CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons (Supertoff)Landmark· Tetiaroa· French Polynesia — Society Islands
Tetiaroa Atoll
17° 0.4′ S · 149° 33.8′ W
Marlon Brando's atoll, 53 km north of Tahiti: a ring of a dozen motus around a 7 km lagoon with no pass, now home to The Brando eco-resort and one of the Society Islands' great seabird and turtle refuges.
Practical
Coordinates: atoll centre (Tahiti Heritage). About 6 km² of land on 12 motus around a lagoon about 7 km wide and 30 m deep. There is no navigable opening in the reef (Wikipedia; Tahiti Heritage; Tetiaroa Society CASUP). The largest motu is Tiaraunu (211 ha), the smallest Aie (2.9 ha). The airstrip (TTI, 775 m) on Onetahi serves resort charters (Wikipedia). The reef, lagoon and atoll belong to French Polynesia, and the atoll is in the commune of Arue. Commercial development is limited to Onetahi and Honuea, and visitor activity is mainly on Rimatu'u and Bird Island (CASUP). With no pass, a yacht can only lie off the reef in settled weather; no public mooring arrangement was confirmed in this research, so check locally before going. Expect strong swell along the reef edge.
Best for
Settled-weather day trip to a legendary atoll
Season
Settled trades only (no shelter; no pass)
Nearby
- Tetiaroa Reef-Edge & Lagoon Snorkel (Motu Rimatu'u)1.8 NM away
- Tetiaroa Outer-Reef Day Stop (off Motu Rimatu'u)2 NM away
- The Brando Resort (Tetiaroa)2.2 NM away
- Tetiaroa Bird Island & Turtle Sanctuary (Tetiaroa Society)2.3 NM away
- Point Venus Underwater Trail (Pointe Tefauroa)29.5 NM away
- Point Venus Beach (Matavai Bay)29.6 NM away
- Point Venus Lighthouse & Black-Sand Beach29.6 NM away
- Super U & Champion Mahina (Point Venus junction)30.3 NM away