Vai Nauri is Mitiaro's most famous freshwater cave pool, set within the island's ancient limestone makatea. A narrow opening in the coral rock leads down into a cavern where a deep pool of clear, cool water waits — one of the most refreshing swims you will find anywhere in the Pacific. Stalactites hang overhead, and shafts of light filter through openings in the rock. The eels that share the water with swimmers are docile and accustomed to company.
The cave is a short walk from Mangarei village, the island's only settlement. You will need a local guide to find it on your first visit; any guesthouse host will arrange this. Bring a torch for the approach — parts of the path across the makatea are uneven — and enter the water carefully, as the pool is deeper than it looks.