Fodor's Expert Review Mataatua Māori Marae

Mataatua, one of the most beautiful carved wharenui (meetinghouses) in Māoridom, endured a 130-year-long indignity: it was dismantled; carted to museums around New Zealand, Australia, and England; and rebuilt in various forms. In 2011, the house was returned home to the local Ngāti Awa people and restored. For a truly enriching cultural experience, let these people host you, explain their protocols, and share their history (including song, chants, and an outstanding light show). They’ll also take you for a short coastal walk, tell the story of their ancestors, and show you where they first landed in Aotearoa (New Zealand).