Public domain (Karl von den Steinen, d. 1929), Wikimedia CommonsLandmark· Hiva Oa· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Me'ae Iipona Tiki Site (Puamau, Hiva Oa)
9° 46.3′ S · 138° 53.2′ W
The largest me'ae in the Marquesas: two levels of stone terraces where five monumental tiki keep watch, led by Takai'i, the tallest tiki in French Polynesia. It is the centrepiece of the 2024 UNESCO World Heritage listing on Hiva Oa.
Practical
Pay the 500 XPF entry at Snack Thérèse in the village; the fee funds upkeep (2026 brief; 300 XPF in 2019). Do not move any stone, which is tabu. About 1.5 km uphill from the bay: take the single-lane road to the right of the seafront soccer pitch (2017). Toilets and an English information board are at the entrance. 2026 brief: the site covers over 2 hectares with 5,000 m² of terraces, numerous paepae, stone paving, sculptures and petroglyphs. Tiki Takai'i is given as 2.67 m on the site page and 2.43 m in the brief's introduction. The site will host part of the Matava'a festival in 2027. Follow the trail behind the site for a forest walk. By road from Atuona it is about 2 to 2.5 hours each way (2019), now reportedly paved all the way (2024); the 2026 brief map still marks parts unpaved. Go with a confident driver. Cruiser verdicts range from 'OK' to unmissable; the drive is spectacular either way.
Best for
The biggest tikis in Polynesia