In Hanapaaoa, ask a local to take you to the Tiki Moe One, hidden on a hillside. One of the quirkiest statues in the Marquesas, it features a carved crown around the head and is said to be endowed with a strong mana. It’s modestly sized at under 1m in height. According to legend, the inhabitants used to take it down to the beach every year where they bathed it and coated it with monoi (fragrant oil) before putting it back in place.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
5.1 MILES
Iipona is one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in French Polynesia. You’ll be moved by its eeriness and impressed by the five monumental tiki –…
13.5 MILES
This glorious bay is caressed by jade-green waters and is studded with a broad strand of golden sand. It’s a good picnic spot (despite a number of pesky…
6.89 MILES
A must-see for Gauguin and Brel devotees is the Calvaire Cemetery, perched on a hill overlooking Atuona. You will find this frangipani-filled graveyard an…
5.16 MILES
Anyone with an interest in ancient Marquesan civilisation shouldn’t leave Atuona without a visit to the Tehueto petroglyphs. You’ll find a massive rock…
7.17 MILES
A homage to Gauguin that traces the artist's life through locally painted reproductions of his art. The main signs are translated into English but the…
5.25 MILES
On the property of the restaurant Pehekua – Chez Marie-Antoinette, shortly before the Iipona site, is a small graveyard with the tomb of the valley’s last…
7.61 MILES
This isolated, poignant site about 2km up in a valley (ask for directions) features a series of tombs made of stones; note the small tiki that are carved…
7.18 MILES
Behind the Espace Culturel Paul Gauguin you’ll find a big aircraft hangar. In the centre is Jacques Brel’s plane, Jojo; faded posters tracing the musician…
Nearby Hiva Oa attractions
5.1 MILES
Iipona is one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in French Polynesia. You’ll be moved by its eeriness and impressed by the five monumental tiki –…
5.16 MILES
Anyone with an interest in ancient Marquesan civilisation shouldn’t leave Atuona without a visit to the Tehueto petroglyphs. You’ll find a massive rock…
5.25 MILES
On the property of the restaurant Pehekua – Chez Marie-Antoinette, shortly before the Iipona site, is a small graveyard with the tomb of the valley’s last…
5.85 MILES
Hiva Oa’s most bizarre statue can be found near the road to the airport, about 10km from Atuona. About 1m in height, it stands alone in a clearing. To…
6.89 MILES
A must-see for Gauguin and Brel devotees is the Calvaire Cemetery, perched on a hill overlooking Atuona. You will find this frangipani-filled graveyard an…
7.08 MILES
The Catholic church, right in the centre of Atuona, is worth a peek for its elegant architecture that combines wood and stone.
8. Espace Culturel Paul Gauguin
7.17 MILES
A homage to Gauguin that traces the artist's life through locally painted reproductions of his art. The main signs are translated into English but the…