Tahiti & Moorea

French Polynesia — Society Islands

French Polynesia (France)

The Society Islands are the classic South Pacific charter and cruising ground: high, jagged volcanic islands ringed by barrier reefs, with sheltered lagoons joined by marked channels and entered through a handful of coral passes. The Windward group (Îles du Vent) is Tahiti, its sister island Moorea 10 nm away, and the private atoll of Tetiaroa. The Leeward group (Îles Sous-le-Vent) is Huahine, Raiatea and Taha'a (which share one lagoon), Bora Bora, Maupiti, and the remote atolls of Tupai and Mopelia (Maupiha'a). Raiatea is the bareboat hub: The Moorings, Sunsail and Tahiti Yacht Charter work out of Marina Apooiti and Dream Yacht Charter out of Marina Uturoa, all within 4 km of Raiatea airport. Raiatea, Taha'a, Huahine and Bora Bora are a few hours' sail apart, and you can do most of the cruising inside a lagoon. The main constraint today is regulatory: since 2023-2026, anchoring in the Leewards, Moorea and parts of Tahiti is banned outside designated Regulated Anchorage Zones (ZMR). Each zone has a boat quota and a stay limit, typically 48 hours, and you book overnight stays on escales.gov.pf. Bora Bora uses paid BBMS mooring fields. Plan every night's stop against the DPAM zone maps. Lagoon navigation is daylight only: charter companies require you to be at anchor or on a mooring between sunset and sunrise. Distances in the sample itineraries are approximate planning figures; measure on your chart.

Top of the list

1. 1Motu Toopua BBMS Mooring Zone (Bora Bora)The postcard Bora Bora mooring: turquoise water under Mount Otemanu, a short dinghy ride to the Coral Garden and to Vaitape.
2. 2Taha'a Coral Garden (Motu Tautau drift snorkel)The most famous snorkel in the Leewards: a current-fed drift through coral channels between two motus off Taha'a's west reef.
3. 3Opunohu Bay (Moorea)Arguably the most dramatic anchorage in the South Pacific, with Mount Rotui and Mouaroa rising straight out of the bay; Moorea Marina sits at the head.
4. 4Stingray & Shark Sandbank (Tiahura, Moorea)Waist-deep sandbank where southern stingrays and blacktip reef sharks gather; a dinghy ride from the north-shore anchorages.
5. 5Taputapuatea Marae (UNESCO)UNESCO World Heritage site and the spiritual center of Polynesian voyaging, on Raiatea's southeast coast next to Passe Teavamoa.
6. 6Faaroa River (Aoppomau) Dinghy TripThe only navigable river in French Polynesia: paddle or row up a jungle river from the head of Faaroa Bay, Raiatea.
7. 7Maupiti Manta Ray Cleaning StationReliable manta encounters in clear, shallow water inside Maupiti's lagoon; this is the reason most boats risk Onoiau Pass.
8. 8ZMR de Petei (Maupiti)Reached through Onoiau Pass, the Society Islands' most demanding pass: go in calm south swell at the right time and you anchor off Vaiea at the least-spoiled high island in the group.
9. 9ZMR d'Avea Sud (Huahine)Huahine's sandy south-west bay: a quota-limited anchorage off a long white beach with snack-restaurants ashore.
10. 10Maeva Marae & Stone Fish Traps (Huahine)One of the densest groups of marae in Polynesia, with centuries-old V-shaped stone fish traps still in use in the lake channel.
11. 11Fare Town Quay (Huahine)Huahine's laid-back port of entry and provisioning stop; Super U, snack bars and the inter-island ferry are all at the quay.
12. 12Motu Fare One BBMS Mooring Zone (Bora Bora)Bora Bora's quieter east-lagoon mooring field (also called Taurere), in shallow turquoise water reached by the marked inner channel.
13. 13Bora Bora Coral Garden (Motu Tapu)Shallow, current-fed coral garden by Motu Tapu teeming with reef fish, a short dinghy ride from the Toopua moorings.
14. 14Matira Beach (Bora Bora)Bora Bora's best public beach, at the island's southern tip, and the finish of the Hawaiki Nui Va'a canoe race.
15. 15Bora Bora Yacht Club & Fare Piti Mooring ZoneThe traditional cruiser hangout and BBMS mooring field north of Vaitape, with sunset over the pass.
16. 16Bloody Mary's (Bora Bora)The South Pacific's most famous sailor bar, sand floor included, with its own yacht mooring zone off the restaurant.
17. 17ZMR de Mahaea Récif (Taha'a)Taha'a's 40-boat reef anchorage on the east side: turquoise sand shallows inside the barrier reef by Motu Mahaea, limited to 24 hours.
18. 18Taha'a Vanilla Plantation Tour (Hurepiti Bay)Taha'a is the 'Vanilla Island'; tours from Hurepiti Bay cover vanilla, pearl and rum producers in one day.
19. 19Marina Taina (Tahiti)Tahiti's main yacht marina and mooring area, with fuel and chandleries, and Carrefour supermarket across the road. The gateway for arriving and departing crews.
20. 20Marché de Papeete (Municipal Market)Tahiti's covered central market for fruit, fish, flowers, pareos and monoi. It is liveliest early Sunday morning.
21. 21Belvedere Lookout (Moorea)The viewpoint above both bays, framing Cook's and Opunohu Bays either side of Mount Rotui; on the way to the marae of the Opunohu Valley.
22. 22Tetiaroa AtollMarlon Brando's former atoll 30 nm north of Tahiti, now home to The Brando resort and a seabird and turtle sanctuary. There is no pass into the lagoon; visits are by mooring and need settled weather.
23. 23Mopelia (Maupiha'a) Lagoon AnchorageAn almost uninhabited atoll at the far west edge of the group. A narrow, current-swept pass leads to a lagoon with the wreck of von Luckner's Seeadler.
24. 24Mount Teurafaatiu Summit Hike (Maupiti)Short but steep scramble to Maupiti's summit, looking down on the lagoon and the motu ring.
25. 25Humpback Whale Season (Moorea)Humpbacks calve and breed in the Society Islands' waters from about July to October/November, often seen outside the reef off Moorea and Tahiti.

