Hakaui Adventure: guided hiking tours and camping on Nuku Hiva Island
Apart from making arts and crafts, we love guiding the island visitors through our beautiful valley. Exotic and mysterious, Hakaui Valley with its ancient village and the highest waterfall in French Polynesia is considered to be one of the most beautiful spots in the Marquesas Archipelago.
Hakaui Valley is so much more than "just" the waterfall! No one wants to experience what everyone in the world has experienced, but something special... We take our guests to spots that were never accessible to visitors before and show them hidden gems inside our valley.
Hakaui is often referred to as “The Kings Valley” as the land belonged to the last king and queen of Nuku Hiva Island. Today, the valley is home to their great-grandchildren and Tangy happens to be one of them. It is the place where Tangy has learned the art of carving and has taught Ana many traditional skills to live a beautiful life in sync with nature without any shops or modern infrastructure.
Join one of our 3 adventures that are available:
This journey has 2 versions to choose from: TRANQUIL and ADVENTUROUS depending on whether you prefer a hike and an easy going day in the valley or your goal is to see as much as possible while enjoying a very active experience. The price is the same - the choice is yours. 🤩
TRANQUIL VERSION OF A DAY
Includes:
- Boat ride from Taiohae at 8:30
- Meeting at the beach in Hakaui at 9:00 a.m.
- 2h hike to Vaipo and 2h back – the highest waterfall in French Polynesia
- Homemade lunch at our home (vegetarian and vegan options available)
- Exploring the village and Hakatea Bay
- Swimming in the river, black volcanic beach or white sand beach
- Marquesan art and handicraft available
- 15:30 departure by boat from Hakaui back to Taiohae
PRICE: $75 per person (or 7500 xpf if you are paying in local currency)
We take min. 2 people.
*Boat ride from Taiohae to Hakaui is not included in the price. The prices is 8000 xpf (in one direction) if you're renting the whole boat alone - and the cost is split up between the passengers if there are more people in the boat. We don't own a boat and we don't take any commission for the ride. The boat leaves from the port in Taiohae at 8:30 a.m. and the ride takes 30 min to Hakaui. Departure time from Hakaui is at 15:30.
ADVENTUROUS VERSION OF A DAY
Includes:
- Boat ride from Taiohae at 8:30
- Meeting at the beach in Hakaui at 9:00 a.m.
- Hiking to Vaipo waterfall
- Hiking to the warrior's checkpoint
- Exploring the village and Hakatea Bay
- Swimming in the river, black volcanic beach or white sand beach
- 15:30 departure by boat from Hakaui back to Taiohae
PRICE: $75 per person (or 7500 xpf if you are paying in local currency)
We take min. 2 people.
Due to heavier hiking and not much free time, a homemade lunch is not included in this journey. Bring your own sandwich or a snack from Taiohae (town) and we will have a lunch on the go. You must be in a good sports shape to be able to do this hike.
*Boat ride from Taiohae to Hakaui is not included in the price. The prices is 8000 xpf (in one direction) if you're renting the whole boat alone - and the cost is split up between the passengers if there are more people in the boat. We don't own a boat and we don't take any commission for the ride. The boat leaves from the port in Taiohae at 8:30 a.m. and the ride takes 30 min to Hakaui. Departure time from Hakaui is at 15:30.
Includes:
- Taking a boat ride from Taiohae (town) OR the 5h hike over the mountain from Taiohae to Hakaui and returning back by boat
- 2 days camping (clean tents, a mattress, sheets, blankets, pillows are provided)
- Hiking to Vaipo waterfall
- Hiking to the warrior's checkpoint
- Homemade meals at our home (vegetarian and vegan options available)
- Exploring the village and Hakatea Bay
- Swimming in the river, black volcanic beach or white sand beach
- Evening storytelling by the fire
- Demonstration of local art (carving) and way of living:
- Making a coconut milk
- Making light out of a nut "ama"
- Marquesan art and handicraft available
PRICE: $75 per person (or 7500 xpf if you are paying in local currency)
We take min. 2 people.
*Boat ride from Taiohae to Hakaui is not included in the price. The prices is 8000 xpf (in one direction) if you're renting the whole boat alone - and the cost is split up between the passengers if there are more people in the boat. We don't own a boat and we don't take any commission for the ride. The boat leaves from the port in Taiohae at 8:30 a.m. and the ride takes 30 min to Hakaui. Departure time from Hakaui is at 15:30.
Discover the whole valley and the most special spots that not many had a chance to experience before.
This journey includes:
- Taking a boat ride from Taiohae (town) OR the 5h hike over the mountain from Taiohae to Hakaui and returning back by boat
- 3 days camping (clean tents, mattress, sheets, blankets, pillows are provided)
- Visiting banyan forest and a hidden valley
- Climbing to the warrior's checkpoint
- Visiting malediction Tiki inside the forest
- Hiking to Vaipo waterfall
- Homemade meals all 3 days (vegetarian and vegan options available)
- Exploring the village and Hakatea Bay
- Swimming in the river, black volcanic beach or white sand beach
- Evening storytelling by the fire
- Demonstration of local art (carving) and way of living:
- Making a coconut milk
- Making light out of a nut "ama"
- Marquesan art and handicraft available
PRICE: $75 per person (or 7500 xpf if you are paying in local currency)
We take groups of min. 2 people.
Helpful tips:
Bathroom, shower, and western toilet is available. Clean tents, mattresses, sheets, blankets, pillows are provided. If you choose to hike from Taiohae (town) to Hakaui Valley and not take the boat ride - you should be in a good sports shape. Take only what you can carry. We usually hike with our pets (a horse, two dogs and a cat), let us know in advance if you have allergies or any kind of problem with the animals. The adventure is available in English, French, Marquesan and Croatian language.
*It's possible to organize a boat ride and a sleepover in Hakaui without hiking over the mountain.
**Ticket for waterfall included in the price of all packages
PLEASE READ frequently asked questions before booking!
To book the adventure, e-mail us at hello@cannibal-art.com or call (+689) 87 32 60 80 If we don't answer, that means that we're already in Hakaui Valley without ANY signal and we can’t see your message nor answer your call until we're back in Taiohae. We will reply as soon as possible. Thank you for understanding.
Welcome to Hakaui! 😊
