In General
Huahine is located 175 km North-West of Tahiti within the Leeward Islands.
Regularly, several ships and planes serve this island.

It is equipped with modern infrastructures and stores where it is possible to do your general shopping.

Geography
Huahine is an old volcano whose center sunk and was filled up by the sea.

This island with a surface of 75 km2 is now made up of 2 solid mountainous masses, Huahine Nui (" large Huahine ") and Huahine Iti (" small Huahine "), separated by the bays of Maroe and Bourayne and protected by a broken turquoise lagoon where one can access through 5 principal passes.

The language is the same as in the Society Islands except for some minors slangs. Huahine is however characterized by the intimate variety of its landscapes, cut out in small steepbank valleys and multiple bays; as by its 8 principal villages, with the massed households ones against the others and with the well differentiated personalities.

The 8 villages
The population of Huahine is devided in 8 villages, 4 in Huahine Nui (Fare, Maeva, Faie and Fitii) and 4 in Huahine Iti (Maroe, Haapu, Parea and Tefarerii)

Fare
This village was, as of the 1830s, a slackening port for the whaling ships which went up North, following the trail of the Cetacea during the months of May trought June.

The capital of Huahine extends in frontage along the water front. Different stores stands along a single and tree shaded street. The market, roulottes and boat arrivals offers a permanent animation.

Fare faces the bay of Haamene . 2 main passes open towards the ocean, Avamoa, in the North, the principal access of inter-island navigation, but also a mythical surf spot.

Maeva
In old times, Huahine was the center of the Polynesian culture. Now, among of all the French Polynesia islands, Huahine is the richest in archeological sites. In the only village of Maeva, there are about thirty maraes (place of ceremony) restored.

The lake Fauna Nui communicates with the sea by a narrow channel. Piled up stones forming a "V" could be seen there. These stuctures are old fish traps which are still in use nowadays exactly like hundreds of years ago. The fish is deviated towards the traps by the backward flow of the tides.

Faie
Faie is a famous village for its fresh water eels. You will be able to approach and even to pet them.

It is also the access that leads to the look-out of belvedere which culminates at 200 m with a breathtaking sight of Maroe bay.

Maroe
Beware of the descent from the look-out there is a slope of 20%. It leads to the single bridge connecting Huahine Nui to Huahine Iti.

On your right, you will have a view of bay de Bourayne, and of motu (islet) Vaiorea as well as of the island of Raiatea at the horizon, and on your left, a splendid view of Maroe bay.

Tefarerii
On the sea side, a small marina allows the small boats to dock, on the lagoon side, one farms the mussels.

From the inner Apoomatai bay, you will have a unimpeded view of a volcanic chimney bearing the evocative name of Te moa O Hiro (the penis of Hiro).

Parea
Located at the extreme South of Huahine, Parea have superb white sand beaches.
This lagoon of dream is used as a mooring place for several sailing ships which anchors to stay a few days.

Various agricultures follow one another: taro, tapioca (arrow-root), vanilla, banana trees.

Haapu
At the end of 1950, the American anthropologists from Bishop Museum of Hawaii, studied in detail the life in Haapu, the place was chosen like the example of an insular maohi community.

This formerly lake village, on stilts, gained in width thanks to embankments on the lagoon. The road which leads to the village is a dead end street.

Fitii
Fitii is a quiet village where runs the Vaiuraura river. Mape (Polynesian chestnut), vanilla, pacayers grows there; a true garden of Eden reflecting the conservation of the past and the Polynesian culture.

One can see an old NASA site there, being used for the tectonic plates studies.

Old history
According to the archaeological and linguistic studies, the Polynesian ancestors arrived from the South-west of Asia.

They arrived on the coasts North of New Guinea about 4000 to 5000 years ago and they gradually left for Fiji and Tonga around 1500 BC and for Samoa around 100 BC.

The marquesas were inhabited only around 300 AC.

This colonization was done by the means of great voyages, accomplished by canoes built by the Polynesians, bringing with them plants, fruits, animals and other foods important for the survival of man.

Recent history
Cook was the first European to visit Huahine in 1769. He will later travel several times to Huahine during which he made it possible for a young Polynesian called Omai to make a round the world tour and to live in England during a few years.

In 1809, Protestant missionaries Davies and Bennet undertake a 1 year round the island tour during which they wrote a detailed journal.