What to do in Tubuai, Austral islands? Top 6 Must-Do Activities
At MyLittlePolynesia, we’re passionate about showcasing the Polynesian islands in all their authenticity. And if there’s one island that perfectly embodies the balance between adventure, nature, and the sweetness of island living, it’s Tubuai, the grand lady of the Austral archipelago. Known for its immense lagoon with infinite shades of blue and verdant mountains, Tubuai captivates with its wild beauty and peaceful atmosphere, far from the hustle of major tourist destinations.
What makes Tubuai unique is its ability to offer both sporty and contemplative experiences. Water sports enthusiasts will find a paradise for kitesurfing and windsurfing, while hikers will set out to conquer Mount Taitaa or explore hiking trails winding between taro fields and tropical forests. The island is also filled with cultural treasures, like Fort George, witness to a fascinating historical past, and Sainte-Hélène hermitage, a haven of peace nestled in the heart of the mountains.
In this article, we take you to discover the top 6 must-do activities and visits in Tubuai: between adventure, history, and serenity, follow our guide to explore this island of pure beauty and deeply Polynesian soul. Our advice? Take your time, at least 3 to 4 days to feel all the magic of Tubuai, savor its tranquility, meet its inhabitants, and live an authentic experience at the end of the world.
What to do in Tubuai, Austral islands? Top 6 activities and visits
Plan approximately 3 to 4 days on site to fully enjoy Tubuai’s beauty and live an authentic Polynesian experience. To get there, the most practical means is the Air Tahiti flight from Papeete, about 1.5 hours, offering from the sky a spectacular view of the immense lagoon and the island’s verdant mountains.
For travelers seeking authenticity, it’s also possible to board the Tuhaa Pae IV or Aranui 5, the cargo-ferries that regularly serve the Austral Islands: Rurutu, Tubuai, Raivavae, Rimatara, and Rapa Iti. This longer journey allows you to immerse yourself in local life, discover the ports of the Australs, and adopt the peaceful rhythm of preserved Polynesia.
For a concrete example of a loop combining mountains and atolls over 3 weeks, check out our article 3-Week Itinerary: Tuamotu and Society Islands with all the stages and durations per island. Let’s start our top 6 !
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1. Kitesurfing and Windsurfing in Tubuai: The Breath of Paradise
Under the infinite sky of the South Pacific, Tubuai stretches majestically, surrounded by a lagoon in turquoise and emerald shades. It’s here, in this raw and luminous nature, that kitesurfing and windsurfing enthusiasts find their eldorado. The consistent trade winds from the open sea offer ideal conditions for gliding across the clear waters, between reefs and motus. The wind caresses your skin, the sail tightens, and suddenly everything becomes silence — a suspended moment where gliding transforms into pure freedom.
On Taahuaia beach or near Mataura port, riders prepare their equipment, eyes turned toward the horizon. The most experienced speed along at full throttle, playing with the waves, while beginners learn to tame the elements, guided by passionate instructors. Here, the sea isn’t just scenery: it’s a living companion, changing, sometimes capricious, but always welcoming.
Between sessions, you stop on a deserted motu, time to breathe, to admire the coral barrier that draws a perfect circle around the island. Rays glide beneath the surface, birds dive into the crystal-clear water, a natural ballet that reminds us how much Tubuai has remained preserved. In the evening, when the sun descends on the horizon, boards line up on the sand and silhouettes gather to share a simple meal, often fresh fish grilled over a wood fire.
👉 If you’re looking for information on group travel in Polynesia, check out our complete article: Group Travel at the Best Price in Tahiti.
📖 Read the article ➜ Traveling in French Polynesia: 10 day Itinerary & Tips
2. Hiking Trails: The Wild Heart of Tubuai
Venturing onto Tubuai’s trails means diving into authentic Polynesia, far from clichés and crowds. The island, encircled by a sparkling lagoon, hides a verdant interior where countless hiking circuits unfold. Each path tells a story: that of a land shaped by volcanoes, inhabited by legends and wind whispers. From the first steps, the scent of tiaré and pandanus fills the air, while the sea breeze accompanies hikers throughout the journey.
