The South Point Temples

The island's plural heritage stands painted at South Point: the Chinese temples of the phosphate-era settlement - Taoist and Buddhist shrines raised by the workforce whose descendants shaped the island's cultural mix - keep their red-and-gold order against the southern green, altars tended, festival days (Chinese New Year's island version above all) renewing the incense and offerings. The old settlement's traces frame the shrines' story of labour and community; visitors enter by worship's courtesies where open; and the temples' continuing life - not museum, but faith - is the visit's point entire. South Point was a settlement in the phosphate years and the forest has taken back most of what stood there.

Highlights

• The painted shrines - red-and-gold order in the green.
• The tended altars - continuing faith, not museum.
• The festival renewals - New Year's island observance.
• The settlement traces - the phosphate community's ground.

When to go

Year round; festival days bring the shrines their fullest life - the community calendar names them.

Before you go

These are active places of worship - shoes, incense and photography by the courtesies; quiet visits honour the point.

Nearby

The southern loop, the Blowholes and Flying Fish Cove.