Sacred Sites & Legendary Places
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Port
Huahine, French Polynesia
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Activity Level
Strenuous
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$109.95
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 3½ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Leave the pier aboard le truck -- an open-air, island-style bus.
You're headed to Maeva Village -- the densest concentration of archaeological sites in Polynesia. At one time, this was the traditional home to all of the island's chiefs and their families. Marae, or prehistoric temples abound here and stand as a testament to the importance of the area.
Just above the coastal flat of Maeva is Mata'irea Hill, home to more than 200 stone structures. Marae, agricultural terraces, house foundations, fortification walls and burial platforms dot the landscape here. A guided walk offers you a firsthand look at these sites -- a window into the past. Your guide offers insights into Polynesian origins and migrations, traditional Polynesian society, plants and animals, religion and warfare, and the arrival of the European explorers, missionaries, soldiers and whalers.
Re-boarding le truck, watch for the stone fish traps of Maeva's Lake Fauna Nui. These are still in use by the villagers, many hundreds of years since they first appeared on Huahine's cultural landscape.
You will pass through the village of Faie, stopping to visit the giant blue-eyed eels here.
Then, we will retrace our route back to Maroe Bay and the ship.
Notes:
Wear comfortable walking shoes. Approximately 90-minutes of strenuous walking is required, both uphill and downhill, over uneven and natural terrain. Not advisable for guests using a wheelchair or for those with mobility limitations.