The makatea is the ring of uplifted ancient coral that encircles Mangaia between the coastal beaches and the central volcanic plateau. Sixty metres high in places, the limestone is sharp, fluted, and crossed by narrow paths cut by generations of villagers carrying taro between the inland fields and the coast.
The best places to see and walk on the makatea are the trails between the villages and the inland taro plantations, and the rough tracks down from the cliffs to the small reef-protected beaches. A guide is useful — the coral cuts badly when you slip — but the views inland from the rim are striking.