Mataiva
A Tuamotu atoll whose lagoon is divided into shallow basins by coral ridges, unique in the archipelago.
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Mataiva is the westernmost of the Tuamotu and its lagoon is unlike any other in the archipelago: coral ridges divide it into around seventy shallow basins, so from the air it reads as a grid rather than an open lagoon, and the name means nine eyes, for the nine channels through the reef. The atoll has one village, a phosphate deposit that has been repeatedly proposed for mining and repeatedly resisted, and very few visitors. The village sits on the western rim beside the main channel, joined to the rest of the atoll by a bridge, and the whole island is walked or cycled in a day.
What you actually see
- The divided lagoon - around seventy shallow basins separated by coral ridges.
- The nine channels - the openings through the reef the name refers to.
- The single village - Pahua on the western rim.
- The quiet - an atoll with almost no visitors.
When to go
May to October is the dry season. Flights are infrequent and easily disrupted. Cyclone season is November to April.
Honest expectations
Flights are few and being stuck is possible. Accommodation is a couple of small pensions. There is essentially nothing laid on for visitors.
Nearby
Tikehau is east, and Rangiroa is beyond it.
What to pack for Mataiva
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.