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Taiohae Bay lies on the south coast of Nuku Hiva, the largest island of the Marquesas in French Polynesia, off Taiohae, the island's main town. Here you'll find out how to get there via Tahiti, where yachts lie, where to shop in town, what weather to expect, which sailing destinations lie off Nuku Hiva and what skippers need to know when clearing in.
The essentials at a glance
- There is no marina: yachts lie at anchor in the bay. You land by dinghy at the small quay by the market in the north-east of the bay. The large quay, with the ferry landing and fuel station, is on the east shore.
- Nuku A Taha airport is on the other side of the island in the northwest. From Tahiti you fly for at least a good three hours, from the airport you take a taxi across the island to Taiohae.
- Shops and a bank with a cash machine are in the village on the north shore of the bay, the nearest just a few hundred metres from the small quay.
- The Marquesas usually lie in the trade winds. Cyclone season in French Polynesia is from November to April, sometimes until May, the risk is considered low.
- Taiohae is one of the official ports of entry for French Polynesia. Anyone crossing the Pacific clears in at the Gendarmerie in town.
Where is Taiohae Bay?
Taiohae Bay is a wide bay open to the south, in the middle of the south coast of Nuku Hiva. Yachts anchor in the inner part of the bay off the village, which stretches for several kilometres along the north shore. The large quay, with the ferry landing and fuel station, is on the east shore. You land by dinghy at the small quay next to the market in the north-east of the bay, where you should allow for a tidal range of about 1.5 metres. Alternatively, you can pull your dinghy up onto the beach in the west of the bay.
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More InformationThe island is about 330 square kilometres in area and has a good 3,000 inhabitants; it lies about 1,400 kilometres northeast of Tahiti. Since 2024, parts of Nuku Hiva including coastal waters have belonged to the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands", including Anaho and Hatiheu bays on the north coast and the Hakaui valley west of Taiohae.
Arriving for trip departure in Taiohae Bay
You get to Nuku Hiva by plane via Tahiti. The last leg from the airport to Taiohae crosses the island.
From Nuku A Taha airport to Taiohae
The international airport of French Polynesia is Tahiti-Faa'a near Papeete. From there Air Tahiti flies to Nuku Hiva, the flight time is at least 3 hours 15 minutes. Nuku A Taha airport, roughly meaning "abandoned land", is on the northwest coast of the island, about 20 kilometres as the crow flies from Taiohae.
There is no shuttle bus. Taxis run between the airport and town, the journey over the mountains takes about an hour and a half. It's best to book the transfer in advance, it costs extra.
By car
On Nuku Hiva you can hire cars and scooters. The roads are steep and winding, free-roaming horses and cattle are about.
Parking
There is parking on the waterfront by the market, about 150 metres from the small quay. The Larson shop has its own customer car park. The village stretches for several kilometres along the bay.
Shopping for the trip
The shops are in the village on the north shore. About 400 to 500 metres from the small quay you will find the shops Nuku Tai Marine and Larson, the shop Magasin Putoka after about 700 metres and the shop Céline after about a kilometre. At the western end of the village is the shop Hoata, about 1.7 kilometres from the small quay. The shops are all supplied by ship every five to seven days. At the fishing harbour itself there are several small shops, a crafts centre and a few snack vans.
There is a bank with a cash machine in Taiohae. This is important for trip planning: in the Marquesas, banks are only found on Nuku Hiva, Hiva Oa and Ua Pou; you take cash with you to the other islands.
Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services
Taiohae has a hospital, the Hôpital Louis Rollin, about 400 metres east of the small quay, and a pharmacy. The Pharmacie de Taiohae is north-west of it in the village, about 1.4 kilometres from the small quay.
- 15: Emergency medical services (SAMU)
- 17: Police (Gendarmerie)
- 18: Fire brigade
- 16: Sea rescue; the rescue coordination centre JRCC Tahiti can also be reached on VHF channel 16
What does Taiohae Bay offer?
Taiohae Bay is an anchorage with a quay, not a marina. It accommodates cruise ships, cargo ships and sailing yachts; there are no pontoons for yachts. The key details at a glance:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Anchorage position (approximate) | 8° 55,0′ S, 140° 06,1′ W |
| Type | Anchorage bay, open to the south |
| Berths | at anchor |
| Landing stage | large quay with ferry landing on the east shore, small quay for dinghies by the market |
| Port of entry | official port of entry, Gendarmerie in the village |
| Provisioning in the village | Shops, pharmacy, hospital, bank with cash machine, fuel station at the large quay |
| Nuku A Taha Airport | around 20 km as the crow flies |
| Tahiti | around 1,400 km as the crow flies |
Equipment
At Taiohae fishing harbour there are small shops, snack vans and the handicraft centre. Everything else you'll find in the village: shops, bank, pharmacy, hospital and the island's administration.
