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FRENCH POLYNESIA
Austral Archipelago
The Austral Islands are an archipelago with a total area of approximately 152 km2 located in the southernmost part of French Polynesia in the northwest of the South Pacific Ocean. Stretching over a length of 1,317 km, the archipelago is distant from Papeete (Society Archipelago) by 573 km for the nearest island (Rurutu) and 1,301 km for the furthest (Marotiri). The Austral Islands are made up of a group of five main high islands, and two groups of four islands or islets: Tubuai, 45 km2, is the administrative center of the Australs, Rurutu, 36 km2, Rimatara, 8 km2 and Raivavae, 16 km2 and small islands/islets like Rapa, Maria Islands Atoll and Marotiri
BEST TIME to VISIT AUSTRAL Archipelago
BEST TIME to TRAVEL to FRENCH POLYNESIA
From June to October : cool weather
From November to May : Hot and rainy

Tubuai island - arrival at the airport

Tubuai island - lagoon

Tubuai island - fishing boat

Tubuai island - sandy beach and lagoon

Tubuai island - Post Office

Tubuai island - Lush vegetation

Tubuai island - lagoon

Tubuai island - lagoon

Tubuai island - Bus Stop

Tubuai island - Snack Bar

Tubuai island - lagoon and motus

Tubuai island - small building with a frescoe featuring a whale and a turtle

Tubuai island - Arrival of the ship - People are waiting their orders

Tubuai island - The ship is delivering goods twice a month to Austral Islands

Tubuai island - Arrival of the ship - Containers are moved

Raivavae island - old stone Tiki (woman) in a private garden

Raivavae island - typical boat

Raivavae island - church

Raivavae island - snack bar

Raivavae island - colorful house and mountain

Raivavae island - house and mountain landscape

Raivavae island - church and mountain landscape

Raivavae island - Hibiscus flower and lagoon

Raivavae island - house and mountain landscape

Raivavae island - house and mountain landscape

Raivavae island - father and son

Raivavae island - house and mountain landscape

Raivavae island - lagoon

Raivavae island - lagoon

Raivavae island - lagoon

Rimatera island - sunset

Rimatera island - fishing boats

Tubuai island - house

Tubuai island - church

Tubuai island - highest mountain on the island

Tubuai island - Coastline and children taking a bath

Tubuai island - mountain called the reclining man

Tubuai island - moutain landscape

Tubuai island - Arrival at the Tubuai airport - Some travelers are welcomed with flower neckless

Tubuai island - shop

Tubuai island - sandy beach

Tubuai island - Bird's-eye on the island with a cloudy weather

Tubuai island - Bird's-eye on the lagoon

Tubuai island - Bird's-eye on the lagoon

Tubuai island - Arrival of the ship - People are waiting for their orders

Tubuai island - Frescoe on a building

Raivavae - small shop

Raivavae island - Montain landscape

Raivavae island - lagoon

Raivavae island - lagoon

Rurutu island - road around the island

Rurutu island - The island is surrounded discontinuously by raised coral cliffs, making it a makatea, which are riddled with caves lined with concretions.

Rurutu island - The island is surrounded discontinuously by raised coral cliffs, making it a makatea, which are riddled with caves lined with concretions.

Rurutu island - The island is surrounded discontinuously by raised coral cliffs, making it a makatea, which are riddled with caves lined with concretions.

Rurutu island - garden

Rurutu island - pink flower

Rurutu island - red flower

Rurutu island - yellow orchid

Rurutu island - Egret

Rurutu island - The island is surrounded discontinuously by raised coral cliffs, making it a makatea, which are riddled with caves lined with concretions.

Rurutu island - The raised coral is riddled with caves lined with concretions.

Rurutu island - The raised coral is everywhere on the island

Rurutu island - The raised coral is everywhere on the island - cave

Rurutu island - Tree

Rurutu island - The raised coral is everywhere on the island - a cave

Rurutu island - The raised coral is everywhere on the island - a cave

Rurutu island - colorful lizard

Rurutu island - Bay and reef - the lagoon is very small

Rurutu island - Ginger flowers

Rurutu island - The raised coral is everywhere on the island

Rurutu island - church

Rurutu island - church

Rurutu island - garden

Rurutu island - Young man

Rurutu island - The island is divided in 3 districts - landmark

Rurutu island - blue banana tree

Rurutu island - church

Rurutu island - tourist shop with woven baskets and items

Rimatera island - Red parakeet

Rimatera island - Red parakeet

Rimatera island - church

Rimatera island - Cemetery

Tubuai island - couple welcomed at the airport with flowers neckless

Tubuai island - couple welcomed at the airport with flowers neckless

Tubuai island - Biking

Vaivavae island - church

Vaivavae island - woman tiki smiling in a private garden

Vaivavae island - church

Vaivavae island - red hibiscus flower

Raivavae island - old stone tiki (smiling woman) in a private garden

Rimatera island - coastline

Rurutu island - garden

Rimatera island - lagoon and reef - the waves are breaking on the reef

Rimatera island - coastline

Rimatera island - beach

Rimatera island - Taro field

Raivavae island - lagoon

Raivavae island - houses

Raivavae island - beach and trees

The Society Archipelago is a small part of French Polynesia but the most visited - with gems like Bora-Bora, Taha'a, Moorea... but many islands or atolls await you outside. Buy a pass on Air Tahiti if you visit many islands or atolls

Austral Archipelago is around 1000 kilometers from Papeete with a very different climate and landscapes