Anchorage· Taha'a· French Polynesia — Society Islands

ZMR de Tuahi (Taha'a)

16° 33.9′ S · 151° 30.4′ W

A three-boat zone on the edge of the northern lagoon shelf off Motu Tuahi, a beach-and-snack motu with deck chairs and big Tahitian lunches. It feels like the Tuamotus inside Taha'a's barrier reef.

Society IslandsTahiti & Moorea

Practical

Quota: 3 boats, 48 h max (decree ZM-TU-1 to TU-4; position is their centroid). Anchor just off the edge of the drop-off in about 8–10 m over sand. The brief says the spot is best in a breeze from NW through NE; in the usual E–SE trades it is a long fetch across the lagoon. When DPAM moorings arrive, book them on escales.gov.pf. The Motu Tuahi snack owns two moorings for day use only, at your own risk. The snack sells a day package that includes a big Tahitian meal, runs shuttles from Patio pier and lets you bring your own cooler (tel. 87 75 04 76; Facebook: Motu Tuahi Tahaa). A little further by dinghy there is good snorkeling and a white-sand beach at the southwest tip of Motu Tehotu. Standard ZMR rules (arrêté 911 CM, 26 June 2025): boats under 20 m only; anchor inside the charted polygon; overnight (4pm–9am) must be pre-booked on escales.gov.pf, by email to escales.dpam@administration.gov.pf or by phoning DPAM on 40 54 45 78 (24/7). Day use 9am–4pm is free within the quota. Inside the zone: 5-knot limit, no sailing, anchor light from sunset to sunrise, AIS left on if fitted, no scuba, jet skis or windsurfers, swimming only close to your own boat, no underwater or hull lights, no grey/black-water discharge. The booking service was free during the 2025 pilot; the brief says fees start in 2026, so verify locally. DPAM planned to lay permanent moorings in 2026; once a zone has moorings, anchoring there is banned and you must use a buoy.

Best for

Motu day, beach lunch and northern-reef snorkeling

Season

Best in light or NW–NE winds

Nearby