The fuel station is at the large quay on the east shore. To refuel you can go stern-to at the quay; otherwise, fetch your fuel in jerrycans. The tap water in Taiohae is not drinking water. Fill up drinking water in jerrycans at one of three treatment stations and treat it with chlorine before storing it on board. By the small quay there are a yacht service with a laundry and the tourist office with free Wi-Fi.
What is the sailing weather like around Nuku Hiva?
The Marquesas usually lie in the trade winds. Taiohae Bay is open to the south.
From November to April, in some years into May, is cyclone season in French Polynesia. The risk is considered low. From 28 knots mean wind, Météo-France issues a special bulletin for the sea area.
Which sailing destinations can you reach from Taiohae Bay?
From Taiohae you can reach the north coast of Nuku Hiva and the neighbouring island of Ua Pou with a day's passage, Hiva Oa with a long passage, and the Tuamotus only on a several-day crossing. The distances are rounded distances over water on the usual course; for precise planning the chart applies.
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| Destination | Distance | Kurs |
|---|---|---|
| Hakahau (Ua Pou) | around 25 nm | to the south over open water |
| Anaho (Nuku Hiva) | around 25 nm | eastwards, round the eastern tip of the island and along the north coast |
| Hatiheu (Nuku Hiva) | just under 30 nm | as for Anaho, then one bay further west |
| Atuona (Hiva Oa) | approx. 80 nm | to the south-east |
| Tuamotus (northern atolls) | approximately 450 to 550 nm | south-westward |
Ua Pou and Hakahau
Ua Pou lies south of Nuku Hiva. Hakahau on the north-east coast is the island's main settlement and also a port of entry with gendarmerie; Ua Pou also has a bank. Where you may anchor off Ua Pou has been regulated since 2026 by an ordinance establishing designated anchorage zones, including Hakahau.
Anaho and Hatiheu on the north coast
The two bays lie next to each other on the north coast and are part of the World Heritage Site. Anaho has one of the island's best beaches. Hatiheu has a village with white sandy beach and right next to it archaeological sites: on the Hikokua plaza stand tiki and stone platforms, the paepae, around a large ceremonial square. A few kilometres inland lies Kamuihei with paepae, cult sites and many rock carvings beneath a mighty banyan tree.
A maximum of ten yachts anchor in Anaho Bay, in a water depth of at least 12 metres. Keep clear of the coral reef south of the narrow dinghy passage. The anchorage off Hatiheu is exposed to winds from the north-north-west and to swell, and landing at the quay can be difficult there.
Hiva Oa and Atuona
Atuona on Hiva Oa, like Taiohae, is a port of entry with gendarmerie; Hiva Oa also has a bank. Designated anchorage zones have also applied for Hiva Oa since 2026. On the route south-east lies open water.
Onwards into the Tuamotus
The route from the Marquesas to Tahiti leads through the Tuamotus. The low-lying atolls lie several days away to the south-west.
What can you do on a day ashore in Taiohae?
For a day ashore the settlement itself suffices with cathedral, tiki and viewpoint. For Hakaui valley and the north coast you need boat or car.
Cathedral of Notre-Dame of the Marquesas
The cathedral in Taiohae is built of stones in various colours that come from all six inhabited islands of the Marquesas.
Tiki and paepae in the settlement
In Taiohae lie the archaeological sites Piki Vehine and Temehea, stone platforms over which several large tiki stand guard. On Fort Colet stands since 2016 a twelve-metre-high tiki; from there you have a wide view over the bay and the anchored yachts.
Vaipo waterfall in Hakaui valley
The Vaipo in Hakaui valley west of Taiohae is, at 350 metres, the highest waterfall in French Polynesia. You can only get there by boat from the quay at Taiohae into Hakatea bay, then follows a guided walk of about three hours along an old royal road past burial caves and tiki. Allow a full day for this.
On your own yacht, anchor in the western part of Hakatea Bay in 4 to 8 metres of water and land by dinghy on the white sandy beach. From there it is a 10 to 15 minute walk to the hamlet of Hakaui. For the upkeep of the path to the waterfall you pay 1,000 XPF even without a guide (as of 2023).
Taipivai
In the valley of Taipivai east of Taiohae the writer Herman Melville once lived. You reach the valley overland by car or excursion.