The routes wind through lush valleys, hills dotted with hibiscus, and taro fields cultivated for generations. Some trails follow the coastline, where you glimpse the lagoon shimmering between coconut palms; others climb toward the heights to offer breathtaking panoramic views. From the summit, you can distinguish the motus encircling Tubuai, like pearls placed on a setting of transparent water.
Along the walk, you often meet smiling locals who gladly share an anecdote, a legend, or fruit picked along the way. It’s this human and natural connection that makes hiking so special here: each step is an encounter, each stop a moment of sharing. The most curious can be guided by a passionate local, who reveals the island’s botanical secrets — edible ferns, medicinal plants, sacred flowers.
👉 If you’re interested in information about the most beautiful Polynesian islands to visit, you can check out our article on our top 7 islands to visit.
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3. Mataura Port: Between Authenticity and Island Life
At the heart of Tubuai, Mataura port is the true center of island life, where everything converges. At dawn, the first rays of sun gild the mountains, and fishermen, slender silhouettes on their outrigger canoes, return to port, nets still damp with salt and spray. The air is fragrant with fresh tuna and bonito, while children’s laughter resonates on the quay. Here, life follows the rhythm of the sea, peaceful and sincere, without artifice.
Mataura port is also the theater of daily island life. It’s where cargo ships dock, bringing provisions and goods from Tahiti, where travelers disembark, curious to discover this pearl of the Australs. There’s a colorful market where women sell woven baskets, garden fruits, and flower garlands. Conversations mingle with the lapping water and the cry of terns hovering above the boats.
You observe fishermen repairing their nets while discussing currents, winds, and sea legends. A little further, teenagers jump from the quay into crystal-clear water reflecting the verdant mountains. All around, human warmth and simplicity dominate — a way of life that perfectly captures the spirit of Tubuai.
In the evening, when the sun slowly descends on the horizon, the port calms. Sails rest, engines fall silent, and silence settles, only disturbed by the gentle surf against the hulls. It’s the hour when Mataura transforms: colors blend into gold and pink, and the lagoon becomes a mirror. In this suspended instant, you understand why this place, modest and lively, embodies the soul of Tubuai, a sincere island, attached to the sea and those who bring it to life.
👉 You can check out our article on 10 days in the Marquesas during your trip to Polynesia, why this archipelago is a must-include during your trip to Polynesia.
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4. Climbing Mount Taitaa: The Island Seen from the Sky
Rising toward Mount Taitaa means conquering the soul of Tubuai. At 422 meters altitude, it proudly dominates the island, offering those who dare the ascent a breathtaking panorama. From the first steps, vegetation thickens: giant ferns, century-old banyans, vines hanging like ribbons of greenery. The air becomes fresher, denser, charged with wild fragrances. Birds, discreet but numerous, accompany the hiker with melodious song, as if encouraging them to continue.
👉 If you’re looking for information on cruising with the Aranui in Polynesia, check out our complete article: Everything you need to know about the Aranui, authentic Polynesian cruise on a mixed cargo ship.
The trail, sometimes steep, winds through wooded slopes and opens at times onto spectacular viewpoints. You glimpse the motus encircling the lagoon, the infinite nuances of blue and green blending under sunlight. Each stop is a reward: breath caught, amazed gaze. The higher you climb, the sweeter the sensation of isolation becomes, almost meditative.
At the summit, the spectacle is grandiose. Wind sweeps through hair, clouds dance on the ridges, and the sea extends as far as the eye can see, encircling Tubuai in an embrace of azure. From up there, you perceive all the island’s majesty, its fertile valleys, peaceful lagoons, and mountains sculpted by time. It’s a place that demands silence, an encounter between sky and earth, between raw strength and inner peace.
