Sacred websites, or marae, supply a glimpse into the historical past of French Polynesia, and there are a number of shore excursions that provide entry to those historic points of interest. Some of the notable is the Taputapuatea marae, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Website. Situated on Raiatea, which is known as “The Sacred Island,” the marae at Taputapuatea is believed to have been established as early as 1000 AD. Raiatea is taken into account the ancestral homeland of the Polynesian folks, as it’s the oldest inhabited island in French Polynesia. The ceremonial website served as the bottom for growth to Hawaii and New Zealand, and the islands had been first settled by migrating Polynesians as early as 500 BC.  

The island of Huahine is known for having one of many largest teams of pre-European marae in French Polynesia, and also you’ll discover 30 excavated websites on the Maeva marae. This group of constructions and historical fish traps are believed to have been constructed as early because the thirteenth century AD. The adjoining museum shows artifacts like paddles, blades, jewellery, pestles and tattoo combs, and you may also study concerning the historical past of excavations, which started within the Nineteen Twenties.   

Only a quick distance from Moorea’s Belvedere Lookout, you possibly can wander across the stays of a number of historical marae, together with Titiroa (pictured above) and Ahu-o-Mahine. Constructed amongst a dense forest of chestnut bushes, a climbing path results in the tohua, or council platform, plus two smaller marae and an altar consisting of a number of steps layered with stones.