Anchorage· Moorea· French Polynesia — Society Islands
ZMR de Pihaena (Moorea)
17° 29.0′ S · 149° 50.3′ W
Officially the ZMR de Vaipahu: a two-boat sand anchorage off Pointe Vaipahu at Pihaena, between Opunohu and Cook's bays, beside the Hilton Moorea. Good holding over sand and a short dinghy ride to the Stingray & Shark Sandbank.
Practical
Decree 910 CM (2025) polygon: 17°28.921'S–17°29.013'S, 149°50.327'W–149°50.367'W (centre given). Quota 2 boats under 20 m, 48 h max. Access via Avaroa Pass (the first port-hand entrance buoy was missing in the 2026 brief). Well protected except in northerly winds. Next to a very busy channel, so watch swimmers around the boat. Land on the small beach next to a jetty; dinghy and outboard thefts are quite common, so lock both. Nearby: Blanc des Îles laundromat, Hilton day pass (lunch + beach/pool 18,000 CFP pp; dinner shows Mon, Wed, Sat 10,800 CFP; don't leave your dinghy on their beach; 40 55 11 11), Snack Aoy Thai Food (Wed–Sat, 87 28 77 63), Rotui juice factory and Manutea rum distillery, Le Maa dans le Bocal organic bulk shop, Magic Mountain trailhead (PK 21). Prices from the 2026 brief. Legal status (Oct 2026): the ZMR quotas come from arrêté 910 CM of 26 June 2025, which the Administrative Tribunal of French Polynesia annulled on 15 July 2026 (case 2500441, brought by the Association des Voiliers en Polynésie); the anchoring articles of the 2021 PGEM were also annulled by the Paris appeal court with effect from 1 June 2026. Noonsite (Aug 2026) reports the restrictions are not currently ratified and talks between AVP and local groups are ongoing. Until a replacement rule is published, treat the ZMR quotas and 48-hour limit as the expected good practice, check escales.gov.pf or call DPAM (40 54 45 78, 24/7) before arriving, and expect the nautical patrol (87 704 657) to ask about your stay.
Best for
Stingray sandbank by dinghy, Hilton, Magic Mountain
Season
Year-round; exposed to northerlies
Nearby
- Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort (day pass & shows)0.3 NM away
- Lemon Shark Dives (Lemon Shark Valley, Mamaru, Eden Park)0.3 NM away
- Opunohu Canyons Dive0.7 NM away
- Rotui Juice Factory & Manutea Distillery0.7 NM away
- Jardin des Roses (Rose Garden) Deep Dive0.8 NM away
- Ta'hiamanu Public Beach0.8 NM away
- Gump Station & CRIOBE Research Stations0.9 NM away
- Ta'ahiamanu Anchorage (Opunohu Bay mouth, east)0.9 NM away
Place data includes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).