When to go

May to October (austral winter, dry season) is the prime season, with steady east to southeast trades, the driest months around June to August, and mid-70s to low-80s °F. November to April (wet season) is hotter and more humid, with lighter, more variable winds that shift to northeast and occasional heavy showers. It is also the cyclone season. Charter companies sail year-round, but most long-distance cruisers arrive from the Marquesas and Tuamotus between May and July and leave westbound by September or October.

Weather and hazards

Leeward Islands prevailing winds are E–SE 15–20 knots, rising to 25 knots, with 3–5 ft of chop between islands (Dream Yacht Charter base guide). From June to August the maraamu, a reinforced SE trade, can blow 25–35 knots for several days, raising 8–9 ft seas in open water. It makes the Bora Bora–Taha'a beat and south-facing passes (Maupiti's Onoiau, Huahine's south passes) dangerous. Southern-hemisphere south swells close Onoiau Pass at Maupiti; cruiser consensus treats about 4.5–6 ft of south swell as the limit, and forecasts can under-read it. Lagoons are deep (often over 30 m), so anchoring is possible only on sand shelves in designated zones. Isolated bommies and pearl-farm buoys/lines are common in Taha'a, Raiatea and Mopelia. Venturi gusts funnel down the valleys of Moorea, Raiatea and Bora Bora. Ciguatera is present in some lagoons: don't eat reef fish you catch; market fish is safe. Lagoon navigation is restricted to daylight hours and passes are unlit or only partly lit. Theft from yachts and dinghies has been reported at Huahine (Avea Bay) and Moorea (Cook's/Pihaena area); lock outboards. Official forecasts come from Météo-France Polynésie (meteo.pf), broadcast in French on VHF 13 after an announcement on VHF 16.

Hurricane season

November to April (Météo-France/Haut-commissariat), peaking around January–March. Cyclones are less frequent in the Society Islands than in the Australs or Tuamotus and the risk varies strongly with El Niño years. Météo-France Polynésie issues special cyclone bulletins from 1 November. Insurers commonly exclude the season; cruisers either haul out (Raiatea Carenage, CNI in Raiatea; Technimarine in Papeete; Apataki in the Tuamotus) or stay in Papeete Marina or Port Bourayne (Huahine) as a refuge.

Entry and clearance

Yachts arriving from a foreign port complete the French Polynesia online pre-arrival declaration before arrival. Gendarmerie or border police (PAF) then check the reference and stamp passports. Society Islands ports where cruisers clear include Papeete (Tahiti; PAF border police at Faa'a airport for crew changes), Moorea, Uturoa (Raiatea), Fare (Huahine) and Vaitape (Bora Bora), with Port Phaeton/Taravao listed by Noonsite. As of 2026 an online biosecurity questionnaire and boarding request is required at least 48 hours before arrival from a foreign port, with an onboard biosecurity inspection limited to Papeete or Nuku Hiva (1,000 XPF online fee, 2026 cruiser report; enforcement reported as uneven). A maritime health declaration must also go to the Directorate of Health 48 hours before arrival. Non-EU crews need a repatriation bond or bond exemption (e.g. return ticket) and a visa where nationality requires one; US citizens may stay up to 90 days without a visa. Long-stay visas must be obtained from a French consulate before arrival. Extensions are handled by the Haut-commissariat in Papeete or its Uturoa subdivision. Moving within French Polynesia: notify the Papeete port authority harbourmaster (traficmaritime@portppt.pf) of arrivals and departures for Moorea stops (Moorea 2026 brief). Allow 1–3 working days for online approvals and clear out before final departure (Gendarmerie or Papeete Customs).

