Nuku Hiva is the largest island in the Marquesas and the administrative capital of the archipelago. The town of Taiohae sits in a wide bay sheltered by volcanic ridges and serves as the hub for flights and boat connections across the island group. The bay is one of the finest natural harbours in the South Pacific, regularly hosting oceangoing yachts on transpacific passages.
The island has a number of archaeological sites in its valleys, including tohua (ancient ceremonial platforms) at Hatiheu on the north coast. Inland, the plateau behind Taiohae is a different world — windswept moorland with wild horses running loose, a sharp contrast to the humid tropical valleys below. The Marquesan white tern is a common sight; more elusive are the Marquesan imperial pigeon and the Marquesan kingfisher, both endemic to the group.