Maupiti is located just 25nm west of Bora Bora, where we just sailed from. The lagoon and island is equally as beautiful as Bora Bora, just a tad smaller, and without the luxury resorts. There are only a few smaller bed and breakfasts on the outer islands, and not many tourists.
The pass coming into Maupiti is infamous among cruisers. If there is more than 2 meters of swell, it is inadvisable to try to enter the lagoon. We had timed our visit well, and entered without any problems. We found an anchor spot in the south, close to the pass, where there were eight other boats.
The water around was so crystal clear, it was incredible. We tried to anchor on the ledge in the shallows, where we saw another boat we know from before was anchored. We know that they draw 40 centimeters less than us, and it looked very shallow, so we approached with caution. The captain backed out just as we were on the edge of the ledge, as we saw 0.0m again under our keel on the depth sounder.
So, we found a good spot right off the ledge, and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings. Immediately, there were two spotted eagle rays floating in the shallows over the white sand. It was so tranquil here, after the buzzy setting in Bora Bora. We enjoyed the first couple of days around the anchorage, and celebrated the Norwegian Independence Day on May 17th.
We further enjoyed these first few days snorkeling on the beautiful corals close by, and swimming with huge manta rays right next to the boat.
We organized a dinghy float with several of the other cruisers who were there. It is always easier to meet people at the more remote locations, rather than on the busy islands and anchorages. We met several boats who are also going to the next and last island we can sail to in French Polynesia, Maupiha’a. We look forward to reconnecting with them there!
A couple of days after we arrived, we set out to explore Maupiti using our bikes, and we circumvented the island in a little over an hour. There are 1,300 inhabitants on the island, and houses are spread around the coastline mostly, except for a little cluster in the one village, Vai’ea.
After the bike ride, we stopped for lunch at the island’s most popular restaurant, Restaurant Tarona, which is a beach front restaurant that is only open for lunch on weekdays. We quickly discovered that the prices were half of what we experienced on Bora Bora, and enjoyed a lovely meal.
The following day we hiked Maupiti’s highest point, Mount Teurafaatiu, at 372 meters. It is a spectacular hike, which was very steep at some areas, where ropes helped us climb to the next level. It has rained somewhat lately, so it was extremely muddy, but still an amazing hike.
We ended at the same restaurant for lunch, but this time with 10 other cruisers from five other boats. Some of them we hadn’t seen since Panama City, just after we transited the canal in January 2024. We really enjoyed ourselves, and had lots of conversations about what everyone has been doing since last, and where people are heading. Unfortunately, no photos were taken at lunch…
Maupiti definitely has a well deserved label as Bora Bora’s little sister. We hope that if we come back here in a few decades, that we won’t find that international hotel chains have taken over the whole lagoon, which is what has happened in Bora Bora. We left Mapuiti after staying here one week, and set out on the overnight sail to our last stop in French Polynesia, the Maupiha’a atoll.
