Tiny and scenic Hokatu, about 3km east of Hane, lies in a sheltered bay edged with a pebble beach pounded by azure seas with direct views of imposing, sugar-loafed Motu Hane. On the waterfront there’s a small museum (admission free) that displays well-presented photographs of the petroglyphs around the island and just beyond is the craft centre – the island's biggest.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Marquesas attractions

1. Hane

0.74 MILES

Experts believe that the first Polynesian settlement on the Marquesas was here, tucked away in a bay protected on the east by the impressive Motu Hane…

2. Meiaute

1.03 MILES

High up in the valley of Hane, the site of Meiaute includes three 1m-high, red-tuff tiki that watch over a group of stone structures, pae pae and me’ae,…

3. Arboretum

1.64 MILES

A wide variety of plants, including 200 species of citrus fruits, are cultivated in these botanical gardens halfway between Vaipaee and Hane. The species…

4. Te Tumu

2.21 MILES

Built for the 2013 Mini Marquesas Festival, this beautiful site holds a large performance area and the island's main museum. The Marquesas's largest tiki,…

5. Manihina

2.57 MILES

Near the airport, Manihina Beach is a wonderfully scenic pebbly beach framed by basaltic cliffs. Sadly there are lots of nono. It’s accessible by a dirt…

6. Vaikivi Petroglyphs

3.38 MILES

This little-visited archaeological site on the Vaikivi Plateau is well worth the detour, if only for the walk or horse ride to get there. A guide is…

7. Vaipaee

3.46 MILES

The island’s main town is at the end of a very deep, narrow inlet, about 1km long and rightly named Invisible Bay. You'll find two stores, lots of fruit…

8. Motu Teuaua

4.99 MILES

Thousands of kaveka (sooty terns) nest year-round on these islets and lay thousands of eggs daily.