tapa making and the production of monoi oil, jams and other fruit products. Also in this land of horses, craftsmen work with leather, including the saddles that have replaced the old wooden saddles. Tourism Tourism allows locals to sell their handicrafts, especially when the Aranui passes through regularly. Of course, visitors can go horseback riding; it is also possible to tour the island by boat. Tourists can also visit the arboretum and the island's six museums. Some hostels offer boarding accommodation. The wealth of tourism is based on the restoration of the many archaeological sites, the exhibition of archaeological remains in two museums, and the preservation of the flora in the only Polynesian botanical garden. Among the archaeological remains are ancient petroglyphs. To the west is the mysterious "grotto of the steps". This is a grotto accessible only by sea where there are footprints. The most important archaeological site on the island is Meiaute, at the foot of Mount Hitikau on the south coast. It is an extensive complex of stone platforms, only partially exposed, with paepae (living platforms) and mea'e (ceremonial platforms), as well as three red tufa tiki, up to a metre high. At Vaikivi, in the Vaipaee valley and only accessible on foot, there are about 50 carved petroglyphs, including faces (masks?), geometric figures and, unique to the Marquesas, a sailing canoe. More petroglyphs can be found in the upper, now uninhabited area of the Hane Valley, as well as numerous remains of residential and ceremonial platforms. The village of Hokatu, the smallest of the island's three villages, is known for its excellent woodcarvers. There is also a small community museum with an interesting collection of seashells, as well as historical artefacts belonging to the village families. In Manihina, two kilometres east of the village of Vaipaee, the then mayor Leon Litchlé founded a botanical garden in 1974, the 17-hectare Pupuakeiha Arboretum, where more than 300 species of trees have been planted. It allows visitors to see how the trees have adapted to the Marquesan soil and to select varieties to reforest the island, and preserves many of the species native to the region. Of special interest to visitors are the unique large-leaved Marquesas palms (Pelagodoxa henryana) and the collection of more than 100 species of citrus trees. The island's most beautiful white beach is at Manihina, also a good place for snorkelling. There are other small