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Territory
Wonders of the Austral Islands
  Highlights
The remote Austral Islands are a part of French Polynesia. These islands are a treasure trove of exciting cultural heritage. Many monuments here are unusual – the cave settlements of Rurutu, hilltop fortresses of Rapa Iti, the tatoo workshop in Tubuai and the countless sites of legends.
Notable natural monuments here are caves – including the phantasmagoric Toarutu Cave (Rurutu).
Map with the described wonders
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Top 16 wonders of the Austral Islands
Geological wonders
Toarutu Cave (Mouth of Dragon)
An amazing cave with numerous columns – it resembles a mouth of a giant dragon. It formed at the times when the sea level was 10 m higher than now.
Ana Vairua’uri
An underground stream with a lake that is up to 7 m deep. In the stream are living enormous shrimps. Several sinkholes have formed along the route of the stream. A legend about an octopus who lived here and killed horses.
Taupe’e Cave (Maperevaru)
A beautiful cave with stalactites, stalagmites, gours, cave pearls, and other cave formations.
Ana Pu’uru
Cave with gours, straw stalagmites and other amazing speleothems.
Biological wonders
Mount Purau rainforest
Remnant of a unique montane rain forest with huge number of endemic species of plants (89 species) and animals.
Archaeological wonders
Ra’ivavae tiki
The only remaining tiki – sacred stone statue – in Ra’ivavae. It represents a child of Moana and Heiata – two other stone statues now in Papeete. Mysterious, legendary stone.
Haurii tatoo workshops
Unique site with different adjustments for making tattoos. Includes stone tools for making the ink, utensils for making the ink, and oven. The site contains several workshops – one for making facial tattoos, one for tattoos on feet, and one for tattoos for men.
Morongo Uta
Austral Islands
One of the most impressive inland fortifications in Rapa Iti, built around 1500 AD on the top of a 258 m high mountain. This small island has 13 – 14 prehistoric mountaintop fortifications.
Marae Hano
Large, well preserved marae, 30 by 30 m large, extended by a stone-clad path towards the sea. In the center stands a 1.6 m high stone with a possible face cut in it. Several more petroglyphs.
Hatuturi fortress and other mountain fortresses of Ra’ivavae
Ancient shelters of defeated people from other parts of Polynesia. Contains terraced fields, areas laid with stones, marae.
Marae Unurau
An important, large, and well preserved marae with some 30 standing stone slabs that are up to 3 m tall. A stone-clad pathway leads to the sea.
Marae Pomavao
Large, interesting marae. Contains forty standing stones that are up to 1.8 m high, and one is 2 m high. The interior and the access road are paved with stones. In the middle once was a statue.
Anapiro Cave
One of the four ancient burial caves in Rapa Iti.
Ana Ae’o (Grotte Mitterrand)
One of the last inhabited caves in Rurutu. Rurutu island has many grottoes well suited for human habitation – it is possible that people lived even in more than 100 caves here. Caves are adorned with amazing stalactites and other cave formations.
Ana Apiti, Naairoa
An ancient shelter, located at the base of the steep sea coast. Here was found a large number of human remnants.
Ana Maniana
Legendary, elusive cave with treasures. King was hiding in this cave and kept the valuables of his family there. The cave reportedly can be found only by the use of secret words.
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