Permits and fees

Anchoring is regulated island by island by Council of Ministers decrees (arrêtés): Bora Bora no. 2442 CM 2018 as amended by 89 CM 2023; Raiatea/Taha'a 911 CM of 26 June 2025; Huahine 912 CM of 26 June 2025; Moorea 910 CM of 26 June 2025; Maupiti 399 CM of 31 March 2026; Taiarapu-Ouest (Tahiti Iti) 41 CM of 15 January 2024; Faa'a/Punaauia (Tahiti) 650 CM 2020 as amended by 450 CM of 9 April 2026. Outside the designated Regulated Anchorage Zones (ZMR) anchoring is prohibited (with small-boat exemptions). Each ZMR has a boat quota and a maximum stay, usually 48 h; some are 24 h (Mahaea, Haamene), 36 h (Bora Bora Faanui and Taimoo) or 96 h (Maupiti Petei and Manuea). Overnight places (4pm to 9am) are booked on escales.gov.pf, or email escales.dpam@administration.gov.pf, or phone DPAM on 40 54 45 78 (24/7). The 2026 Moorea brief says the service was free in its pilot but anchoring fees will apply from 2026. Bora Bora's public moorings are run by Bora Bora Mooring Services (BBMS); Noonsite reports 4,000 XPF per day (2024), with a higher first-day rate in other reports, and a 2-night limit off the Yacht Club; verify locally. Moorea charges a water and waste fee of 1,000 XPF per day under 20 m and 1,500 XPF over 20 m, payable at the town hall (2026). There is no general cruising permit for the Society Islands. Moorea update (Oct 2026): the Administrative Tribunal of French Polynesia annulled arrêté 910 CM on 15 July 2026 (case 2500441, brought by AVP), and the 2021 PGEM anchoring chapter was annulled by the Paris appeal court with effect from 1 June 2026. Noonsite (Aug 2026) reports Moorea's restrictions are not currently ratified; treat the former ZMR quotas as good practice and check escales.gov.pf/DPAM before arriving.

Tides and currents

The Windward Islands sit on an amphidromic point: there is almost no lunar tide, only a solar tide of about 20–30 cm, with high water around noon and midnight and low water around 6am and 6pm all year (Moorea 2026 brief). Pass currents there are mostly wind- and swell-driven. In the Leewards ranges are also small, but pass outflow is strong whenever swell breaks over the reef and fills the lagoon. Onoiau (Maupiti) can run 8–10 knots out in south swell, and Mopelia's 18 m-wide pass runs 5–6 knots on the ebb. Enter at slack or when swell is low, and in the morning with the sun high behind you. Tide predictions: SHOM (maree.shom.fr, Papeete and Uturoa ports) and Météo-France Polynésie.

Money

CFP franc (XPF), pegged to the euro. ATMs at Papeete, Uturoa, Fare, Vaitape and the Moorea shopping centers; scarce or absent on Maupiti and none on Mopelia. Cards accepted at supermarkets and marinas; carry cash for BBMS moorings, small snacks and markets.

Radio and phones

VHF 16 is the distress and calling channel; JRCC Tahiti answers on VHF 16, and also by dialing 16 from a mobile phone (free, 24/7). Papeete Port Control ('Vigie') is on VHF 12: call before entering the Papeete pass, moving in the harbour, or crossing the Faa'a airport runway axis in the Taina lagoon channel (at least 10 minutes before passage). Marina Taina is listed on VHF 9. Météo-France forecasts are announced on VHF 16 and broadcast on VHF 13 at 6:30am, 12pm, 4pm and 8pm (French), and on HF 8803 kHz. Mobile coverage (Vini, Vodafone/Ora) is good on the high islands, weak or absent on Mopelia and limited at Tetiaroa. Internet is slow and costly; marina and restaurant Wi-Fi, local SIMs or hotspot rentals at Papeete airport are the usual options. Dialing code +689.

