Click HERE for a map of Nuku Hiva

Nuku Hiva is the largest island in the Marquesas, but still relatively small in island terms, at just 131sq miles or 339sq km.

With a population of just over 2500 residents, the island is sparsely populated, but 150 years ago, there was nearly 100,000 people living here, in 2 main tribes, the Te I'i in the west of the island, and the Tai Pi in the east.  Sadly, many Tai Pi were killed in a war with the Te I'i in the early 1800's, as the Te I'i allied with Americans who had landed on the western side, and had guns and cannons, against stones and spears.

Many thousands Nuku Hivan's died from western diseases brought on commercial shipping and whaling ships. From a population of 100,000 in 1820 to around 3,000 by 1920, it devastated the island population, and conjointly, the infrastructure around the island.  Now there are a few small villages and small farms on the island, along with the small airport, and just 1 hotel, a B&B inn and a few pensions and homestays for visitors to stay at.

The island had a high central plateau and steep cliffs, that rise up from the coastline to almost 4000 feet, indented with lush valleys, with views of the dense forest and palms, and glimpses of cascading waterfalls, including the highest in French Polynesia, the 350m high Vaipo Waterfall.  Tours and hikes into the interior make you feel like a time traveller, going back into history, surrounded by amazing scenery at every turn of the path.

With the history and archaeological sites, the stunning mountain and valley scenery plus the traditional way of life, Nuku Hiva is definitely somewhere to get back to nature and a more peaceful way of life.