The 141 square.km (54 square miles) of land surface in the Austral Islands is home to some 6,5 Polynesians, who live peaceful lives in their attractive villages, where their houses and churches are usually built of coral limestone. Due to the rich soil and the cooler climate of the Australs, good quality vegetables can be produced, including taro, manioc, potatoes, sweet potatoes, leeks, cabbage and coffe, as well as apples, peaches and even strawberries.
Archeological diggings in these isolated islands have uncovered, habitation sites, council platforms and marae temples in the village of Vitaria on Rurutu, showing man’s presence around the year 900 A.D. Tubuai and Rimatara also have the ruins of open-air stone temples and giant sized stone tiki have been found on Raivavae that resemble those in the Marquesas Islands and on Easter Island. On Rapa there are the remains of seven famous pa fortresses on superimposed terraces, that were found nowhere else in Polynesia except New Zealand where the Maori People settled. Exquisite wood carvings, now in museums, tell of an artistic people highly evolved in their craft, who were also superb boat builders and daring seafarers.
Captain James Cook discovered Rurutu in 1769 an Tubuai in 1777. Fletcher Christian and his band of mutineers from the H.M.S Bounty tried to settle in Tubuai in 1789, but were forced to flee the island because of skimishes with the men of Tubuai. Spanish Captain Thomas Gayangos discovered lovely Raivavae in 1775 and remote Rapa was first sighted by English Captain George Vancouver in 1791. Rimatara, the lowest of the high islands, was not found until 1821, when Captain Samuel Pinder Henry of Tahiti arrived, returning the following year with two native teachers who converted the entire population to the Protestant religion. The Austral Islands are mostly Evangelistic today and all have flown the French flag since 1901.
European and South American crews aboard whalers and sandalwood ships during the 19th century brought epidemic diseases to the islands, which practically decimated the strong, proud and highly cultured Polynesian race that once existed in the Australs.
The Austral Islanders today have many of advantages of civilization, including electricity and telephone service and television. There is regular air sevice to Rurutu and Tubuai, and the Tuhaa Pae III cargo ship from Papeete brings supplies to all the islands on a frequent basis. The Australs are collectively known as Tuhaa Pae-five parts that make up the whole archipelago. Past and present blend in harmony in the Austral Islands today. Islands of quiet beauty, peace and pride, these are Polynesia’s Temperate Isles.
TOURISME DESK
COMITE DU TOURISME Rairua Tél: 95.44.05 Fax: 95.44.05
LODGINGS / MOTELS
PENSION ATAHA Rairua Tél: 95.43.69 Fax: 95.43.69
PENSION CHEZ LINDA Rairua Tél: 95.44.25 Fax: 95.44.25
PENSION MOANA Mahaatoa: Tél: 95.42.66 Fax: 95.44.31
PENSION NURUATA Rairua Tél: 95.42.83 Fax: 95.42.83
PENSION RAU'URU Tél: 95.42.88 Fax: 95.42.88
RAIVAVAE TAMA INN Vaiuru Tél: 95.42.52 Fax: 95.42.52
AIR TRANSPORTS
AIR ARCHIPELS Tél: 81.30.30 Fax: 84.42.99
AIR TAHITI Escale Tél: 95.44.33
RAPA
LODGINGS / MOTELS
CHEZ CERDAN FARAIRE Ahurei Tél: 95.72.84
CHEZ TENI FAFAIRE Ahurei Tél: 95.72.37
CHEZ TIHONI FARAIRE Paparaki Tél: 95.72.39
PENSION RIARIA Ahurei Tél: 95.72.27
PENSION TEHAU Paparaki Tél: 95.72.42
PENSION TITAUA Ahurei Tél: 95.72.59 Fax: 95.08.46
RIMATARA
LODGINGS / MOTELS
CHEZ MARIE TAHARIA Amaru Tél: 94.42.24
PENSION UMARERE Mutuaura Tél: 83.25.84
RURUTU
ACTIVITIES
RURUTU BALEINES EXCURSIONS Tél: 94.07.91 Fax: 94.02.22
HOTELS / HOTELS RESTAURANTS
HOTEL RURUTU LODGE Unaa Tél: 94.02.15 Fax: 94.02.15
RENT A CAR
RAUARU RENT CAR Avera Tél: 94.03.02 Fax: 94.06.97
RURUTU RENT A CAR Unaa Tél: 93.02.80 Fax: 93.02.81
LODGINGS / MOTELS
CHEZ ARIANA Vitaria-Moreai Tél: 94.06.69 Fax: 94.07.14
CHEZ CATHERINE Quai de Moerai Tél: 94.02.43 Fax: 94.02.43
CHEZ ERIC ET MARIE Moerai Tél: 94.03.96 Fax: 94.03.96
CHEZ HEIATA Moreai Tél: 94.05.82
CHEZ LOUIS ET PAULETTE Moerai Tél: 94.07.83 Fax: 94.07.83
HOME SWEET HOME Tél: 77.76.87 Fax: 94.07.07
LE MANOTEL Peva-Moerai Tél: 93.02.25 Fax: 93.02.26
PENSION KAMAKE Moerai Tél: 94.03.96 Fax: 94.03.96
PENSION TEAUTAMATEA Tél: 93.02.93 Fax: 993.02.92
PENSION TEMARAMA Unaa-Moerai Tél: 93.02.80 Fax: 93.02.81
RURUTU LODGE Moerai Tél: 94.02.15 Fax: 94.02.15
SCUBA DIVING
RAIE MANTA CLUB Tél: 96.84.80 Fax: 96.85.60
AIR TRANSPORTS
AIR ARCHIPELS Tél: 81.30.30 Fax: 86.42.99
AIR TAHITI Escale Tél: 93.02.50 Fax: 93.02.51
TUBUAI
ACTIVITIES
L.VIRIAMU Mataura Tél: 95.03.97
MATAI REVA NUI PARAPENTE Tél: 95.03.65 Fax: 95.02.09
TUBAI CENTER ( Location de Vélos ) Mataura Tél: 93.24.65 Fax: 93.24.66
RENT A CAR
EUROPCAR Tél: 95.04.12 Fax: 95.04.12
TOURISME DESK
COMITE DU TOURISME Tél: 95.04.19 Fax: 95.04.19
LODGINGS / MOTELS
CHEZ DOUDOU Mataura Tél: 95.06.71 Fax: 95.06.71
CHEZ KARINE ET TALE Mataura Tél: 93.23.40 Fax: 93.23.41
CHEZ YOLANDE Mataura Tél: 95.05.52 Fax: 95.05.52
PENSION LE BOUNTY Tél: 95.03.32 Fax: 95.05.58
PENSION VAITEANUI Mataura Tél: 93.22.40 Fax: 93.22.42
SCUBA DIVING
LA BONNE BOUTEILLE Quai de Mataura Tél: 95.08.41 Fax: 95.08.41
TE MARANUI PLONGEE Mataura Tél: 95.06.34 Fax: 95.06.34
TE MOANA SUB Tél: 95.04.19 Fax: 95.06.95
AIR TRANSPORTS
AIR ARCHIPELS Tél: 81.30.30 Fax: 86.42.99
AIR TAHITI Escale Tél: 93.22.75
