teurafaatiu

It was sunny, and climbing in the tropics is sweaty work

Ron happy :-)

Teurafaatiu summit shot!

On top of the world, or at least top of Maupiti. Hotu Parata in the foreground, motu Pitiahe and Tiapaa behind, enclosing the only pass through the reef between them

Motu Tuanai

A group of Swiss hikers came by just in time to take our picture

The tip of motu Tuanai

Tuanai with Bora Bora on the horizon

After stopping for a drink in the island

The road actually veers away from the coast in one section and climbs a small hill

Marae Vaiahu. Maupiti

Afternoon bath at amazing Tereia beach, Maupiti

Tautiare Village

We had some company for the ride to the airport

Maupiti airport waiting lounge

and the taxi stand

Ready to board the flight back to Tahiti. We will miss this place.