Landmark· Hiva Oa· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Tohua Upeke (Taaoa)
9° 49.7′ S · 139° 4.4′ W
In the Taaoa valley west of Atuona, tradition places the first settlers of the Marquesas. Its great tohua (ceremonial dance ground), ringed by restored paepae platforms, is one of the two Hiva Oa sites in the 2024 UNESCO World Heritage listing.
Practical
About 15 minutes' drive from Atuona; half-day 4x4 tours run about 4,500 XPF per person, a small maintenance fee is collected, and a local guide is strongly recommended (My Little Polynesia). The 2026 brief calls the Upeke tohua 'one of the most famous' in the Marquesas, with traces of former dwellings everywhere. The access track is marked as private on OpenStreetMap, so go with a guide or ask permission. Do not move stones. Taaoa village has a church and Chez Tipanier restaurant (OpenStreetMap). Waterfalls are visible on the drive in (2025).
Best for
Archaeology half-day from Atuona
Nearby
- Motu Anakee Anchorage (Hiva Oa)2 NM away
- Hanakee Islet Manta Snorkel2.2 NM away
- Atuona Produce Market2.3 NM away
- Banque Socredo Atuona (ATM)2.3 NM away
- Magasin Naiki (Atuona)2.3 NM away
- Matava'a Marquesas Arts Festival (Hiva Oa)2.3 NM away
- Boulangerie Shan (Atuona)2.4 NM away
- Espace Culturel Paul Gauguin (Atuona)2.4 NM away