Nuku Hiva Cruise Port
Taiohae, French Polynesia · Pacific
Cruise ships anchor offshore in Taiohae — tenders ferry passengers to the port.
Tender call into Taiohae Bay; Notre-Dame Cathedral, Tiki Tuhiva, the marae of Hatiheu and Hakaui's Vaipō Waterfall do the heavy lifting.
At a glance
Port summary
Nuku Hiva sits 1500 km north-east of Tahiti and is one of the most remote French Polynesian ports any cruise line calls — the silhouette of the island's vertical volcanic walls dropping into Taiohae Bay is the first thing most passengers see at sunrise. Ships anchor in the deep crater bay (the second-largest natural harbour on earth by some measures) and tender to the Quai de Taiohae on the south shore, a flat concrete wharf where the village stretches out either side along the waterfront road. The walk-off is genuine — Notre-Dame Cathedral, the small Etienne Marchand monument and Pae Pae Piki Vehine are all within 1 km along the bay, and the giant Tiki Tuhiva monoliths sit on the western headland a 20-minute uphill walk above the wharf. Everything else needs a 4×4 vehicle and a guide: the road to Hatiheu and the marae of Hikokua and Kamuihei climbs 800 m onto the Toovii Plateau and back down to the north coast (1.5 hours each way over a hairpin road), Hakaui Valley and the 350 m Vaipō Waterfall are reached only by boat plus a 2-hour jungle walk, and the Taipivai valley is a 1-hour drive east. Currency is the CFP franc (XPF); a single Banque Socredo branch in Taiohae has the only ATM on the island, USD is accepted at a poor rate at a few resorts only, and most small businesses are cash-only with no cards. There is no Uber, Bolt or public bus on Nuku Hiva.
Cruise dock
🚢 Quai de Taiohae — Tender Landing
Single OSM-confirmed concrete wharf and pier on the south shore of Taiohae Bay (the world's second-largest natural crater harbour). Cruise ships anchor 600-800 m offshore in the deep bay; tenders run a sheltered 5-10 minute crossing. The wharf has a flat ramp, a small Marquesan craft market on cruise days and the Taiohae village waterfront road runs alongside.
📍 Latitude: -8.921547, Longitude: -140.095396
See dock on port map →Getting to Taiohae
From the cruise terminal to the city centre
Pre-booked 4×4 island tours (Hatiheu, Toovii, Taipivai) and Hakaui Valley boat-and-hike trips are the headline cruise-day mode; book through Marquesas Tourisme or Aranui Tours weeks ahead.
📍 4×4 tour and Hakaui boat operators meet the tenders at Quai de Taiohae
Taiohae village stretches along the bay either side of the wharf; the Cathedral, Pae Pae Piki Vehine, the Banque Socredo and the craft market are all within a flat 10-minute walk.
📍 Right at the head of the Quai de Taiohae
Taxis are scarce, not metered and cash-only — agree the CFP franc fare before boarding; useful for the Cathedral and Tiki Tuhiva but not for crossing the island.
📍 A handful of taxis park at the Quai de Taiohae on cruise days
4×4 vehicles only — the cross-island roads to Hatiheu and Toovii are steep, narrow and unforgiving; recommended only for confident off-road drivers.
📍 Avis Hertz Marquises office a 5-minute walk from the wharf
There is no public bus service anywhere on Nuku Hiva.
Map & things to do
Money & payments
Bring CFP francs from Tahiti or your previous Polynesian port — the single ATM in Taiohae often has limits or queues on cruise days; USD is accepted at a poor rate at the pearl lodges only.
Things to do
Pae Pae Piki Vehine & Tohua Temehea
Short stop⭐ Highlight
Restored marae complex in central Taiohae with a replica chief's house and a row of stone tikis.
🕐 Late morning when the light hits the carved stone
Pa'eke Marae & Taipivai Tikis
Short stop⭐ Highlight
Stone marae with 11 carved Marquesan tikis in the green valley Melville described in "Typee".
🕐 Late morning before the sky clouds over the ridge
Hatiheu Bay & Madonne Statue
Short stop⭐ Highlight
Curving black-sand bay watched over by a 1900 white Madonne statue and famous Marquesan ridges.
🕐 Early afternoon when the bay light is brightest
Tohua de Hikokua Sacred Site
Short stop⭐ Highlight
Restored Hatiheu-valley ceremonial plaza with stone tikis, a tohua amphitheatre and a banyan.
🕐 Late morning on the way down from Toovii
Tohua Koueva Restored Site
⭐ Highlight
Restored ceremonial plaza with a banyan tree, drumming platform and a row of carved tikis.
🕐 Cool of the morning before tour groups arrive
Mea'e Kamuihei & Petroglyphs
Short stop⭐ Highlight
Sacred grove next to Hikokua with carved petroglyphs and a 600-year-old banyan over stone walls.
🕐 Combine with Hikokua on the same Hatiheu stop
Taiohae Bay & Quay Walk
Short stop🚶 Walk
90-min walk along Taiohae's seafront road past pae pae, monuments and the craft market.
🕐 First thing off the tender — coolest part of the day
Notre-Dame Cathedral of Taiohae
Short stop⛪ Church / Cathedral
Open-sided cathedral with a Marquesan wood-carved pulpit, altar and saints in miro wood.
🕐 Tuesday and Sunday around mass for the choir
Tiki Tuhiva Giant Tikis & Viewpoint
Short stop📸 Viewpoint
Two 12 m carved tikis on the western headland with a postcard panorama back over Taiohae Bay.
🕐 Mid-morning before the cloud rolls in over the ridge
Toovii Plateau Cross-Island Drive
Short stop📸 Viewpoint
Crossing of the cool 800 m Toovii cattle plateau between Taiohae and Hatiheu with two lookouts.
🕐 Mid-morning between Taiohae and Hatiheu
Vaipō Waterfall (Hakaui Valley)
🌿 Nature
Boat to Hakaui plus 2-hour jungle walk to the foot of a 350 m waterfall, Polynesia's tallest.
🕐 After morning rain, when the falls have most water
Anaho Bay Hike
sport
3-hour return ridge walk from Hatiheu to Nuku Hiva's only road-free bay, calm and white-sand.
🕐 Start by 09:00 to hike before the heat
Build your perfect day in Taiohae
Tell us how long you have, who you're with, and what you enjoy — our AI will create a personalised itinerary just for you.
Plan my day →Frequently asked questions
- Where does my cruise ship dock in Taiohae?
- Taiohae is a tender port: your ship anchors offshore and passengers transfer to shore by small boat.
- Can I walk from the cruise port into Taiohae?
- Yes. Taiohae is walkable from the cruise port — many cruisers reach the city centre on foot.
- How do I get from the cruise port to Taiohae centre?
- Typical options include Shuttle bus, On foot, Taxi, Car rental, Local bus. Durations and costs are listed in the transport section above.
- How much time do I need in Taiohae?
- Plan for at least 4 hours ashore to see Taiohae independently and return to the ship with a safe buffer.
- What currency is used in Taiohae and are cards accepted?
- Taiohae uses the CFP Franc. Carry some cash for markets, taxis, and smaller vendors — cards aren't accepted everywhere.
- Is there Wi-Fi at the cruise port?
- Wi-Fi isn't reliably available at the Taiohae cruise terminal. Consider a local SIM or your cruise line's data package.
- When should I be back at the ship?
- Cruise lines usually require all passengers on board about 30 minutes before scheduled departure. Confirm the exact all-aboard time on your daily programme.
Have something to share about Nuku Hiva Cruise Port?
Share a photo, suggest a thing to do, drop a map link, or tell us what you did in port.
Add a contributionAdmin reviews every contribution before it goes live.