The Gambier Islands are more than 1,600 km southeast of Tahiti and consist of 14 small mountainous islands, the largest and most populated of which is Mangareva.
The cradle of Polynesian Catholicism in the nineteenth century, these islands hold more than one hundred stone buildings built from that time, including churches, presbyteries, convents, schools, weaving workshops, bakers' ovens and watch towers. French Polynesia's first Catholic mission was established here in 1834 and the entire population was quickly converted.
Not many travellers make it out to the remote Gambier islands, in the southeastern pocket of French Polynesia, and tourism has made virtually no impact here. Not much happens out here and chances are you'll have to stay a week or two since Air Tahiti only services Mangareva three times a month. This is truly a forgotten part of the world - don't bother bringing your credit card.
The lagoons of Mangareva were formerly worked for their Pearl Oysters. This work continues today since the biggest and most famous pearl farms are here, being the main resource of these islands. Its lagoons are reputed to be the best source of fine quality pearls.
The main village, Rikitea, has the imposing St Michael's cathedral dating from 1848 whose masterpiece is the altar richly decorated in pearls and mother of pearl.
