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The Hiva Oa valleys: sites, walks and drives |
| 1 - Taaoa [a 12.5 mile hike – a half day visit] | |
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The historical site of Upeke – still being explored – occupies the whole valley: numerous paepae11 , big tohua3, me’ae3 are as many tokens of the Ancients’ way of life. |
| 2 - Hanamenu – Atuona Valley | |
| The track leads to Atikua, an ancient cemetery, and its tohua2, its bas-reliefs, its me’ae3 with tiki. | |
| 3 - Hanaiapa [a short half day hike –pirogue boating possible] | |
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The Vaipeehia River leads to a very nice village with a small church and its rock with the Hakaiki petroglyphs, then flows into the bay through a beautiful beach, indicated by a headland named “La Tête de Nègre”. |
| 4 - Hanapaaoa | |
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A tohua2, lthe big me'ae3 of Tapuhoe, the tiki Moerone and some other bones are lying in the leafy shade of a tall banyan-tree. |
| 5 - Puamau [28 miles – a 2.30 hour drive – full day visit – meal on the spot available] | |
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Oipona, its main tohua2, conceals the biggest tikis of Polynesia, including Takai’i standing at the basement of the Toea rock. The tohua2 Peketa includes the Maki i Taua Te Pepe tomb guarded by Mini and Pauto. Me’a3 and petroglyphs. |
| 6 - Punaei [20' walking east from Tahauku] | |
| Lost in the midst of the tropical forest, the enigmatic Tiki of Utukua, nicknamed the Smiling Tiki, announces the outlet to the bay. | |
| 7 - Tahauku [3 miles] | |
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Walking to the port of Atuona remains a must, particularly when the Tahiti Nui and above all the Aranui, are berthing alongside, attracting the whole population of the village to the quays to watch the unloading of long-awaited orders. |
| 8 - Tehueto [a 2 mile hike– a half day visit ] | |
| Its nine level hakaua4 towers above a huge megalith engraved with petroglyphs. | |
1 paepae: volcanic or coral stone slab used as foundations of wooden constructions 2 tohua: village square. 3 me’ae: place for sacred worship. 4 hakaua: fortification made of massive stones. |
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Fishing, diving, horseback-riding [Hamau ranch – close to the airport] are also possible, as well as boat crossing to the nearby volcanic: |
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Tahuta [40 minutes] |
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Vaitahu, a typical village of sculptors, its church with nice stained-glass windows, its beautiful white sand beach, favourable to picnics and swimming (watch out: nonos!1)
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