# Fort Madison, Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia: what it is and when to go > Fort Madison, Nuku Hiva is a former military installation in Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia. Interests: History. The best time to visit is May to October. In December there are 12 h 31 of daylight, and in June, 11 h 29. It has articles in 2 Wikipedias: it is one of the fifty best-known places in French Polynesia on this site. Here is what it is, where it lies, when to come, how to get there and what else is nearby to turn it into a trip. - Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/fort-collette/ - Reviewed on: 2026-10-12 - Language: en ## In a nutshell - **What it is:** Former military installation in Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia · History - **Where:** French Polynesia - **Best time:** May to October. - **Nearest airport:** NHV Nuku Hiva, 20 km as the crow flies - **Coordinates:** -8.91519, -140.09498 ## What it is and where Fort Madison, Nuku Hiva is a former military installation in Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia. It has articles in 2 Wikipedias: it is one of the fifty best-known places in French Polynesia on this site. U.S. Navy Commodore David Porter built a fort in 1813, named Fort Madison in honor of then U.S. President James Madison. The French renamed the spot Fort Collette after they took over in 1842. Nothing remains on the hill today except a navigation marker Its coordinates are -8.91519, -140.09498; the nearest main airport is Nuku Hiva Airport (NHV, Nuku Hiva), 20 km as the crow flies. How to get around French Polynesia (train, car, bus) is covered in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/#moverse). - [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=-8.915187%2C-140.094977) - [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=-8.915187%2C-140.094977) In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) it is already on your trip map next to the places you save yourself, and it goes into a day's plan with one tap. ## When to go The best time to visit Fort Madison, Nuku Hiva is **May to October**. | Mes | Época | Hours of daylight | | --- | --- | --- | | January | Better not | 12 h 28 | | February | Better not | 12 h 17 | | March | Possible | 12 h 04 | | April | Possible | 11 h 48 | | May | Best time | 11 h 36 | | June | Best time | 11 h 29 | | July | Best time | 11 h 32 | | August | Best time | 11 h 42 | | September | Best time | 11 h 57 | | October | Best time | 12 h 12 | | November | Possible | 12 h 25 | | December | Better not | 12 h 31 | In December there are 12 h 31 of daylight, and in June, 11 h 29. Daylight hours are calculated from the site's latitude for the 15th of each month; when planning a full day on foot they matter as much as the weather. When to go to French Polynesia in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/#cuando-ir). ## Before you go to French Polynesia To enter French Polynesia there are 10 things to sort out before you leave, starting with “Inter-island flights, bought before you leave home”: they are all, with their deadlines, in [the French Polynesia checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/#antes-de-salir). Currency: CFP franc (XPF), pegged to the euro; plugs: Type C and E · 220 V · 60 Hz; emergencies: 112 · 15 ambulance · 17 police · 18 fire. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) you tick off the checklist inside your trip, and each item reminds you when it is time to do it. ## What is nearby - [Notre Dame Cathedral, Taiohae](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/cathedrale-notre-dame-de-taiohae/): Church on the island of Nuku Hiva · 1.0 km - [église Saint-Joseph de Taipivai](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/eglise-saint-joseph/): Church located in Polynésie française, in France · 6.0 km - [église des Sacrés-Cœurs de Hatiheu](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/eglise-des-sacres-coeurs/): Church located in Polynésie française, in France · 9.6 km - [Mont Tekao](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/mont-tekao/): Volcano · 11 km - [Keiaki](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/keiaki/): Volcano · 13 km Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in [the French Polynesia guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Fort Madison, Nuku Hiva? It is a former military installation in Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia. It has articles in 2 Wikipedias: it is one of the fifty best-known places in French Polynesia on this site. ### When is the best time to visit Fort Madison, Nuku Hiva? May to October. In December there are 12 h 31 of daylight, and in June, 11 h 29. ### How do you get to Fort Madison, Nuku Hiva? The nearest main airport is Nuku Hiva Airport (NHV), 20 km as the crow flies. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=-8.915187%2C-140.094977) opens the route on the map, and how to get around French Polynesia is explained in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/#moverse). ### How do I add it to my trip? With one tap. In Kokai it is already on the French Polynesia map, next to the places you save yourself: add it to a day's plan, give it a time and, if you like, get a reminder when you pass nearby. ### What else is around here? Nearby you have [Notre Dame Cathedral, Taiohae](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/cathedrale-notre-dame-de-taiohae/), [église Saint-Joseph de Taipivai](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/eglise-saint-joseph/), [église des Sacrés-Cœurs de Hatiheu](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/eglise-des-sacres-coeurs/). The rest is in [the French Polynesia guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/). Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/3112946273), licensed under the ODbL, and from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5471573), CC0. More about Fort Madison, Nuku Hiva on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Madison%2C_Nuku_Hiva). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).