Makatea

Makatea is not a normal atoll: tectonic uplift raised it and it now stands as a limestone plateau around eighty metres above the sea with cliffs all round, riddled with caves and sinkholes. Phosphate was mined here from 1917 until 1966, when the deposit ran out and most of the population left; the workings, rail lines and machinery are still there. A few hundred people live on the island and rock climbing routes have been put up on the cliffs.

Background

Also known as Mangaia-te-vai-tamae, the island lies in the northwestern Tuamotus, 79 kilometres southwest of Rangiroa and west of the Palliser group. It is 7.5 kilometres long and up to 7 kilometres wide in the south, with an area of 24 square kilometres. With Nukutavake, Tikei and Tepoto Nord, it is one of only four islands in the archipelago that are not typical atolls. Cliffs of 60 to 75 meters line the north and east coasts, while the south slopes more gently over two lower terraces. Pedro Fernandes de Queirós named it Sagitario in 1606, and Jakob Roggeveen called it Aurora in 1722. One of its cylindrical holes, the pothole, drops 80 metres, down to the water table.

Source: Wikipedia, "Makatea"

What you'll find

• The raised plateau - a coral island standing eighty metres above the sea.
• The phosphate workings - the abandoned mine, rails and machinery.
• The caves and sinkholes - the karst cut into the limestone.
• The climbing routes - the lines put up on the cliffs in recent years.

When to go

May to October is the dry season. There is no airport and boat landings depend on the sea. Trips must be arranged in advance.

Practical notes

There is no airstrip and landing by boat is difficult and weather dependent. Facilities are minimal. Old mine workings are unstable and should not be entered without a guide.

Nearby

Rangiroa is northeast, and Tahiti is southwest.

Key facts