Hirifa Anchorage (Fakarava)

16° 27.0′ S · 145° 22.1′ W

Fakarava's south-east corner: a vast turquoise sand shelf behind Motu Hirifa, protected from the trade-wind swell, with kite and wing-foil flats, pink-sand islets, and a lobster dinner ashore if you book.

Tuamotus Marquesas

Practical

Official zone 'Hirifa': up to 10 boats under 20 m, 48 hours maximum. Its corners run from 16°26.816'S to 16°27.193'S and from 145°21.903'W to 145°22.24'W (coordinate is the zone centre). The 2025 brief gives 5-10 m on sand with very few coral heads. Sugar Shack anchored in 7 m sand at 16°26.88'S 145°21.90'W (May 2021), with 14 boats sheltering from 5 days of S-SE wind; Yolo (2011) anchored in 20 ft. Very well sheltered from swell and from S through E to NE winds, so you can sit out a maraamu here in comfort; the only significant exposure is to strong westerlies. Approach: there is no marked channel to Hirifa. Yolo left the main channel at 16°21.3'S 145°29.7'W, stayed in 60+ ft along the shoreline with the sun high, and found most large reefs marked with green or red posts. Hirifa to the south pass is about 7 NM, eyeball navigation in good light. Ashore: the Kite Tuamotu school operates April-October, and Laiza's snack is open March-October (book the day before). No shops or fuel. Carry your trash back to Rotoava; no campfires. Vini 4G works here. Enata Diving has picked divers up from boats here for south-pass dives. Zone rules (Arrete 414 CM of 28 March 2024): overnight stays (4 pm to 9 am) must be pre-booked at escales.gov.pf (or escales.dpam@administration.gov.pf, DPAM +689 40 54 45 78, 24/7); the service was free in the 2025 pilot and the 2025 brief says fees will be charged in 2026. Boats under 20 m may use zone spaces between 9 am and 4 pm without booking, within the quota. Inside zones: 5 kn speed limit, no sailing (motor in and out), no scuba, windsurfing or towed sports, swimming and snorkeling only close to your own boat, show anchor lights from sunset to sunrise, keep AIS on if you carry it. No sewage discharge, hull work, antifouling, sanding or engine testing at anchor. Anchoring outside the five designated zones, or in channels and passes, is a 4th-class offence. Permanent moorings are planned for 2026; once a zone has referenced moorings, anchoring in it becomes illegal.

Best for

Riding out strong SE trades in flat water; kiting and wing-foiling

Season

Best in S-E-NE winds and maraamu; leave in strong W

Itineraries that stop here

Tuamotus: Fakarava & Toau10 days

Practical

Best for

Season

Itineraries that stop here

Nearby