Must-see attractions in The Marquesas

  • Kamuihei, Tahakia & Teiipoka

    Nuku Hiva

    About 300m towards Taipivai from the Hikokua site, these three connecting sites make up the largest excavated archaeological area of Nuku Hiva. A team led…

  • Tohua Koueva

    Nuku Hiva

    It’s believed that this extensive communal site, with its paved esplanade, belonged to the war chief Pakoko, who was killed by the French in 1845. Today…

  • Hanahevane Bay

    The Marquesas

    This glorious bay is caressed by jade-green waters and is studded with a broad strand of golden sand. It’s a good picnic spot (despite a number of pesky…

  • Hikokua

    Nuku Hiva

    One of the most powerful archaeological sites in the Marquesas, Hikokua was discovered by the archaeologist Robert Suggs in 1957 and has been restored and…

  • Vaitahu

    The Marquesas

    This tiny village, built against the steep slopes of the central ridge, retains a few vestiges of its stormy past. On the seafront stands a modest…

  • Hanavave

    The Marquesas

    Hanavave boasts a splendid setting, at the mouth of a steep-sided valley, best enjoyed from the sea (lucky yachties!). When the setting sun bounces purple…

  • Omoa

    The Marquesas

    Time moves at a crawl in Omoa. The most striking monument is the Catholic church, with its red roof, white facade and slender spire. It makes a colourful…

  • Meiaute

    The Marquesas

    High up in the valley of Hane, the site of Meiaute includes three 1m-high, red-tuff tiki that watch over a group of stone structures, pae pae and me’ae,…

  • Motu Teuaua

    The Marquesas

    Thousands of kaveka (sooty terns) nest year-round on these islets and lay thousands of eggs daily.

  • Hapatoni

    The Marquesas

    Hapatoni curves around a wide bay and is accessible by boat in less than 15 minutes from Vaitahu, or by a track.

  • Hane

    The Marquesas

    Experts believe that the first Polynesian settlement on the Marquesas was here, tucked away in a bay protected on the east by the impressive Motu Hane…

  • Te Tumu

    The Marquesas

    Built for the 2013 Mini Marquesas Festival, this beautiful site holds a large performance area and the island's main museum. The Marquesas's largest tiki,…

  • Paeke

    Nuku Hiva

    Most tours stop in Taipivai to visit the Paeke archaeological site, which lies on a hillside at the exit of the village on the way to Hatiheu (the path…

  • Hokatu

    The Marquesas

    Tiny and scenic Hokatu, about 3km east of Hane, lies in a sheltered bay edged with a pebble beach pounded by azure seas with direct views of imposing,…

  • Tetahuna

    The Marquesas

    At the far end of the village, make a beeline for this grandiose tohua, which hosted numerous dance and cultural performances during the Marquesas Arts…

  • Flat Stone

    The Marquesas

    At the northern entrance of the village there’s a large flat stone that you can walk out onto to see a view of the village and bay. It’s now used to dry…

  • Museum

    The Marquesas

    Located next to the mayor’s office, this little museum features pestles, tiki, finely carved sculptures, pahu (drums), jewellery and period photos as well…

  • Pae Pae Piki Vehine

    Nuku Hiva

    Rebuilt for the 1989 Marquesas Festival, this pae pae (traditional meeting platform) contains modern sculptures and a dozen magnificent tiki made by the…

  • Tohua Mauia

    The Marquesas

    Situated above the village, the magnificent Tohua Mauia comprises a huge L-shaped stone platform as well as numerous pae pae dotted around the main…

  • Vaikivi Petroglyphs

    The Marquesas

    This little-visited archaeological site on the Vaikivi Plateau is well worth the detour, if only for the walk or horse ride to get there. A guide is…

  • Hakahau Bay

    The Marquesas

    For a beautiful view of Hakahau Bay head east from Pukuéé pension along a track until you reach a small pass. Here take the right fork and climb steeply…

  • Hakanai Bay

    The Marquesas

    Shortly after the airport at Aneou, Hakanai Bay appears like a mirage from around a sharp bend: a long curve of wave-lashed beach. It has been named Plage…

  • Arboretum

    The Marquesas

    A wide variety of plants, including 200 species of citrus fruits, are cultivated in these botanical gardens halfway between Vaipaee and Hane. The species…

  • Archaeological Museum

    Nuku Hiva

    This modest yet well-organised archaeological museum does a good job of explaining the archipelago’s history and culture. It features artefacts, exhibits…

  • Musée Enana

    Nuku Hiva

    This little museum has a few documents and some beautiful ancient Marquesan artefacts. It also doubles as a small craft shop. Entry was free at the time…

  • Marine Museum

    The Marquesas

    This modest museum, in the white house on the seafront, shows the evolution of traditional pirogues (outrigger canoes) as well as hooks used for shark…

  • Vaipaee

    The Marquesas

    The island’s main town is at the end of a very deep, narrow inlet, about 1km long and rightly named Invisible Bay. You'll find two stores, lots of fruit…

  • Anahoa Beach

    The Marquesas

    From Hakahau, it’s a 30-minute walk east to deserted Anahoa Beach. From the Hakahau quay, follow the sign for Pukuéé pension and continue along the paved…

  • Cascade Vaiea

    The Marquesas

    At the entrance of the village a sign marks the mountainside track to a waterfall. It has a deep round bathing pool that looks like something out of a…

  • Motu Hemeni

    The Marquesas

    The neighbouring islet to Motu Teuaua, Hemeni is also a nesting ground for thousands of kaveka (sooty terns). Access to Hemeni is prohibited in order to…

  • Catholic Church

    The Marquesas

    Right in the centre of town is this enticing church made of wood and stone. Inside you’ll find some fantastic woodcarvings of religious figures with a…

  • Te Ai'tua

    Nuku Hiva

    Other sites around Taipivai include the new Te Ai'tua mea'a built for the 2011 Marquesas Festival and decked out in interesting modern, mostly cement tiki.

  • Manihina

    The Marquesas

    Near the airport, Manihina Beach is a wonderfully scenic pebbly beach framed by basaltic cliffs. Sadly there are lots of nono. It’s accessible by a dirt…

  • Te Ana Peua Museum

    The Marquesas

    Next to the post office and expanded in 2017, the Te Ana Peua Museum houses a range of exhibits focusing on Marquesan culture, from fish hooks to stone…

  • Hanamoenoa Bay

    The Marquesas

    This quiet, sheltered bay is popular with yachties. It’s fringed by a ribbon of white sand, lapped by multihued waters and backed by lush hills.

  • Monument to the Dead

    Nuku Hiva

    On the seafront, opposite the Kamake shop, you can’t miss this obelisk fronted by a cannon constructed in honour of Étienne Marchand.

  • Petroglyph Museum

    The Marquesas

    On the waterfront, the small petroglyph museum displays well-presented photographs of the petroglyphs around the island.

  • Taetae Tupuna Enana

    Nuku Hiva

    This little museum has a few documents and artefacts focusing on traditional Marquesan culture. It’s at the Hee Tai Inn.

  • Hanamenino Bay

    The Marquesas

    Another secluded bay lined with a golden-sand beach, Hanamenino is also used for picnics. Access is by boat only.

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