Charter bases

• Marina ApooitiRaiatea north shore, about 1 nm west of Raiatea airport (Uturoa)The Moorings, Sunsail, Tahiti Yacht Charter
• Marina UturoaJust north of Uturoa village, Raiatea (16°43'22"S 151°27'W per base guide)Dream Yacht Charter
• Papeete / Marina Taina (one-way charters)Tahiti west coastDream Yacht Charter (one-way Papeete option per base guide)

Getting there

• Tahiti Faa'a International Airport — PPTAll international flights land here (Air Tahiti Nui, Air France, United, Air New Zealand and others). Connect to the islands on Air Tahiti from the domestic terminal. PAF border police for crew sign-on/off are at the airport.
• Raiatea (Uturoa) Airport — RFPCharter hub. Two or three Air Tahiti flights per day from Papeete; 4 km/15 minutes to the Uturoa and Apooiti charter bases.
• Bora Bora Motu Mute Airport — BOBThe airport is on a motu; a free Air Tahiti shuttle boat runs to Vaitape.
• Huahine Fare Airport — HUHJust north of Fare.
• Moorea Temae Airport — MOZMost people cross on the Papeete–Vaiare ferries (about 30–45 min) instead.
• Maupiti Airport — MAUOn Motu Tuanai; boat transfer to Vaiea village.

Charts and guides

• SHOM charts for the Society Islands (French Hydrographic Service), plus Navionics/C-Map electronic charts. Satellite overlays such as Chart Locker / OpenCPN-based charts are widely used; lagoon detail on vector charts can be offset.
• DPAM Regulated Anchorage Area (ZMR) maps 2025 for Bora Bora, Huahine, Raiatea–Taha'a, Moorea and Maupiti (service-public.pf/dpam)
• Service du Tourisme 'Information for yachties: Moorea' brief 2026 (service-public.pf/sdt)
• Yellow Flag Guides / Archipelagoes cruising guides for French Polynesia
• Tahiti Cruisers Guide wiki (wiki.thefloatinglab.world) — services directory
• Noonsite French Polynesia pages and the Association Voile Polynésie (AVP) anchoring updates
• Charlie's Charts of Polynesia (older; anchorage regulations have since changed)

