Hiva Oa

316 km² • Approx. 2 447 residents • 1 276 m (Mount Temetiu)

Gauguin spent his final years here, and so did Brel; both are buried on the same hillside overlooking Atuona. It doesn’t take long to understand what drew them to the island: ridges plunging into the ocean, dark volcanic soil, and stone tiki standing in the depths of the valleys for centuries. Here, there is no lagoon to soften the landscape.

Access

3h15 flight from Tahiti.

Good to know

The Takaii tiki stands approximately 2.57 metres tall – the largest anthropomorphic statue in French Polynesia.

Ideal for

Art and culture, archaeology, horseback riding and cruising.

Not to be missed 

• The Iipona archaeological site in Puamau and its Takaii tiki
• Calvary Cemetery, where Gauguin and Brel are buried
• The Paul Gauguin Cultural Centre in Atuona
• The ceremonial site of Upeke in the Taaoa Valley
• Hanapaaoa Bay
• Hanaiapa Pass, with its panoramic views of the northern coast.

Images credits
©TAHITI TOURISME/Grégoire Le Bacon