The Marquesas islands: General Information

To use this page more quickly Airlines Geography Weather Environment Entry Formalities Weather forecast Communications Useful Addresses

Getting To The Islands

To Tahiti

	Air France
	Corsair
	AOM
	Air New Zealand
	Qantas
	Lan Chile
	Hawaian Airlines

From Tahiti to The Marquesas

Air Tahiti is the only company serving the Marquesas from Tahiti.

By sea

The ARANUI II is a cargo-passager ship that reachs the Marquesas from Papeete every three weeks.
Information and reservations : CTPM ARANUI BP 220 Papeete Tahiti
Tel : (689) 42 62 93 fax : (689) 42 06 17

The Taporo : a small cargo ship does the trip between Tahiti and The Marquesas two times per month.
Information and reservations: Compagnie Française Maritime de Tahiti BP368 Papeete Tahiti
tel (689) 42 63 93) fax (689) 420617

Geography

Between 7° 50 - 10° 35 of latitude South and 138° 25 - 140° 50 of longitude west, The Marquesas Archipelago stretches over 350 km.
In French Polynesia, it is the farthest group of islands from continent (4800 kilometers from the county of California)

The relative geological youth of these islands accounts for the dramatic landscape. There are no coastal plains or any real coral reefs and therefore no lagoons.
The pacific swells goes directly on the cliffs and pebble beaches.
There are twelve islands, of which six are inhabited, forming two groups : North and South.
Taiohae on Nuku Hiva is the administrative capital.

Weather

Sub-tropical climat, with great local variation in the amount of rain, depending on the prevailings winds, in spite of the proximity of the Equator it is a relatively dry pacific island group (10 to 120 inches for year). The middle of the year is the wettest period. Periodically the island have years of drought, which seen to be related to "la nina" years . Average temperature: 79 degrees. Probability of tropical cyclone low

The Environment

The animals and plants that originaly colonize the Marquesas came from Southeast Asia and probably South America. The wind brought airborne seeds; ocean currents brought plantes and tree trunks, which in turn carried insect and small animals. Birds also brought seeds in their digestive tracts or stuck to their feather. After this initial stage came "widespread" variations and differentiations on these isolated islands. eighty percent birds, half the native plants and insects, and even many of the shells and fishes are unique to the Marquesas. There is a great biological richness but consequently also an ecological fragility in these Islands. The ancient Polynesians, then the Europeans brought their own plants and domesticated animals as well as, unfortunetaly, pests : rats, mosquitos, white "nonos", plants that overgrow local species, etc..

Immigration Formalities

For French and CEE citizens

With a valid passport, unlimited stay for French citizens and 90 days without a visa for the others

For foreigners

With a valid passport, a stay limited to 30 days without a visa, renewable a single time by the Air and border police. Visitors arriving by private means (yacht, for exemple) must either present a return airline ticket to their country of origin, or deposit a guaranty in a bank that will be returned to them at their departure.
The deposit required in 1999 is 89.000 FCP (990USS) for American residents 79.000 FCP (880USS) for South Pacific residents, and 118.200FCP (1300USS) for all others. New regulation : CEE citizens are exempted of this deposit

For Yachts

Entry formalities must be done immediately upon arrival, at the Gendarmerie in Nuku Hiva, Hiva Oa or Ua pou (from 8.00 at 11.00). a form must be filled out and mailed to the customs service in Papeete. Final formalities will be administered at the yacht's arrival in Papeete.
In order to secure safety on the seas, all boat movements in Polynesia, as well as changes in the crew, must be given to the nearest gendarmerie, both at departure and arrival.

The boat may be brought in duty-free for a period of one year, as long as no member of the crew get employment in the territory. This duty-free status can be renewed a single time for sufficient cause. Beyond that, all import and customs duties must be paid.

Spare parts may be imported tax-free during this period. Tax-free fuel is available at Taiohae station.

Anchorage in the bay of Taiohae is limited to the west part. (Information at the gendarmerie)

Taking animals ashore is forbidden. Authorisation can be asked for at the Service of Rural development, next to the gendarmerie in Taiohae. No plants or their byproducts can be brought ashore. there will be confiscated and destroyed.


Meteological Information
	BLU	Mahina radio 88O3 khz USB 21hTU
	Fax meteo	Honolulu : 11090 khz USB: Surface analysis, satellite images and forecast 24H 48H


Communications
	Mail	General Delivery / Taiohae / Nuku Hiva / Iles Marquises / Polynésie française
	Mail	General Delivery / Atuona / Hiva Oa / Iles Marquises / Polynésie française
	Telephone	Area code : 689
	Internet	Not easily available


Useful Address
	Tourist Bureau	Taiohae: BP32 Tel/Fax: 920 373 - Atuona: Fax : 927 510
	Police Nuku Hiva	Taiohae : tel: 920 361 ou 17
	Police Hiva Oa	Atuona : tel : 927 361 ou 17
	Hospital	Hospital in Taiohae (tel: 920 375). Clinics in all islands and main valleys

For all further information on the Marquesas and South pacific , please use our LINKS

This english part of the site is under construction.
Only the general infos are available in english.
Come back soon for more.
Meanwhile, you can go back to the french side and look at the photos.
Or you can help with the translation : pick up a page and send it to webmaster@marquises.org
Many thanks

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Marquesas visitors' bureau : mail@marquises.org

e-mail : sswd2000@ifrance.com