Hike· Tahanea· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Tahanea Motu Walks
16° 57.3′ S · 144° 44.4′ W · approximate
Beach walks around the pink-sand bird motus by the '7', and a cairn-marked path across a motu to the wild ocean side.
Practical
Coordinate approximate: the two motus just east of the '7' Anchorage (Sugar Shack), set about 0.3 nm east of their anchoring position. Sugar Shack (Sept 2019): walk at the waterline only. The sandpipers nest in the sand and the boobies on the ground and in trees, so watch every step; 'truly magical' white fluffy chicks. Mary Anne II (Oct 2017): on a calm day they hiked across their motu to the exposed coast. There are small inland ponds, and the easiest path is marked with cairns and propped-up flotsam; the ground is jagged broken coral, so wear good shoes. Narama (2011): the east-side motus stretch for miles, great for walking both shores. No dogs, fires, kites or night coconut-crab hunting (Pitufa 2019).
Best for
Birdwatching and reef-to-ocean walks
Nearby
- Tahanea Pink-Sand Bird Motus ('7')Right here
- Tahanea Seabird NestingRight here
- Tahanea '7' Anchorage0.2 NM away
- Tahanea Protected Atoll Rules (Uninhabited Reserve)4.6 NM away
- Tahanea South Rim Sand Banks Anchorage5.1 NM away
- Tahanea South Rim Three Motus5.1 NM away
- Tahanea Blacktip Reef Sharks6.9 NM away
- Teavatapu Pass Anchorage (Tahanea)6.9 NM away