The Marquesas are a beautiful and secluded group of islands in the South Pacific. The archipelago won recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2024. This French Polynesian retreat comprises 12 islands, out of which only six are inhabited, with Nuku Hiva being the most populous island. As French Polynesia, which includes famous destinations like Bora Bora and Tahiti, is situated in an isolated location, it receives very less visitors, with 220,000 international visitors travelling to the island in 2022. Even fewer tourists venture to Marquesas. The second-most number of international tourists visiting the island are from the US, followed by visitors from Canada, the UK, China and Germany.
Situated 1,500 km northeast of Tahiti, the Marquesas boasts a brilliant tapestry of myths and legends. Popularly known as Te Henua ‘Enata, which translates to ‘The Land of Men’ in the Marquesan language, this jagged terrain accents rugged mountains, gushing waterfalls and august bays. Additionally, the island features several archaeological sites. The moment you put your foot on the island, you can sense the mystical atmosphere of the place infused with mana, the spiritual force strongly rooted in the Marquesan culture.
Nuku Hiva is the largest island in the Marquesas archipelago. It features gigantic mountain peaks which slope precipitously down into the azure Pacific Ocean. The island’s primary settlement or village named Taioha’e, is located in a spacious bay which bears the same name. Taioha’e also serves as the regional capital. The villagers are loved for their hospitality and the way they warmly greet and welcome tourists to this stony island. Nuku Hiva is acclaimed for its vivid array of archaeological sites and ancient legends, demonstrating a vibrant ancestral culture.
Hiva Oa is also popularly referred to as the ‘garden of the Marquesas islands’. All thanks to its fertile soil and flourishing vegetation, the countryside accents lush greenery which hides the roads and homes from view. The island’s craggy mountain peaks and deep valleys inhabit numerous archaeological sites and traces of an ancient civilization, including the mammoth tiki statues in The Islands of Tahiti. The beaches of Hiva Oa compromise volcanic black sand, and are nestled beneath the huge rocky cliffs. The primary settlement, Atuona, which is located in Taaoa Bay at the base of Mount Temetiu, reaches 1,276 metres. Mount Fe’ani, on the other hand, stands tall at 1,-16 metres. The village cemetery is a spot of attraction for art and culture lovers as it served as the final resting place of artists Paul Gauguin and singer Jacques Brel.
Ua Pou is well-known for its four sky-scraping basalt pillars, with Poutetaunui and Poumaka soaring high into the sky. In 1888, Robert Louis Stevenson compared these basalt pillars to “volcanic arrows resembling church bell-towers.” these majestic pillars are believed to represent ancient warriors, and they look over the island’s primary village of Hakahau, which is located in the bay below.
Known for its arid soil and staggering landscape, in Ua Huka you will spot wild horsed roaming the dry plains of this enchanting island, while goats mount its bumpy slopes and ridges. Ua Huka will present you with a pristine and genuine experience. Here the ancestors are a part of the daily lives of its inhabitants.
Tahuata can be only accessed via the sea. The island gifts the visitors with a tranquil and peaceful retreat, with several surprises awaiting the tourists. In the mountainous island which is fertile with lush greenery and sparkling, clear water, the inhabitants make their livings by selling exquisite bone or miro (rosewood) sculptures. They also prince ‘mono’i’, which is a popular Tahitian oil made from dried coconuts and infused with scents from flowers like frangipani and Tiare Tahiti.
Fatu Hiva is the most isolated of the archipelago’s inhabited islands. This island can only be reached via sea. Although it is small, the island boasts sky-high mountains and rampant green valleys. Interested in a fascinating story about the island?- Here you go! In 937, Thor Heyerdahl and his wife, left behind their modern lifestyle to embrace the natural charm of Fatu Hiva. It was on Fatu Hiva that Heyerdahl developed his now-disputed theory that Polynesians originally migrated from South America. The inhabitants of the island live close to the village of Omoa, where they craft traditional tapa clothing from mulberry bark.
The Bay of Virgins in Hanavave is particularly sensational, as its mountain peaks glow like burning embers at sunset, making it one of the South Pacific’s most picturesque spots.
Speaking of the Marquesas gaining recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Tahiti Tourism CEO Jean-Marc Mocellin said in a statement, “This inscription is a unique opportunity to showcase the exceptional cultural and environmental heritage of the Marquesas Archipelago internationally. It will reinforce the positioning of the islands of Tahiti as an inclusive and sustainable tourism destination.”
