Hidden Paradise in the Marquesas Islands

Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora…French Polynesia’s better-known destinations— famous for exotic beauty, sparkling sands and turquoise lagoons, shiny black pearls, and an envious bohemian lifestyle.  But, just a three-hour commuter flight away, a string of islands known as the Marquesas lures those in search of more seclusion, rich archaeological remains, jungles filled with wild orchids and an apparent lack of tourists—despite its brief television fame as the locale of a “Survivor” series. These French isles, whose populace works hard to maintain a distinction from their more famous counterparts to the point of changing the time zone by one-half hour, has been a reclusive refuge and source of inspiration for the creative likes of artist Paul Gauguin and songwriter-singer Jacques Brel and follows a fascinating cultural history of cannibalism, human sacrifice, tattooing and tribal warring.

Discovering the illusive islands

The mountainous Marquesas rise out of the Pacific Ocean, cliffs plunging down to the sea with small bayed inlets. The rugged and lush terrain is difficult to access, making travel from one point to the other via rugged winding roads suitable only for four-wheel drives. However, despite the geographical obstacles, man has chosen to exile himself here for centuries. The fourteen islands and islets that form this Polynesian archipelago is the most northern part of French Polynesia.  Constantly washed by soothing trade winds and short periods of rain, the Marquesas fall into two groups: those inhabited and those not.

The two better known of the inhabited islands, Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa, make for wonderful Tahiti or Moorea side trips for the adventurous seeking an off-the-beaten-path experience.  Both offer little in the way of accommodations other than nearly identical twin, idyllic mini-resorts offered by Pearl Resorts. The self-contained resorts with gourmet cuisine and infinity pools overlooking the ocean are the deluxe option to a handful of guest houses and even fewer bistros. Shopping is practically non-existent, other than an occasional marketplace when the local freighter/passenger ship stops for the day. These islands, just a half-hour commuter flight apart, are strictly designed for fascinating explorations and reclusive non-touristy getaways.

The Marquesas’ Haunting History

To really appreciate the rich archaeological explorations that await you in these islands, it is important to understand the history that formed this unique bounty. The first Polynesian colonizers came from Tonga and Samoa. It is thought that the Marquesas were the starting point for the broad-sweeping colonization of the Oriental Pacific by the Maoris.  Isolated from the remainder of the world—even the nearby archipelagos of the Cook and Society islands— for nearly 15 centuries, the remote Marquesas islands formed their own culture and often bizarre beliefs. These independent islands even resisted Western colonizers’ thinking despite their attempts when they stumbled upon these islands.

But the Marquesas did not hold much interest for these explorers who were insensitive to the Marquesan cultural practices. They were met with rough seas, land not suitable for agriculture or animal breeding, as well as unwelcoming cannibalistic islanders who saw these interlopers as threats to their sacred living spaces and ceremonial statuary. Much more populated in those early days, the inhabitants lived in settlements that were centered around the pae pae.  The raised stone platform served as the foundation for structures, dances, meetings and ceremonies.  Human-form tikis are located around and on the pae paes, their human forms representing both deities and sacrifices.  Today, the tiki statuary and stone platforms are hidden in the jungles of these islands—treasures incredibly still preserved for cultural anthropology scientists, archaeologists still exploring these finds, and the adventurous tourist who is lucky enough to follow in the scientists’ footsteps.

Exploring Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa

Nuku Hiva: Tikis and waterfalls

The two-hour drive from the tiny airport in Nuku Hiva to a semblance of civilization is an adventure in itself. Geologically, the island is composed of an ancient volcano and walls of lava that have been battered by the sea—leaving majestic, twisted rock reliefs against the skyline and perilous cliffs plummeting to the water. The rut-strewn road cuts through the mountainous terrain submerged in lush vegetation that ranges from non-native forests of pine trees (planted to prevent erosion) to wild tropical foliage, flowering in brilliant hues year round.  Along the way, green valleys, plateaus, errant waterfalls and deep sting-ray filled bays introduce this remote paradise.

Nuku Hiva, with 127 square surface miles, is the largest island in the Marquesas.  The town of Taiohae serves as its economic center where most of the island’s inhabitants live.  But the island is best known for its spectacular 550-meter waterfall with bathing pool in its Hakaui Valley about nine miles from town.

Island highlights also include the 3,000-foot-high Muake Hill that offers a panoramic view of the Bay of Taiohae. Taipival, made famous in a Herman Melville book, is a fertile valley with waterfalls, a long river and one of the best preserved archeological sites in the Marquesas with an abundance of tikis. On the northern coast, near Hathiheu Bay, is the opportunity to view the Naniuhi thua—a meeting place for pre-Christian Marquesans that includes a dance platform, ceremonial stones and petroglyphs carved in boulders.  One of the loveliest spots in the islands is Anaho Bay that is populated by a handful of families, a small Catholic church with thatched roof, and a golden-sand beach for swimming.

Hiva Oa: Resting place of Gauguin and Brel

It is a short hop to nearby Hiva Oa, in the southeastern group of the Marquesas. It is the largest and most fertile island in this southern group with deep valleys, lush plateaus and wooded forests.  The island is well known for the spectacular Tahuata, the visible remains of a sunken volcano.  Notably, the village of Puamau is home to the largest tikis found in Polynesia.

However, the island is best known for two of its famous, if not infamous, inhabitants. French artist Paul Gauguin is revered on the island with a museum in his honor and a re-creation of his home on the same site. Belgian singer Jacques Brel was a frequent visitor to the island; his plane and mementos are on public view in a hanger-type museum on the island. A path up the cliffs behind the yachting village of Atuona leads to Calvary Cemetery where the simple graves of both men are marked.

Many of Gauguin’s descendents live in Puamau Village. In a steamy jungle above the village is the Oipona me’ae temple and the eight-foot-tall tiki, Takaii—the largest stone tiki in Polynesia. Petroglyphs carved in stone can be found in Eiaone and Punai. Visitors looking for a Polynesian black-sand beach will find it in Taaoa on Hiva Oa.

Plan your trip to the Marquesas

Excursions to both islands are tailored toward the education and understanding of the Marquesan culture. This is eco-tourism at its finest. Guests may choose from jeep safaris to ancient archeological sites, horseback rides through the interiors or scuba dives with manta rays. For visitor information, contact Tahiti Tourisme.

Where to stay:

Nuku Hiva Keikahanui Pearl Lodge, Nuku Hiva

Hiva Oa Hanakee Pearl Lodge, Hiva Oa

Getting there: Air Tahiti Nui

Photos courtesy of Tahiti Tourisme