7 Best Sights in The Other Islands, French Polynesia

Hiva Oa's main settlement is Atuona, which lies at the head of the Bay of Traitors. The main attractions are those associated with artist Paul Gauguin—the museum and his grave.

If you'd like to see Gauguin's final resting place, pay a visit to the Calvaire Cemetery, which is behind Atuona's gendarmerie (police station); there should be a signpost. A stone engraved "paul gauguin, 1903" marks the spot. On the tombstone is a replica of a statue of an oviri (savage) that is said to symbolize the values for which the artist searched in the Marquesas. Jacques Brel is also buried here.

The Jacques Brel Cultural Centre is adjacent to the Paul Gauguin Centre and they share a ticket office. The center honors the life of Brel (1929–1978), a Belgian singer and actor that lived in Atuona for several years at the end of his life. Brel's Beachcraft Bonanza plane—which he named Jojo, after a good friend, and one of his most famous songs—is on permanent display. A souvenir market now stands next to the museum.

The village of Puamau is east of Atuona; the journey takes 2½ hours by 4WD over a mountain trail that crosses the island, passing through the island's airport, the north shore, and the villages of Hanapaaoa and Nahoe. Puamau is overshadowed by a circle of high cliffs and is home to the Pekekea historical site which consists of the tomb of Queen Vahinetitoiani that's protected by two gigantic "tiki"—Mani and Pauto. Higher up the trail sits one of the most important archaeological sites in the Marquesas: Iipona, a temple site with the largest stone carving found outside of Easter Island. The site is guarded by a 7-foot-tall (2 meter) tiki that's known as 'Takai', the valley's namesake. Takai' is accompanied by two smaller tiki: Tauatepepe on the right and Pepetamuimui to the left. There are also many tiki heads displayed about the paepae, and on one of the platforms there is also the striking statue of Makali Taua Pepe, representing a woman giving birth to a creature that is half man, half goat.

The island has some of the most interesting archaeological sites in French Polynesia and these can all be seen on a 4WD excursion. The village of Taaoa is west of Atuona and can be reached by a zigzag track that reaches an elevation of 1,300 feet (400 meters). The village has a great view over the bay, and there's a large archaeological site consisting of several hundred paepae (stone platforms).

Although it has no airport, the neighboring island of Tahuata—the only landing place of Spaniard Alvaro De Mendana, the first European to see the islands—can be reached by boat or helicopter and is popular with visiting yachties. Approximately 600 people live in either the village of Vaitahu, which is backed by a massive green cliff-face, or in several smaller villages around the island. Hapatoni is a delightful village by the sea, the seafront road being constructed with very old carved slabs. It can be reached by boat from Vaitahu village in about 15 minutes. There are no normal roads on the island and getting around can be difficult; horseback is the favored mode of transport. There are several lovely beaches that look tantalizing, but take precautions before taking the plunge as the dreaded nono will be there in large numbers. Petroglyphs can be seen in an inland valley and there are also relics of the fighting between the local people and the French in earlier days. Today, villagers sell carvings, paintings, and monoi (a fragrant mix of coconut and tiare flower extracts that's used as a body moisturizer).

The Paul Gauguin Cultural Centre has no original works by the artist but does display reproductions of some of the paintings from his time in Polynesia. A replica of his thatched Maison du Jouir (House of Pleasure) has been rebuilt nearby; the outside is finished in sculpted wood panels, with copies of Gauguin's originals. There's also a craft center.