For skippers: clearing in, anchoring and sea weather in Taiohae bay
Taiohae is one of 13 official ports in French Polynesia in which yachts from abroad are permitted to make their first landfall. You complete the formalities at the gendarmerie in the settlement.
Clearing in to French Polynesia
If you are arriving from abroad, you may only make your first landfall at one of the official ports of entry. In the Marquesas these are Taiohae, Hakahau on Ua Pou and Atuona on Hiva Oa. The entry process works as follows:
- Before arrival: at the latest 48 hours beforehand you send the maritime health declaration to the health authority. You complete the entry and exit declaration for sport boats online with customs; you can prepare it whilst still under way. With the maritime authority DPAM you register the boat through their online service.
- After anchoring: skipper or owner goes to the gendarmerie in Taiohae, which here is responsible for customs and border police. You present the passports and, where applicable, visas of all persons on board, the boat's registration certificate and the confirmation of the online declaration.
- Passports must still be valid for at least six months beyond the planned departure from French Polynesia.
- You report animals on board to the veterinary authority before going ashore; for dogs and cats you need a permit in advance.
- For your entire time in French Polynesia, the maritime authority recommends third-party liability insurance that also covers towing off or salvaging a stranded boat.
Foreign yachts may remain in the country without import duties, but only for a limited time: boats under 24 metres arriving from 1 September 2026 onwards, up to twelve months at a time; larger yachts up to 36 months (status: October 2026). After that the boat must be outside French Polynesia for at least six months before the period begins anew. The details are given by the Customs of French Polynesia. Before departing for another country, you check out with the gendarmerie of the last island visited.
Harbour rules
Anchoring is in the inner bay off the town. For vessels of 90 metres length and above, meaning large cruise ships and cargo vessels, a separate anchorage with swinging circle is reserved in the bay. Boats under 90 metres are not permitted to anchor there; violation is punishable. The exact location is shown on the map accompanying the regulation at the maritime authority DPAM. On many islands of French Polynesia, for example on the Marquesas islands of Ua Pou, Ua Huka and Hiva Oa, you may only anchor in designated zones. For the bay of Taiohae, as of the current date (October 2026), only the exclusion zone for vessels under 90 metres applies.
The anchoring point for large ships is in the southern part of the bay, with a swinging circle of 480 metres in radius. Yachts anchor north of it off the village in 8 to 20 metres of water; the mud and black sand seabed holds well. In the east of the bay, a strip is also closed to anchoring to protect a submarine cable. You are well sheltered from the prevailing winds, and southerly winds are rare. Depending on the swell, the boat may roll at the anchorage.
Immediately after arrival, pay a fee for refuse collection at the town hall of Nuku Hiva, as a guide 1,500 XPF per week, plus the tourist tax of 50 XPF per person per day (as of August 2023). Hulls must not be scraped in the bays of Nuku Hiva.
Which marine weather forecast applies around Nuku Hiva?
The authoritative forecast is the marine weather bulletin from Météo-France Polynésie. Nuku Hiva lies in the sea area "Ouest Marquises" (Eiao to Nuku Hiva), Ua Huka and Hiva Oa in the sea area "Est Marquises".
The Bulletin de prévision marine is available on the meteorological service's website; it gives wind direction and strength, gusts, sea state and swell for each sea area. If mean wind reaches 28 knots, a special bulletin (BMS) is issued. Navigational warnings such as failed navigational aids are published by the rescue coordination centre JRCC Tahiti.
Trips from Taiohae on Törnfinder
Trips between the island groups of the Pacific can be found under cabin charter in the South Pacific, all current offers in the trip overview.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Nuku Hiva airport to Taiohae?
By taxi or a pre-booked transfer; the journey across the island takes about an hour and a half. There is no shuttle bus.
Is there a marina in Taiohae?
No. Yachts lie at anchor in the bay; there are no pontoons for yachts.
Where do I shop in Taiohae for the trip?
In the shops in the village on the north shore, the nearest about 400 metres from the small quay where you land by dinghy. There are also small shops at the fishing harbour.
Is there a cash machine in Taiohae?
Yes, the bank in the town has a cash machine. On the Marquesas there are banks only on Nuku Hiva, Hiva Oa and Ua Pou.
Can I clear in at Taiohae?
Yes. Taiohae is one of the official ports of entry for French Polynesia; the formalities for customs and border police are handled by the gendarmerie in the town.
When is the best time for a trip on the Marquesas?
Outside the cyclone season, i.e. from June to October. The cyclone season runs from November to April, in some years into May, but the risk is considered low in French Polynesia.
