Marae Arahurahu
A restored stone temple platform on Tahiti's west coast, used for cultural performances during Heiva.
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Marae Arahurahu at Paea is the most completely restored marae on Tahiti, a walled rectangular court with a stepped ahu at one end, backed by a cliff and set among trees, reconstructed in the 1950s from what remained. Marae were the ritual and political centres of pre-Christian Polynesian society, and this one is now used during the Heiva festival in July for staged reconstructions of ceremony and for performance.
What you actually see
- The restored court - the walled enclosure and the stepped ahu at its head.
- The upright stones - the backrests marking the positions of chiefs and priests.
- The cliff setting - the rock face rising directly behind the marae.
- The Heiva performances - the July ceremonies staged at the site.
When to go
May to October is the dry season. The Heiva performances fall in July. Mornings are quietest outside festival time.
Honest expectations
The restoration is substantial and much of what stands was rebuilt in the 1950s. There is limited interpretation on site. It is small and the visit is short.
Nearby
Paea is on the coast, and Papeete is north.
What to pack for Marae Arahurahu
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.