Raiatea,
first named Havait after the homeland of the ancient
Polynesians, is the most sacred island in the south Pacific.
As the center of religion and
culture around 1,000 years ago, legends and myths lend enchantment
to Raiatea's azure shoals. The green-carpeted mountains covering
the interior include the celebrated Mount Temehani, a sort of
Polynesian Mount Olympus.
