Ua Huka

Ua Huka is drier than the other Marquesan islands, open country where horses and goats run half wild, with three villages and a coastline of cliffs and small bays. Two islets off the southern coast hold large seabird colonies. The island keeps a set of small museums and an arboretum planted to hold the archipelago's tree species. Its coastal marine area is a named component of the UNESCO listing inscribed in 2024.

What you actually see

• The wild horses - the half-feral herds running on the open ground.
• The seabird islets - the colonies on the islets off the southern coast.
• The arboretum - the planted collection of Marquesan tree species.
• The village museums - the small collections of archaeology and carving.

When to go

May to October is the dry season. The airstrip approach is tight and flights cancel in wind. Facilities are limited.

Honest expectations

The airstrip is short with a difficult approach and flights are cancelled readily. Facilities are limited to a few pensions. The inscribed component here is the coastal marine area rather than the whole island.

Nearby

Nuku Hiva is west, and Ua Pou is southwest.