Calvary Cemetery
Calvary Cemetery
4
About
A simple stone with the engraving "Paul Gauguin, 1903" marks the final resting place of the famous artist.
Duration: < 1 hour
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
141 reviews
Excellent
54
Very good
61
Average
24
Poor
2
Terrible
0
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Kees B
Auckland Central, New Zealand2 contributions
Apr 2023 • Solo
I recently spent 2 hours at this cemetery after walking up there following the road from CBD Atuona, since the museum is closed between 12-2 pm. Not to recover from my walk but just to take in the whole scenery and atmosphere. I did find it very spiritual. Purposely I did not research beforehand where the graves were located, so it became an excursion through a maze of graves. I started at the top of the cemetery and worked my way down. Would I had entered the cemetery from the bottom I would have basically tripped over the grave of Jacque Brel. What struck me was that many graves did not have names or any indication of who would be buried there. I sat myself on a stone next to an unknown grave in the shade of a tree taking in the amazing view of the bay before carrying on with my search. I am pleased to let you know that I discovered both. The museum visit afterward giving so much information about both was the icing on the cake.
Written May 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Prudence59
Williamsville, NY636 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
The calvary of the cemetery is located on the heights of the island. Going to see the tomb of Brel and Gauguin is worth it. Extremely moving place when discovering the tombs. Several little words of love are written on pebbles from the tomb of Jacques Brel. A few steps further up is Gauguin's tomb. Our trip to the Marquesas was linked to these two artists and we really enjoyed these moments.
Written October 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Picasso68
Milan, Italy66 contributions
Aug 2014 • Family
Gauguin tomb is worth visiting for its position and symbolic value, if you have artistic expectations you will be disappointed.
Written April 6, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GANDK715
Australind, Australia20 contributions
Jul 2013 • Couples
Really very lovely cemetery with white graves and skeletal frangipanis. Worth a visit. get a whole sense of the town from here and some idea of what Gaugin was doing here. Good for photographs. Actually as well as the cemetery the old remnants of settlements are fascinating, and especially the tikis. Worth hiring a car and getting to the site just close to town--do not need a guide. A bit overgrown but you get a sense of what was once here. You must also see the gaugin museum and his House of Joy. Women are very helpful in Gaugin Museum and told us where the grave was.
Written August 5, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
J H H
McLean, VA1,168 contributions
Jan 2012 • Friends
Worth a trip if you are already on Hiva Oa - but not as a destination itself. Great view from the cemetary itself and the Gaugin's grave site/marker is charmingly rustic.
If you are on Hiva Oa you should consider a 4 hour or so drive across island to the Giant Tiki - which is extraordinary - an ancient sacrificial mound with 2,000 year old plus stone Tiki's - YOU MUST use a driver for these and there are plenty around. DO not attempt to drive yourself - the road is "scary" with no guardrails and tremendous drop offs. We had a group of six and paid about $85 each -- BUT be aware that you should have stopped off at one of the local banks first and gotten sufficient French Polynesian Francs first -- drivers don't like US $s or even Euros!
If you are on Hiva Oa you should consider a 4 hour or so drive across island to the Giant Tiki - which is extraordinary - an ancient sacrificial mound with 2,000 year old plus stone Tiki's - YOU MUST use a driver for these and there are plenty around. DO not attempt to drive yourself - the road is "scary" with no guardrails and tremendous drop offs. We had a group of six and paid about $85 each -- BUT be aware that you should have stopped off at one of the local banks first and gotten sufficient French Polynesian Francs first -- drivers don't like US $s or even Euros!
Written July 13, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ilene K
Lakeland, FL265 contributions
Nov 2011 • Couples
We liked all the old grave sites and the view is amazing, as is Hiva Oa. What goes up, comes down and the walk down to town is steep but the road is paved. There are no guard rails and no bathrooms but there are facilites at the Gaugauin Museum.
Written December 3, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mwhamburger
Seattle, WA849 contributions
May 2019 • Friends
not a very well maintained cemetery, however, the view of the bay is spectacular.
If you've visited the Gauguin's 'House of Pleasure' at the museum you will see a photo of his grave that looks nothing like this one. No idea what happened beyond having read that there's quite a dispute about what occurred to his body after his death. Try and google it or find the book by Caroline Boyle Turner: Paul Gauguin & the Marquesas; Paradise Found? Fascinating stories about his life in the islands.
The ground is very uneven with steps, etc.
If you've visited the Gauguin's 'House of Pleasure' at the museum you will see a photo of his grave that looks nothing like this one. No idea what happened beyond having read that there's quite a dispute about what occurred to his body after his death. Try and google it or find the book by Caroline Boyle Turner: Paul Gauguin & the Marquesas; Paradise Found? Fascinating stories about his life in the islands.
The ground is very uneven with steps, etc.
Written May 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amnon F
Tel Aviv District, Israel1,075 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
the cemetery itself isn't too special, yes Jacques Brel and Paul Gauguin both are buried here but rather ordinary graves to special people, However the views that they both have are overwhelming over the bay of Atuona and the surrounding mountains. wish i could have these views when my day comes...
Written July 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AntarcticBound
Brisbane1,076 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
The hill from Atuona was a bit steep in the hot sun, but it was worth it to reach the cemetery where Paul Gauguin is buried. Also buried there is the Belgium singer Jacques Brel. People were stunned when I asked who Brel was, but was fully enlightened by the locals - to whom he was a hero and held in high regard. The cemetery command a beautiful view towards the ocean and is an excellent location.
Written December 2, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Earibal
Istanbul, Türkiye512 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
Both Paul Gaugin and Jaques Brel's graves are here. There is a poem nearby the Grave of Brel which touched me a lot. A good way to present your homage to these extraordinary artists is to visit their graves.
Written August 31, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bonjour , quelqu'un peut -il me renseigner , que fait - on sur l’île une fois qu'on a visité le cimetière et le musée de Gauguin . merci d'avance . Françoise Ielli
Written September 8, 2019
Bonjour coyote
après le cimetière,le village
visiter l’île elle est splendide
je vous conseille de prendre contact avec Jean saucourt un guide qui vous fera découvrir son île d’un bout à l’autre.
Written October 22, 2019
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