Located about 900 miles northeast of Tahiti and just below the equator, the Marquesas Islands, or Te Henua Enana (Land of Men), are comprised of 12 islands, 6 of which are inhabited, with a total population of approximately 8,000 people.

The islands offer stunning natural scenery and are scattered with ancient sacred sites (meae or marae); ceremonial complexes, stone structures and tiki statues. Barrier reefs have not yet developed around the islands and so coastlines are indented with bays or end dramatically with towering cliffs plunging into the ocean.

The Marquesans retain a fierce pride and strong sense of identity which is displayed by their lilting Marquesan language, art of tattooing, making of tapa cloth, and intricate wood carvings embellished with ancestral designs. The main islands are Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa.