Nuku Hiva

In June 1842, Nuku Hiva was the first island to be seen by the whaleboat carrying the novelist Herman Melville about to discover « a country that no description could fit the beauty ».

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Grandiose and striking, yet the proper words are hard to find to adequately describe the view of the imposing cliffs of Nuku Hiva as you gaze upon the jagged walls which suddenly plunge into the immense ocean below.

The secrets of this island seem impenetrable, kept by lush vegetation covering this « land of men » mysterious, indescribable, but so real.

In Taipivai, where many legends take place, waterfalls and rivers follow a trail kept by mossy tikis hidden in the forest, still standing up, their eyes fixed on eternity.

From Hakaui, the third biggest waterfall in the world, Anaho bay, one of the most beautiful of the archipelago, or from Mount Muake, take-off place for paragliding, the scenery of basaltic peaks and deep canyons will keep visitors dreaming.

Constant vertigo is brought on by the rhythm of "pahu" (drums) which take you back to age-old times.

Located in the centre of a crater, half sunk in the ocean, the main village is close to the desert black sand beaches. A diving center is based near the ancient dock. Even though Nuku Hiva no lagoon (2nd biggest island in Polynesia), rare and marvellous attractions await you there, underwater caves sheltering an incredible variety of underwater fauna and flora.