Nuku Hiva Travel Guide

Located to the northwest of French Polynesia, Nuku Hiva is one of the best-known of the Marquesas Islands. It is also called the Land of Men due to its long history of struggles, colonization and the expansion of its culture throughout the entire Pacific region.

Nuku Hiva is a land of legends and mythology that originated in the island’s beautiful valleys where, until just over a century ago, the various tribes that inhabited them made war on each other and where cannibalism was a deep-rooted part of the people’s culture. The art of tattooing – called Patutiki – is just as firmly rooted in the Marquesan culture of Nuku Hiva, where it is more deeply entrenched than on any other island in Polynesia.

The island has a unique charm. It could well be the setting for an episode of the Jurassic Park saga and is also full of tikis, the ancient sculptures of Polynesia’s historical and cultural heritage. Tiki Tuhiva, the largest female tiki ever created – from which there is a wonderful panoramic view of Taiohae Bay – can also be visited in the capital.

The following section provides all the information you need about Nuku Hiva: pictures, what to see, what to do and a host of other things.