Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia
Pension Temetiu Village
About this stay
Temetiu Village is a family guesthouse on a hillside above Tahauku Bay on Hiva Oa, just outside the village of Atuona. Its bungalows and pool look across Traitors' Bay to Hanakee rock and up to Mount Temetiu. The hosts help guests explore the island's archaeological sites and tiki, along with its carving, tattooing, song and dance, and they rent cars too. Atuona has the Paul Gauguin museum and the Jacques Brel space. It suits travelers who want a friendly base for Hiva Oa's culture and history.
Good for
About Marquesas Islands
The Marquesas are a group of high, steep volcanic islands in the far northeast of French Polynesia, about 1,400 km from Tahiti. Six islands are inhabited, the largest being Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa. There are almost no lagoons or fringing reefs, so this is not a beach destination. It suits hikers, history lovers and travellers interested in living culture, and it rewards slow, flexible travel more than short stays.
Getting there
Air Tahiti flies from Papeete to Nuku Hiva (NHV) and Hiva Oa (AUK) in about three to four hours, with smaller planes linking the islands within the group. A mixed cargo and passenger ship sails regularly from Papeete on round trips of about two weeks, calling at all six inhabited islands.