Hiva Oa
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 –…
Must-see attractions in The Marquesas
Nuku Hiva
About 300m towards Taipivai from the Hikokua site, these three connecting sites make up the largest excavated archaeological area of Nuku Hiva. A team led…
Nuku Hiva
It’s believed that this extensive communal site, with its paved esplanade, belonged to the war chief Pakoko, who was killed by the French in 1845. Today…
The Marquesas
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…
Nuku Hiva
One of the most powerful archaeological sites in the Marquesas, Hikokua was discovered by the archaeologist Robert Suggs in 1957 and has been restored and…
The Marquesas
This tiny village, built against the steep slopes of the central ridge, retains a few vestiges of its stormy past. On the seafront stands a modest…
The Marquesas
Hanavave boasts a splendid setting, at the mouth of a steep-sided valley, best enjoyed from the sea (lucky yachties!). When the setting sun bounces purple…
Hiva Oa
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…
The Marquesas
Time moves at a crawl in Omoa. The most striking monument is the Catholic church, with its red roof, white facade and slender spire. It makes a colourful…
The Marquesas
High up in the valley of Hane, the site of Meiaute includes three 1m-high, red-tuff tiki that watch over a group of stone structures, pae pae and me’ae,…
The Marquesas
Thousands of kaveka (sooty terns) nest year-round on these islets and lay thousands of eggs daily.
The Marquesas
Hapatoni curves around a wide bay and is accessible by boat in less than 15 minutes from Vaitahu, or by a track.
The Marquesas
Experts believe that the first Polynesian settlement on the Marquesas was here, tucked away in a bay protected on the east by the impressive Motu Hane…
The Marquesas
Built for the 2013 Mini Marquesas Festival, this beautiful site holds a large performance area and the island's main museum. The Marquesas's largest tiki,…
Nuku Hiva
Most tours stop in Taipivai to visit the Paeke archaeological site, which lies on a hillside at the exit of the village on the way to Hatiheu (the path…
Hiva Oa
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…
Hiva Oa
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…
The Marquesas
Tiny and scenic Hokatu, about 3km east of Hane, lies in a sheltered bay edged with a pebble beach pounded by azure seas with direct views of imposing,…
Hiva Oa
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…
The Marquesas
At the far end of the village, make a beeline for this grandiose tohua, which hosted numerous dance and cultural performances during the Marquesas Arts…
Hiva Oa
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…
Hiva Oa
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…
The Marquesas
At the northern entrance of the village there’s a large flat stone that you can walk out onto to see a view of the village and bay. It’s now used to dry…
The Marquesas
Located next to the mayor’s office, this little museum features pestles, tiki, finely carved sculptures, pahu (drums), jewellery and period photos as well…
Hiva Oa
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…
Hiva Oa
Framed by basaltic cliffs, this wide curve of black sand is very scenic – it inspired painter Paul Gauguin, which is saying a lot – but it’s not…
Nuku Hiva
Rebuilt for the 1989 Marquesas Festival, this pae pae (traditional meeting platform) contains modern sculptures and a dozen magnificent tiki made by the…
The Marquesas
Situated above the village, the magnificent Tohua Mauia comprises a huge L-shaped stone platform as well as numerous pae pae dotted around the main…
Notre-Dame Cathedral of the Marquesas Islands
Nuku Hiva
This striking building is built from wood and stones on a former sacred site venerated by the ancient Marquesans. The stones come from the archipelago’s…
The Marquesas
This little-visited archaeological site on the Vaikivi Plateau is well worth the detour, if only for the walk or horse ride to get there. A guide is…
The Marquesas
For a beautiful view of Hakahau Bay head east from Pukuéé pension along a track until you reach a small pass. Here take the right fork and climb steeply…
The Marquesas
Shortly after the airport at Aneou, Hakanai Bay appears like a mirage from around a sharp bend: a long curve of wave-lashed beach. It has been named Plage…
The Marquesas
A wide variety of plants, including 200 species of citrus fruits, are cultivated in these botanical gardens halfway between Vaipaee and Hane. The species…
Nuku Hiva
This modest yet well-organised archaeological museum does a good job of explaining the archipelago’s history and culture. It features artefacts, exhibits…
Nuku Hiva
This little museum has a few documents and some beautiful ancient Marquesan artefacts. It also doubles as a small craft shop. Entry was free at the time…
The Marquesas
The island’s main town is at the end of a very deep, narrow inlet, about 1km long and rightly named Invisible Bay. You'll find two stores, lots of fruit…
The Marquesas
This modest museum, in the white house on the seafront, shows the evolution of traditional pirogues (outrigger canoes) as well as hooks used for shark…
Hiva Oa
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…
Hiva Oa
Restored for the 1991 Marquesas Arts Festival, the Tohua Pepeu faces Banque Socredo in the centre of town. It’s used today as a festivities centre, where…
The Marquesas
From Hakahau, it’s a 30-minute walk east to deserted Anahoa Beach. From the Hakahau quay, follow the sign for Pukuéé pension and continue along the paved…
