Anchorage· Ua Pou· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Vaiehu Bay (Ua Pou)
9° 23.2′ S · 140° 7.7′ W
A deep, beautiful bay on Ua Pou's west coast, a few miles south of Hakahetau. It is often calm when the village anchorages are rolling, and has great snorkelling and sea caves on either side.
Practical
Migration (Mar 2024): 09°23.185'S / 140°07.701'W, 50 ft, fair holding. 'We love this anchorage.' Sugar Shack (Dec 2019) anchored at 09°23.224'S / 140°07.740'W in 16 m and stayed a week in an east swell. Nakia (2009) had a perfect first night, then a large swell brought murky water and kept them aboard. Sierra Wind (May 2022) disliked the depth profile and did not stay. Landing is hard: swell breaks near shore over many rocks. Migration dropped crew on the rocks, then ran the dinghy in through a gap with one person aboard and everyone ready to haul it up the beach. Sugar Shack used paddleboards. A local family camps here to fish. A rental car from the Hakahau boulangerie was delivered here in 2024. Walks lead to the white cross and over to Haakuti village and its two magasins (separate entries).
Best for
A calm west-coast hideaway when Hakahau and Hakahetau roll
Season
Good in E swell; untenable in W or big N swell
Itineraries that stop here
Nearby
- Vaiehu Sea Caves and Point Snorkel0.1 NM away
- Vaiehu West Point Scuba (Ua Pou)0.2 NM away
- Vaiehu White Cross Hike0.3 NM away
- Haakuti Village Magasins (Ua Pou)0.7 NM away
- Hakaotu Bay (Ua Pou)0.7 NM away
- Hakamaii Village (Ua Pou)1.9 NM away
- Ti'Piero Restaurant (Hakahetau)2 NM away
- Hakahetau Bay (Ua Pou)2.3 NM away