Sample routes

• 7-day Leeward loop from Raiatea (classic bareboat)Day 1 · Marina Apooiti (Raiatea) → ZMR de Apu (Taha'a) · 6 nmBoarding at 2pm, short hop across the shared lagoon; sunset at Apu Bay.Day 2 · ZMR de Apu (Taha'a) → ZMR de Tapuamu (Taha'a) · 8 nmVanilla plantation tour from Hurepiti Bay, then the Taha'a Coral Garden drift snorkel at Motu Tautau in the afternoon light.Day 3 · ZMR de Tapuamu (Taha'a) → Motu Toopua BBMS Mooring Zone (Bora Bora) · 22 nmExit via Paipai Pass, reach to Bora Bora, enter Teavanui Pass; Bloody Mary's for dinner.Day 4 · Motu Toopua BBMS Mooring Zone (Bora Bora) → Motu Fare One BBMS Mooring Zone (Bora Bora) · 10 nmCoral Garden at Motu Tapu in the morning, then follow the northern inner channel to the east lagoon; manta site off Anau.Day 5 · Motu Fare One BBMS Mooring Zone (Bora Bora) → Bora Bora Yacht Club & Fare Piti Mooring Zone · 9 nmMatira Beach by dinghy, provision in Vaitape, sundowner at the Yacht Club.Day 6 · Bora Bora Yacht Club & Fare Piti Mooring Zone → ZMR de Mahaea Récif (Taha'a) · 25 nmEarly start for the upwind leg back; enter Paipai Pass or round to Toahotu; reef anchorage by Motu Mahaea (24 h limit).Day 7 · ZMR de Mahaea Récif (Taha'a) → Marina Apooiti (Raiatea) · 12 nmMorning swim, then down the inner channel to the base before 4pm for refueling and check-in.
• 12-day Leewards in depth: Raiatea, Huahine, Taha'a, Bora Bora and MaupitiDay 1 · Marina Apooiti (Raiatea) → ZMR de Faaroa (Raiatea) · 12 nmDown Raiatea's east lagoon to Faaroa Bay; row up the Faaroa River at dusk.Day 2 · ZMR de Faaroa (Raiatea) → ZMR de Fareatai (Raiatea) · 5 nmTaputapuatea Marae (UNESCO) by dinghy or a short walk from the anchorage.Day 3 · ZMR de Fareatai (Raiatea) → ZMR de Faaua (Huahine, off Fare) · 24 nmExit via Passe Teavamoa or Iriru, beam reach east to Huahine, enter Avamoa Pass; Fare quay for provisions.Day 4 · ZMR de Faaua (Huahine, off Fare) → ZMR d'Avea Sud (Huahine) · 5 nmRental car or bike to Maeva Marae and the stone fish traps, then down the inner lagoon channel to Avea Bay.Day 5 · ZMR d'Avea Sud (Huahine) → ZMR d'Avea Sud (Huahine) · 0 nmBeach day; snorkel the south reef; sunset at the beach restaurants (48 h limit, so move on tomorrow).Day 6 · ZMR d'Avea Sud (Huahine) → ZMR de Haamene (Taha'a) · 26 nmBack west to Taha'a via Toahotu Pass; Haamene Bay's fjord-like shelter (24 h limit).Day 7 · ZMR de Haamene (Taha'a) → ZMR de Tapuamu (Taha'a) · 10 nmVanilla plantation and pearl farm, then the Coral Garden drift snorkel.Day 8 · ZMR de Tapuamu (Taha'a) → Motu Toopua BBMS Mooring Zone (Bora Bora) · 22 nmAcross to Bora Bora; Coral Garden at Motu Tapu.Day 9 · Motu Toopua BBMS Mooring Zone (Bora Bora) → ZMR de Petei (Maupiti) · 28 nmOnly if the south swell is low: transit Onoiau Pass near slack. Otherwise stay in Bora Bora and swap in Motu Fare One.Day 10 · ZMR de Petei (Maupiti) → ZMR de Petei (Maupiti) · 0 nmManta Ray Cleaning Station at dawn, Mount Teurafaatiu summit hike, Tereia Beach (96 h limit).Day 11 · ZMR de Petei (Maupiti) → Bora Bora Yacht Club & Fare Piti Mooring Zone · 28 nmBack through Onoiau with the morning slack; Bloody Mary's or the Yacht Club.Day 12 · Bora Bora Yacht Club & Fare Piti Mooring Zone → Marina Apooiti (Raiatea) · 25 nmUpwind return via Paipai Pass and the Taha'a–Raiatea channel; on the dock by 4pm.
• 10-day Windwards: Tahiti, Moorea and Tetiaroa (one-way or own boat)Day 1 · Marina Taina (Tahiti) → Marina Taina (Tahiti) · 0 nmProvision at Carrefour, Marché de Papeete, roulottes at Place Vaiete.Day 2 · Marina Taina (Tahiti) → Opunohu Bay (Moorea) · 15 nmTaapuna Pass, cross the channel (whales Jul–Oct), enter Tareu Pass into Opunohu Bay; book a ZMR or Moorea Marina in advance.Day 3 · Opunohu Bay (Moorea) → ZMR de Pihaena (Moorea) · 4 nmBelvedere Lookout and Opunohu Valley marae; Stingray & Shark Sandbank.Day 4 · ZMR de Pihaena (Moorea) → ZMR de Paopao Sud (Cook's Bay, Moorea) · 3 nmCook's Bay: Tourism Committee, Paopao quay, Magic Mountain viewpoint.Day 5 · ZMR de Paopao Sud (Cook's Bay, Moorea) → ZMR de Vaiare (Moorea) · 9 nmRound Moorea's NE corner to Vaiare: Champion supermarket, Nautisport, Temae Beach by dinghy.Day 6 · ZMR de Vaiare (Moorea) → Tetiaroa Outer-Reef Day Stop (off Motu Rimatu'u) · 33 nmOnly in settled trades with low swell: leave Moorea at first light, lie off the south reef and land on Motu Rimatu'u by dinghy over the reef (no pass). There is no shelter, so if conditions are anything but calm, carry on to Matavai Bay the same day instead of staying the night.Day 7 · Tetiaroa Outer-Reef Day Stop (off Motu Rimatu'u) → Matavai Bay / Point Venus Anchorage · 30 nmBack to Tahiti's north coast; Point Venus lighthouse and black-sand beach.Day 8 · Matavai Bay / Point Venus Anchorage → Port Phaeton (Taravao) Anchorage · 40 nmDown the east or west coast to Tahiti Iti's isthmus; Port Phaeton is Tahiti's best natural hurricane hole.Day 9 · Port Phaeton (Taravao) Anchorage → Taiarapu Ouest ZMR Haitama (Toahotu) · 4 nmShort lagoon hop to Toahotu on Tahiti Iti's west coast; from here visit Teahupo'o (by road or dinghy along the lagoon) and the Taravao Plateau viewpoint.Day 10 · Taiarapu Ouest ZMR Haitama (Toahotu) → Marina Taina (Tahiti) · 25 nmUp the west coast via the lagoon or outside; call Vigie on VHF 12 before the airport axis.