Permit· Nuku Hiva· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Gendarmerie Taiohae (Port of Entry)
8° 54.7′ S · 140° 5.9′ W · approximate
Taiohae is the official port of entry for Nuku Hiva, and its Gendarmerie Nationale handles customs and immigration for yachts.
Practical
Position approx: plotted at the Taiohae dinghy dock (NE corner of the bay, from the 2016 no-anchoring-zone corner 8°54.74'S 140°05.91'W); the building itself is a short walk away, see directions. Office is opposite the post office, up the hill on the right as you turn right out of the dock area; don't go to the gendarme building across from the artisan market (that is the prison). File the online 'Declaration unique plaisance Polynesie francaise' (demarches-simplifiees.fr) before arrival. Skipper and all crew must attend. Noonsite (May 2026): yachts are currently cleared between 7am and noon on Mondays and Thursdays only; the compendium (2020) gave office hours of 7am-noon and 2pm-5pm Mon-Sat but noted they vary. Non-EU crews still need passports stamped in person; Kevin Ellis of Nuku Hiva Yacht Services reported (2023) that online-only entries could take 3 business days to be accepted. A repatriation bond, if needed, can be bought at Banque Socredo a short walk along the waterfront. Arriving without DPAM permission can bring a fine. Customs patrols board many yachts around Nuku Hiva to check declarations (arms, alcohol, strong medicines and pearls without receipts). Phone +689 40 92 03 05 (2020, verify).
Best for
Clearing into French Polynesia on arrival in the Marquesas
Nearby
- Nuku Hiva Yacht Services (Taiohae)Right here
- Taiohae Hospital and PharmacyRight here
- Taiohae Post OfficeRight here
- Taiohae Roulottes (Food Trucks)Right here
- Moana Nui Restaurant and Pension (Taiohae)0.1 NM away
- Nuku Tai Nui Marine Chandlery (Taiohae)0.1 NM away
- Boulangerie Snack Joseph (Taiohae)0.2 NM away
- Nuku Dive Center (Taiohae)0.2 NM away