Mangaia: pineapples, taro and the inland plateau
The contrast on Mangaia is between the harsh coral ring and the fertile country inside it. The interior is wetland and plateau, watered by a complex underground system, and it is intensively cultivated.
What grows
Taro in the wetlands, pineapple on the slopes, and — because Mangaia sits just inside 22° south and is the coolest of the group — some crops normally associated with temperate climates do well here.
Seeing it
The road that cuts through the cliff between the coast and the interior is the best introduction. It is a short drive and it makes the geography obvious in a way no description does.
No operators listed on Mangaia yet
People are reading about Mangaia and finding nowhere to book. If you run accommodation, tours, vehicle hire or transport here, you would be the first listed — and the only option visitors see on this page.