Uturoa, Raiatea cruise port guide

About Uturoa, Raiatea

Raiatea is the second-largest island of the Society Islands in French Polynesia and considered the sacred spiritual center of ancient eastern Polynesia. Home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Taputapuatea marae—the most important religious and political center of eastern Polynesia for centuries—it is often called the 'cradle of Polynesian culture' and is the departure point for the legendary Polynesian migrations to Hawaii, New Zealand, and beyond.

Taputapuatea, on the southeastern coast, is the single most important prehistoric site in eastern Polynesia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017. Established by 1000 CE, the vast marae complex was the religious and political hub where chiefs from across the Pacific gathered, and where the god Oro's cult unified the islands. The Faaroa River is the only navigable river in French Polynesia, winding through fertile valleys where kayakers can explore lush jungle. Raiatea and neighboring Tahaa share the same lagoon enclosed by a barrier reef, with Tahaa's vanilla plantations and pearl farms accessible by a short boat crossing.