9 Best Sights in Ua Huka, The Other Islands

In the tiny village of Hokatu about 2 mi east of Hane look for the Geology and Petroglyphe Museum, which is tiny but interesting.

The village of Hane, protected on the east by Motu Hane, also has a little museum dedicated to the sea, with a display of canoes through the ages, paddles, and many other objects. The oldest archeological site so far discovered in the Marquesas, Haíatuatua, is also here. It has been dated to between AD 250 and 300.

At the foot of Mount Hitikau, you can see a great series of monumental tiki carved from red rock. Many organized tours call here.

The village's main attraction is the Musée Communal, the oldest museum in the Marquesas. Its collections include mortuary canoes and various decorations such as bracelets, earrings, sperm whale teeth, and adzes. Local wood-carvers work and sell their wares here. The museum is also known as the Archeological Museum of Vaipaee.

The Museum of Wood, or "Jardin Bontanique," is situated in the Papua-keikaha Temoohe Arboretum.

East of Vaipae'e, on the road to the airport, is this remarkable botanical garden spread out over 42 acres. It showcases more than 300 plant species (most of which are unlabeled, so take an illustrated guide if possible) from all over the world. Most of the major local flora, including the majestic local palm and papaya, are represented among the offerings. The citrus fruit collection, from which emanate distinctively tangy aromas, is reputed to be the best in the world. An aviary displays local birds, including the ultramarine lorikeet.

Sea Museum of Hane displays pirogues (outrigger canoes) and various fishing equipment and hooks.

At the center of the island—three hours by foot but quicker on horseback—are the archeological remains of Vaikivi, where you can admire a series of petroglyphs on the rocks of this ancient volcanic crater. Around 50 carved petroglyphs have been discovered here, including a depiction of an outrigger sailing canoe, others show a human face and an octopus.

The island's main village, Vaipae'e is a short walk from the dock at Baie de Vaipae, a narrow bay between high cliffs.