Mangaia's inland is a damp basin between the makatea cliffs and the small central hill. The basin is given over to taro patches — paddies, in effect — that have been worked by the same families for generations. They are the heart of the island's traditional food economy and the reason the makatea trails are still walked daily.
Walking through them is an easy half-day. Guesthouses will set up a guided walk, often combined with a visit to a working patch and an explanation of how the corms are harvested, fermented and cooked.