Tubuai
The main Austral island, low and green inside a wide lagoon, with a mild climate and root crops.
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Tubuai is the administrative centre of the Austral Islands, a low green island of two old volcanic masses joined by a plain, sitting inside a wide lagoon with motu on the reef. Its climate is cooler than Tahiti, which lets it grow potatoes, carrots and other crops that supply the Papeete market. Mutineers from the Bounty tried to settle here in 1789 and were driven off within months, leaving the earthworks of their fort.
What you actually see
- The wide lagoon - the reef and motu enclosing the island.
- The cool climate - the temperature that lets root crops grow for the Tahiti market.
- The Bounty fort - the earthworks left by the 1789 attempt to settle.
- The two volcanic masses - the hills joined by the central plain.
When to go
May to October is the dry season, though the Australs are cooler and wetter than Tahiti. Flights are limited. Cyclone season runs November to April.
Honest expectations
There is very little tourism infrastructure and few pensions. Flights are infrequent and expensive. The lagoon is shallow and the passes are limited.
Nearby
Rurutu is north, and Raivavae is east.
What to pack for Tubuai
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.
