Raivavae

16 km² • 900 residents • 437 m (Mount Hiro)

Twenty-eight motu scattered around an emerald lagoon, an island you can cycle around in about two hours, and one of the most beautiful natural swimming spots in Polynesia: Motu Piscine (Motu Vaiamanu), with its white-sand beaches and shallow turquoise waters. Some consider it more beautiful than Bora Bora. There are no large international hotels, and the island preserves precious archaeological remains, including its famous laughing tiki.

Access

Approx. 2-hour flight from Tahiti, also via Tubuai.

Good to know

22–24 km of road circling the island, no large international hotels, and a remarkable archaeological heritage.

Ideal for

An off-the-beaten-path getaway, cycling, lagoon excursions, and family-run guesthouses

Not to be missed 

• Motu Piscine (Motu Vaiamanu)
• The laughing tiki
• The hike up Mount Hiro
• Vaiuru Beach
• A cycling tour around the island (approximately 22–24 km)
• The marae, particularly Atoni

Images credits
1 – ©Philippe Bachet
2 – ©TAHITI TOURISME/Sylvain Lefevre
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 – ©TAHITI TOURISME/Grégoire Le Bacon