Wanderlust : Discover an alternative paradise on the Marquesas Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

In August 2024, Wanderlust Magazine (UK) published an article by Emma Thomson exploring the unique culture and wild landscapes of the Marquesas Islands, a remote and little-known archipelago of French Polynesia.

Journalist Emma Thomson, writing for Wanderlust Magazine, offers a vivid journey through the Marquesas Islands — a UNESCO World Heritage Site that stands apart from the typical image of a tropical paradise.
Her article highlights the islands’ dramatic volcanic scenery, their living Polynesian heritage, and the revival of ancient traditions such as tattooing, dance, and carving. Rather than coral lagoons, travellers discover steep green mountains, sacred archaeological sites (marae), and a proud community preserving its culture after centuries of colonial change.
The story captures how the Marquesas leave a lasting impression — a place where, as Thomson writes, it is not the visitor who marks the islands, but the islands that mark the visitor. Read the full article here.



Extract : 
“Tattoos were banned for over a century in the Marquesas Islands. Today, they are a good example of how the archipelago is slowly reclaiming its culture from the whims of misguided foreigners.”