The Gambier islands

Located over 1,600 km southeast of the island of Tahiti and at the tip of the Gambier Islands, this archipelago is the most remote and least populated region of French Polynesia. Only 1,000 inhabitants live in these four mountainous islands which share the same lagoon: Mangareva, Akamaru, Aukena and Taravai, also made up of dozens of islets, called motu.

The Gambier Islands are distant, they are just over 1,600 kilometers south-east of Tahiti. Polynesian mythology tells that Mangareva was raised from the bottom of the ocean by the demi-god Maui. The Mangareva mountains stand among the surrounding islands and the bright lagoon like a large magnificent cathedral. Center of Catholicism in Polynesia, the people of Mangareva have kept their traditional Polynesian lifestyle and the island has become an important source of supply for the pearl industry of Tahiti And Its Islands. With pearl farms and island tours by road or boat, travelers can also explore the surprising number of churches, convents, watchtowers and schools, vestiges of the 1800s. still used, such as the Saint-Michel church of Rikitea where the altar is inlaid with an iridescent mother-of-pearl shell.

An isolated island

The Gambier Islands are the very definition of the beaten track. Travelers visiting this region will be impressed by the warm welcome from the local community. These isolated islands offer natural and cultural treasures to discover alongside the friendly Mangarevians. These exchanges create a perfect and indescribable alchemy prompt to well-being and a change of scenery unique in the world.

A breathtaking lagoon and mountains

Let’s be clear: the lagoon is probably the most beautiful in Tahiti And Its Islands. Transparent, turquoise and dotted with coral heads, it displays a range of blues that contrast wonderfully with the surrounding green mountains. Hiking is an ideal activity to make the most of its unique landscapes.

The most important cathedral of Tahiti and its islands

Although Mangareva has remains of marae and other ancient Polynesian artefacts, it is most renowned for its fascinating 19th century religious heritage. It has been said that faith can move mountains. In the Gambier Islands, it moved tons of corals which were used to build religious buildings. As the cradle of the Catholic religion, missionaries and recently converted islanders built hundreds of religious buildings between 1840 and 1970: churches, presbyteries, convents, schools, watchtowers … They can be visited on the islands of Rikitea, Akamaru, Aukena and Taravai. Some of them are remarkably preserved while others are in ruins. The largest and oldest religious monument of Tahiti And Its Islands remains in Rikitea, the Saint-Michel cathedral (1848).