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Landmark· Taenga· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs

Taenga Atoll and Henuaparea Village

16° 21.0′ S · 143° 7.0′ W

A 27 km triangular atoll 32 km NE of Makemo with 65 residents, most of them Latter-day Saints, in the village of Henuaparea. Its narrow, 2 m pass and strong currents keep almost every yacht out.

TuamotusMarquesas

Practical

Coordinates are the atoll center (English Wikipedia). Pass: Passe Tiritepakau, only 2 m at the entrance (Soggy Paws, citing South Pacific Anchorages). Commune sheet (July 2024): 65 people, 2 magasins, a 10 m landing at Fenuaparea with 2.5 m draft, no airport, ships SXMS 3 and Nuku Hau, health post tel +689 40 969 180, OPT tel +689 40 969 185 (open 7:30-9:30am Mon and Fri, 7:30-9am Tue-Thu). Sugar Shack (2019) skirted Taenga's east side on the passage from Makemo to Nuku Hiva. Guides: Charlie's Charts of Polynesia p.96; South Pacific Anchorages p.24. Pass status (confirmed 2024): the commune lists Passe Tiritepakau as 'open', and French Wikipedia says the lagoon is reached by a single pass on the west side. With only about 2 m at the entrance, it is not usable by most keelboats; no anchorage, depth or holding has been published, so treat Taenga as not yacht-accessible except for shallow-draft boats with local guidance. French Wikipedia reports an endemic population of Tuamotu sandpiper (Chevalier des Tuamotu) and pearl culture limited to 5 ha.

Best for

A landmark on the passage; shallow-draft explorers only

Nearby