Ua Pou - tips by travel authority Howard Hillman

Ua Pou

travel wonder in the Marquesas Islands in Polynesia

Why Ua Pou
in the Marquesas Islands
in Polynesia is special

Ua Pou has a stunning landscape. Natural spires - remnants of ancient volcanoes - dramatically rise from the mountainous center of the island (see photo). One summit soars 1200 meters or 4,000 feet above sea level.

Tips & insights
on Ua Pou

Reaching Ua Pou from Tahiti is not a piece of cake. Scheduled air service is infrequent. And, the Aranui 3 cargo/passenger ship leaves Tahiti for Ua Pou on a once-every-three-week schedule.

Once here, don't expect comfy accommodations, or a bevy of fellow tourists to befriend, or stretches of soft-sand beaches, or a network of inter-village roads for exploring the land by vehicle. The lifestyle is simple, uncomplicated and laid back. This is part of Ua Pou's appeal to adventure travelers.

Thanks to its eye-catching spired skyline, Ua Pou is the most visually striking member of French Polynesia's Marquesas (mahr-kay'-suhz) Island group.

It is mainly blanketed with lush tropical foliage, though there are some bare, rocky volcanic slopes.

Ua Pou is thinly settled - barely 2,000 live here.

Ua Pou's cultural offerings include native music-and-dance performances.

Traditional woodcarvings are also part of the ancient culture.

French Polynesia Map

Many of my Polynesia medal winners are in French Polynesia. My map locates the island groups - and the islands that won a medal or made the honorable mention list.