Anchorage· Hiva Oa· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs

Tahauku Bay Anchorage (Atuona, Hiva Oa)

9° 48.2′ S · 139° 1.9′ W

The small, breakwater-protected harbour at Atuona where most Puddle Jump boats clear into French Polynesia: a cramped basin under green cliffs, a 20-minute walk from the shops, bank, gendarmerie and the graves of Gauguin and Brel.

TuamotusMarquesas

Practical

Coordinate is the centre of ZMR 'Tahauku 1' (inside the breakwater) from the corner points in Arrêté 384 CM (31 March 2026): 09°48.15'S 139°01.90'W, 09°48.17'S 139°01.80'W, 09°48.22'S 139°01.83'W, 09°48.19'S 139°01.94'W. Quota: 10 boats under 20 m for up to 20 days (cut to 5 days in busy periods) plus 1 boat for 30 days renewable. A second zone outside the breakwater is listed separately. The 2026 tourism brief gives about 5 m inside and says to moor compactly and keep clear of supply schooners, the CODIM shuttle and cruise tenders; fixed moorings were expected in 2026. Once moorings are laid, anchoring in the zone becomes illegal. Cruisers report mud with stones and old gabion/coral debris, poor holding, a buried pipe, and shifting winds (Jan 2019: 3.5 m, 35 m chain). Use bow and stern anchors, buoy them with trip lines, and help newcomers set theirs. Schooners call every 5-7 days (Aranui, Taporo) and need the turning basin: anchor behind the leading line marked by a yellow slash on the western rocks (older reports; check on arrival). Ask the service station, Tourism Committee or DPAM site for ship dates. Leave when a southerly swell is forecast; the back rows can end up in breaking surf. Night entry waypoints (Cynergy, 2013): 09°49.658'S 139°01.473'W, then 09°48.514'S 139°02.035'W (entrance), then 09°48.288'S 139°01.979'W (35-40 ft mud, wait for daylight). Hiva Oa commune fees, paid at the town hall by cash or card (2026 brief): 500 XPF waste fee per boat per month, 1,000 XPF water fee per boat per month and 60 XPF tourist tax per person (over 12) per day. Waste goes only to the Tahauku wharf container. Hiva Oa anchoring is governed by Arrêté 384 CM of 31 March 2026: anchoring outside the listed regulated zones (ZMR) is prohibited for any vessel with accommodation; each ZMR needs prior authorization via the Escales service (escales.gov.pf, escales.dpam@administration.gov.pf, DPAM +689 40 54 45 78, 24/7); the Escales fee is deferred until the tariff is published. Inside a ZMR: 5 kn limit, no sailing, anchor lights sunset to sunrise, AIS on if fitted, no scuba or jet skis, swim only close to your boat, no sewage discharge, hull work, sanding or engine tests, and no underwater or hull lights. Semaphore Atuona and the shipping traffic monitor VHF 16.

Best for

Clearing in, provisioning, fuel, haul-out and the Atuona sights

Season

Year-round; most crowded March-June (Puddle Jump arrivals); uncomfortable to untenable in southerly swell

Itineraries that stop here

Nearby