Northern Marquesas Islands

A total of 15 islands of which 6 are inhabited, the Marquesas is divided into two groups, the northern Marquesas islands and the southern Marquesas islands. The northern Marquesas is made up of three inhabited islands, while the remainder islands are deserted. The following islands from part of the northern Marquesas group;

Nuku Hiva
Eiao
Hatutu
Motu Iti
Motu `Oa
Motu One
Ua Huka
Ua Pu

Nuku Hiva
Formerly known as Ile Marchand and Madison Island, Nuku Hiva is the largest of the Marquesas Islands. The economic hub of the region, this island is 340 sq. km in size and has the largest human population. Formed from two volcanoes, Nuku Hiva was first discovered in 1791 by an American captain named Ingraham. Described in the books of Herman Melville and Robert Louis Stevenson, this island offers tourists some magnificent landscapes, intriguing archeology, top notch accommodations, quality wooden handicrafts, and a number of activities to enjoy such as horseback riding and diving. Taiohae, the administrative capital of the Marquesas is found on the island. In the northwest of the island sits the main regional airport, while towards the northeast lies Hikokua, one of the key archeological sites of the region.

Eiao
Briefly used as a prisoner island in the past, in the 1970’s Eiao came into focus as a key island the French Government was interested in using as a nuclear testing site. Declared a nature reserve in 1992 to protect its unique ecosystem, this island is home to a number of endemic and endangered species of wildlife as well as some ancient archaeological sites.

Hatutu
A tiny island near Eiao, Hatutu has also been declared a nature reserve by the French Government and is a vital blue footed booby nesting ground.

Motu Iti
Motu Iti is a small island with a number of sea bird nesting areas.

Motu `Oa
A haven for seabirds like noddies, petrels, terns and shearwaters, this small island has three 4,000-foot basalt mountains.

Motu One
Located on the edge of a coral reef, Motu One is actually two sandy islands lying a few feet above sea level. A nesting ground for sea turtles and a variety of seabirds, these islands are also known as Îlots du Sable or Sand Islands.

Ua Huka
Lying some 50 km east of Nuku Hiva, Ua Huka is an important island in the northern Marquesas group. The driest island in all of French Polynesia with little to no rainfall, experts believe that Ua Huka was home to the first Polynesian settlement in the region. There are three villages on the island today along with some of the best beaches in the Marquesas.

Ua Pu
The third largest island in the Marquesas in terms of land mass, Ua Pu is the youngest island in the archipelago. Some 45 km south of Nuku Hiva, the main attraction of this island is its four tall basalt pillars that reach high into the clouds. An inhabited island, Ua Pu is famous for its archeological remains in the Hohoi and Hakamoui valleys.

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