Our next stop is at Nuku Hiva, the largest of the Marquesas Islands. The island has literary attachments to the US as Herman Melville wrote his book Typee based on his experiences in the Taipivai Valley in the eastern part of Nuku Hiva and Robert Louis Stevenson landed on the north side of the island in 1888 during his voyage on the Casco.
When we reach the dock, we find a fish market with people selling fish fresh off the boat.
Approaching Taiohae
Fish and entertainment
We stop at Notre Dame Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Taiohae), a 20th-century church which is the largest church in the Marquesas Islands. The cathedral was originally begun in 1848 and completed at the end of the 19th century. The current building on the same site opened in 1977, incorporating the two bell towers and a section of the wall from the old cathedral.
Notre Dame Cathedral
We get some fantastic views of the sea and the island as we wind our way up to toward the peak while crossing to the other side.
Great views
Marketplace
Event center
Stone carvings
After a brief stop at the beach, we return to Taiohae and walk around the city, principally heading up the hill to get a great view of the region and see the Tiki Tuhiva, a large statue prominently overlooking the bay. The statue took six months to construct, the woman is 12 meters (40 feet) high and the warrior is 8 meters (26 feet) high.
Stopping at the beach
Back in town, heading up the hill
A few tiki statues along the way
Tiki Tuhiva
Views of the bay
Beautiful flowers
Back at the beach, we wander through another market on our way back to the port. The local crafts are beautiful.
Back at the beach
More handicraft
We say goodbye to Taiohae and continue on to our next island.
Sailing away
Tiki Tuhiva still visible on the hill