The Heart of Voh

In the tidal flats near Voh, salt-tolerant vegetation and bare clay have drawn - entirely on their own - a near-perfect heart some hundreds of metres across, made world-famous when aerial photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand put it on the cover of Earth from Above. Seeing it properly means getting airborne: ultralight flights from Kone circle the formation and the reef beyond, while the free alternative climbs the Katepahie ridge for an oblique but genuine version of the view, with the lagoon's turquoise banding the horizon. Either way, the heart's fame is honestly earned - nature's best valentine, visible only from above.

The landscape

• The heart itself - the mangrove's perfect accident from the air.
• The ultralight circuit - lagoon, reef and heart in one flight.
• The Katepahie ridge - the walker's oblique version.
• The lagoon banding - turquoise gradients beyond the flats.

When to go

May to November brings the driest, clearest flying weather; morning flights beat both wind and cloud. The heart's outline varies subtly with seasons and years - part of its living charm.

Good to know

From the ground you see mangrove flats, full stop - the heart requires altitude, and flights book out in holiday periods; the ridge walk is a hot, steep consolation with a worthwhile but angled view. Voh itself is a quiet stop - combine with the northeast coast's drives.

Nearby

Kone, the west-coast lagoon and the northern crossing to Hienghene's cliffs.