Ua Huka: The woodcarving center of the Marquesas.

Ua Huka in the Marquesas islands, is a remote paradise with lush green valleys, high peaks for carving, and amazing museums and wood carving centers throughout the island. The first Western navigator to sight the island was U.S. Navy Capt. Joseph Ingraham in 1791. He named the island “Washington Island” in honor of U.S. President George Washington, which blows my mind, considering that not many foreigners have visited the island since.

From Lonely Planet: This low-key, little-visited island feels entirely clean of the troubles of the world; the trees are heavy with fruit, wind whips over the mostly bare hills, surf swishes against the rocky cliffs – and good luck getting a signal on your cell phone outside of Vaipaee. Woodcarving is the main activity here and this is the land of masters. There are only three villages, and after a day or two the small communities here seem to absorb you like a giant, friendly sponge. Watch the artisans at work; zigzag up the flanks of an extinct volcano to reach mysterious archaeological sites in the jungle; look for one of the world’s rarest and most beautiful birds; and delve right into Marquesan life.