Snorkel· Fatu Hiva· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Hanavave Bay Snorkel (Fatu Hiva)
10° 27.9′ S · 138° 40.1′ W · approximate
Manta rays glide through the Bay of Virgins anchorage itself, so the best snorkel on Fatu Hiva starts at your swim ladder, under the basalt spires. The rocky edges of the bay hold reef fish, and the deeper south wall is there for divers.
Practical
Approximate position: the western, sand-bottomed part of the anchorage, derived from cruiser anchor positions (10°27.856'S to 10°27.892'S, 138°40.048'W to 138°40.094'W) in the compendium. Mantas: 'lots of manta rays' in the anchorage (April 2019) and 'a few large manta rays gliding around' on arrival (April 2025 blog). The anchorage is 10-30 m deep over sand and mud, so this is open-water snorkelling over depth, not coral gardens; the bottom is rock and harbour-construction rubble toward the head of the bay. The beach is black boulders; village children swim at the boat ramp in the small-boat harbour (2018). Hazards: open aluminium pangas run in and out day and night and are hard to see in swell, so tow a float or stay close to your boat; strong offshore gusts can set a tired swimmer out of the bay; some swell always works in. For deeper water see Hanavave South Wall Dive. Keep a respectful distance from mantas and do not touch them. Fatu Hiva has no published anchoring zone as of October 2026.
Best for
Mantas from the boat in the Pacific's most famous anchorage
Season
Year-round; best in light trades with little swell
Nearby
- Hanavave Bay of Virgins Anchorage (Fatu Hiva)0.1 NM away
- Hanavave Williwaws (Fatu Hiva Downslope Gusts)0.1 NM away
- Hanavave Water and Trash0.2 NM away
- Hanavave South Wall Dive0.3 NM away
- Hanavave to Omoa Ridge Hike0.3 NM away
- Magasin Moota (Hanavave)0.3 NM away
- Fatu Hiva Dance and Drum Evenings0.4 NM away
- Fatu Hiva Not a Port of Entry (clear at Atuona first)0.4 NM away