Rurutu

Rurutu was raised by tectonic uplift, so what was once a fringing reef now stands as limestone cliffs and terraces around a volcanic core, riddled with caves full of stalactites, several of which are open and one of which was used for burials. Humpback whales come to the island's waters between July and October to calve, close enough inshore that they are watched from the cliffs as well as from boats. The island keeps a strong weaving tradition.

History

Rurutu formed some 12 million years ago over the Macdonald hotspot and wore down over the next 10 million years almost to an atoll, until just over a million years ago it passed over the Arago hotspot and was lifted about 150 metres, raising the old coral into the cave-riddled cliffs called makatea; its early people were unusual in French Polynesia for living in caves. Between the 10th and 13th centuries navigators from the west, the 'Āti Aairi, said in oral tradition to come from Tonga, landed at Peva, followed by further arrivals from Raivavae and Tubuai from the mid-13th to the early 16th century and tribal wars that lasted until the mid-18th century. James Cook sighted the island on August 13, 1769 but could not land, missionaries of the London Missionary Society settled in 1821, and a Kingdom of Rurutu existed from 1852 to 1889, when French protection began, followed by annexation in 1900 (Wikipedia, Rurutu).

Highlights

• The humpback whales - calving close inshore between July and October.
• The limestone caves - stalactite chambers in the raised reef, some used for burial.
• The raised terraces - the old reef standing above the sea after uplift.
• The weaving - the pandanus work the island is known for.

When to go

July to October is the whale season and the reason most people come. Flights are limited and should be booked ahead. The island is cooler than Tahiti.

Practical notes

Whale watching is regulated and swimming with them is restricted; operators vary in how well they observe the rules. Flights are infrequent. Facilities are limited to small pensions.

Nearby

Tubuai is south, and Rimatara is west.

Key facts