Descending Mount Taitaa means returning transformed. Each step restores what was left behind: the sound of waves, the scent of tiaré, the rumor of the port. The climb becomes a spiritual experience, a rite of ascension and return, where you feel lighter, humbler, closer to nature. In this grandiose setting, Tubuai reveals itself not as a simple island, but as a floating mountain, a sanctuary of wild beauty where you learn to listen to the wind.
👉 Interested in getting around the islands of French Polynesia? Don’t miss our dedicated guide.
5. Fort George: Living Memory of Tubuai
On the verdant heights of Mataura, overlooking the lagoon and surrounding mountains, stand the silent vestiges of Fort George. Today overtaken by grass and wildflowers, this place was once the stage for a fascinating page of Polynesian history. Built at the end of the 18th century by the men of the Bounty expedition, under Captain Bligh’s command, the fort was meant to serve as a defensive bastion after the famous mutiny. Here, between mossy stones and sea winds, the past still seems to whisper.
Visitors climbing the hill feel this presence, invisible but palpable. The crumbling walls tell of the hopes, fears, and determination of these sailors stranded at the ends of the known world. At the top, the view is breathtaking: the turquoise lagoon extends infinitely, punctuated by brilliant motus, while mountains plunge toward the sea. The contrast between landscape beauty and historical weight creates a singular emotion, profound, almost mystical.
Walking through Fort George’s ruins means walking in the footsteps of pioneers, explorers, and Tubuai inhabitants who witnessed this ephemeral fortress’s birth. The stones, eaten by salt and time, testify to a past both fragile and powerful. You imagine men scanning the horizon, fearing the mutineers’ return or tropical storm assaults.
Today, the fort is a place of memory and contemplation. Visitors come seeking calm, wind, views, but also that sensation of being connected to a history greater than themselves. Under the changing sky of the Australs, Fort George stands as a symbol: that of an island proud of its past, conscious of its cultural and natural wealth. In Tubuai, even stones tell stories, and that of Fort George still resonates like a voice from time.
If you’re wondering what to bring for your trip to Polynesia, check out our complete packing guide for Tahiti and Bora Bora with all the essentials you’ll need.
6. Sainte-Hélène Hermitage: The Spiritual Breath of Tubuai
Away from the village, where the mountain softens before plunging into the Valley of Kings, lies a place apart, almost outside time: the Sainte-Hélène hermitage. Nestled in a verdant setting, this small white sanctuary, simple and luminous, seems to watch over the entire island. The path leading there winds between fruit trees, tropical flowers, and wind whispers. You walk in silence, as if guided by a gentle energy, invisible but very real.
Arriving at the summit, the view takes your breath away. Below, Tubuai’s colorful roofs blend with the intense green of valleys, while the lagoon sparkles in the distance like a precious stone. The silence is almost sacred, only disturbed by rustling leaves and a bird’s distant cry. The hermitage invites meditation and recollection, that rare pause where you reconnect with yourself and nature.
This place is not imposing: no grand bell tower or ostentatious décor. Its beauty lies in its simplicity and the emotion it emanates. Tubuai’s inhabitants sometimes come to pray, others to contemplate, some simply to breathe. Here, spirituality takes the form of silent harmony, a dialogue between earth, sky, and ocean.
At sunset, golden light caresses the hermitage’s walls, transforming the landscape into a living tableau. It’s a suspended moment, almost unreal, where you understand why Sainte-Hélène is so dear to Tubuaians’ hearts. This place symbolizes inner peace, continuity between generations, and that sacred bond between people and their island. In this absolute quietude, Tubuai reveals another facet of its beauty: the timeless one of a spiritual land where silence becomes prayer.
Discover all our tips to organize an itinerary adapted for divers in Polynesia.
Check out all our articles on must-do activities and island-by-island recommendations to help you plan the perfect trip to French Polynesia. People also visit Rurutu, Raivavae and Rimatara during their Austral islands trip, check our full articles.
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