Points Of Interest

Omoa Village
The village of Omoa is the administrative center of Fatu Hiva. Here, you will find a pretty church and the Musée Grelet, a small private museum founded by a 19th-century Swiss immigrant to this island. Exhibits include war clubs and spears, adzes, tikis, stone pestles, and carved-wood koka’a bowls. Fatu Hiva is renowned for its handicrafts, especially tapa (decorated beaten bark cloth). During your stay, you may see artists at work on tapa and other crafts, including hand-painted pareos and monoi, a scented coconut oil. The area around Omoa Village also features many ancient petroglyphs, or rock art. Among them is one of the largest in the Marquesas: that of the famous paoa, which looks like a huge tuna fish carved into the rock. A guided hike to the petroglyphs is available as an excursion from The Gauguin.

Hanavave & the Bay of Virgins
Fatu Hiva’s other main settlement, Hanavave, lies on one of the most beautiful bays in the world, the Bay of Virgins, and the ten-mile road linking Hanavave to Omoa Village is a wonderland of scenic delights. Behold towering cliffs, plunging waterfalls, steep gorges and valleys, and luxuriant vegetation along the way. A scenic drive between Omoa Village and Hanavave is available as a shore excursion from The Gauguin.

Local Information

Population: 587 (2007)

Language: French, Marquesan

Currency: XPF

Scheduled Docking Location: Anchored, tender to the pier in the village of Omoa.

Shopping: Omoa Village has two small food stores. Handicrafts can be purchased directly from the artists in Omoa Village. Fatu Hiva is the leading producer of tapa (decorated beaten bark cloth) in French Polynesia.

Banks / ATMs: There are no banks on Fatu Hiva, and credit cards are not accepted. Cash: best to have local currency (XPF).

Post Office: In Omoa Village.

Internet/Wi-Fi: Wifi available at the tourism office in Omoa Village, the charge is $500 xpf per day.

Airport Transportation: There is no airport on Fatu Hiva.

Taxis: No taxis on the island. Private 4x4s with drivers can be arranged via the tourism office. Drivers do not speak English.

Port Agent Contact:
Office: +689 (40) 86-51-32
Mobile: +689 (87) 29-25-02