Over 900 miles to the northeast of Tahiti lie the Marquesas Islands. The group of islands includes Nuku Hiva, Ua Huka, Ua Pou, Hiva Oa, Tahuata and Fatu Hiva. Follow in the footsteps of Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson and Herman Melville to these remote and beautiful islands. Melville’s novel “Typee” is based upon his visit to the valley of Taipivai on Nuku Hiva, largest island in the group. Hiva Oa was home and final resting place of French painter Paul Gauguin and Belgian poet and singer Jacques Brel. You can experience these islands in a few days by taking a 3 hour flight on Air Tahiti. Or, to truly experience more of the islands, the 16 day voyage through the more remote islands of the Tuamotus and the Marquesas on board the freighter Aranui III will provide you an unforgettable adventure. This was the first homeland for the early Polynesians dating back to the beginning of the modern era. As there are no barrier reefs, the Marquesan coastlines are either indented with bays or end in abrupt cliffs, swept by the surf. Nature runs wild on these islands where herds of goats and packs of wild horses roam in complete freedom. Fruits of the earth and sea abound in this incomparable domain. The Marquesas are noted for their wood carvings, found in many galleries in Tahiti.

Nuku Hiva is the largest of the Marquesan islands. Interesting places to see are on the eastern side of the village: the Piki Vehine or Temehea paepae adorned by a number of giant tiki that were made for a recent festival and the cathedral of Notre Dame of Marquesas built with stones from the six Marquesan islands.

In ancient days Hiva Oa, was always the rival of Nuku Hiva. Today the island is well known as the final resting place for Paul Gauguin and singer Jacques Brel whose tombs are in the Calvary cemetery. In the village, the Gauguin Museum displays items relating to the painter's stay there and copies of his works. Near the memorial to Jacques Brel is a petroglyph site whose carvings bear a strange resemblance to the ones on Easter Island.