Beautiful natural rock formations.
The Arches of Talava are harder to find. The trail branches off the Matapa track to the right just before the beginning of the descent.
Keep straight on the trail about 15 minutes, then watch for yellow marks on the trees, which indicate the branch trail on the left to Talava.
The site itself is entered through a cave. A great series of stone arches above the sea complement side caves with red and green stalactites and stalagmites in fantastic flowing formations. Behind the outermost arch is a large cave best entered at low tide with a flashlight. The constant roar of the surf adds to the overwhelming impression of the place.
It's fascinating to walk on the reef southwest of the wharf at low tide. Crevices, cliffs, and coral abound, and there are natural pools on the reef where you can safely swim.
[Extract from Moon Handbooks South Pacific by David Stanley, Avalon Travel Publishing]
