Opoa & Taputapuatea

Delve deeply into the ancient origins of the Polynesian culture at a sacred national monument in the village of Opoa.

On the way, you will first pause at an aquatic farm to see how exquisite pearls at cultivated in the turquoise seas surrounding Raiatea. It makes a wonderful prelude to visiting Marae Taputapuatea, a holy communal site on the coast where Polynesians held religious and social ceremonies long before missionaries arrived. As you peruse the stone-paved platforms and shrines, the guide will elaborate on the significance of this particular marae, which UNESCO declared an esteemed World Heritage site.

In general, marae are places where ancient Polynesians believed that the living world intersected with the world of their ancestors and gods. Marae Taputapuatea overlooks a sacred opening in the reef through which visitors by sea arrived. Following your enlightening visit to the marae, you will stop a private home to observe how the owner grows vanilla plants.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Observe how pearls are cultivated in the surrounding turquoise seas. • Visit a sacred World Heritage site where ancient Polynesians held religious ceremonies. • Stop by a local residence to see how the homeowner grows vanilla plants.