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

Nearby attractions

1. Iipona

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 –…

2. Tehueto Petroglyphs

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…

3. Tohua Pehe Kua

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…

4. Smiling Tiki

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…

5. Calvaire Cemetery

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…

6. Mairie

7.03 MILES

The Atuona mayor's office.

7. Catholic Church

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…