France - Marquesas Islands

"The Marquesas Islands are located in the Pacific Ocean near the equator, between 8 and 11 to about 5700 km south of Australia, 6000 km from the American continent and 8000 km in Southeast Asia is. This archipelago, considered one of the most isolated in the world, consists of twelve main islands of volcanic origin, aged 0.4 to 7 million years. Covering an area of ​​0.25 sq km and 340 km ², land totaling 1050 km ², spread over about 700,000 square kilometers of maritime space. The largest islands are Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa, the smaller islands being uninhabited. The highest peak is Mount Temetiu, on the island of Hiva Oa (1276 m), and four islands have peaks over 1000 m.

The Marquesas are a remarkable natural ecosystem. The large geographic isolation of the islands, geomorphological diversity associated with topography, is responsible for the diversification of flora and fauna, terrestrial and marine unique and original. Many endemic species are unique to the archipelago, sometimes restricted to one island or even a single vertex. The conservation of biodiversity can find specific issues through the presence of numerous endemic species of flora and fauna, including a rich birdlife.

The natural landscape of the Marquesas are exceptional by the singular beauty of its powerful and rugged mountains, its peaks erect, tall cliffs, breathtaking waterfalls and deep valleys and narrow.

Its inhabitants, enriched with knowledge in their extraordinary saga of Pacific peoples, learned to know and use for all areas of their lives. They developed a habitat and monumental arts of sculpture very specific to the archipelago. More than 700 archaeological sites and legendary already identified, is an exceptional heritage which the inventory is far from complete. It shows a large Polynesian population that has managed to stay despite its isolation, and build a unique culture which some elements (tattoo, architecture, sculpture in stone and wood, bone, shell ...) were highly developed, and are still the reputation of French Polynesia..." Source: UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List


Hiva Oa is the second largest island of the Marquesas. The island was the final home of French painter Paul Gauguin and Belgian singer Jacques Brel, both of whom are buried in Calvary Cemetery, overlooking Atuona. Thanks to Sissi and Kimi of New Zealand who were on a cruise visiting the Marquesas, French Polynesia.