Atuona Bay is a small inlet on the north shore of Ta‘a ‘Oa

Ta'a Oa

Ta‘a ‘Oa is the South Marquesan name of a wide bay on the southern coast of Hiva ‘Oa in French Polynesia. The bay is widely known in English as the Bay of Traitors, and in French as Baie des Traitres....

 (the Bay of Traitors), on the southern coast of Hiva ‘Oa

Hiva Oa

Hiva Oa is the second largest island in the Marquesas Islands, in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. It is the largest island of the Southern Marquesas group. According to local religion, the gods created the islands as their home. Therefore all islands have...

. The bay is traditionally called Vevau in Marquesan

Marquesan language

Marquesan is a collection of East-Central Polynesian dialects, of the Marquesic group, spoken in the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. They are usually classified into two groups, North Marquesan and South Marquesan, roughly along geographic lines....

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At the head of the bay lies Atuona

Atuona

Atuona, located on Atuona Bay on the southern side of Hiva Oa island, is the administrative centre of the commune of Hiva-Oa. Atuona was the capital of all the Marquesas Islands but it has been replaced by Taiohae ....

, chief town of the southern Marquesas Islands

Marquesas Islands

The Marquesas Islands enana and Te Fenua `Enata , both meaning "The Land of Men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. The Marquesas are located at 9° 00S, 139° 30W...

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Atuona Bay is separated from the excellent harbor

Harbor

A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...

 of Taha Uku

Taha Uku

Taha Uku is a small bay on the north shore of Ta‘a ‘Oa on the southern coast of Hiva ‘Oa.The bay is provides one of the best anchorages in the whole of the Marquesas. It lies just to the east of Atuona, the administrative center of the southern Marquesas...

 to its east, by a headland called Feki, and from westernmore extensions of Ta'a Oa by a small rock

Islet

An islet is a very small island.- Types :As suggested by its origin as islette, an Old French diminutive of "isle", use of the term implies small size, but little attention is given to drawing an upper limit on its applicability....

 called Hanakee

Hanakee

Hanakee is the name of a small rocky islet lying off the southern coast of Hiva Oa, separating Atuona Bay from Ta‘a Oa.The island's only vegetation is some small shrubs and grasses.-See also:*Marquesas Islands*French Polynesia...

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Related article

• French Polynesia
  French Polynesia
  French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...