Anchorage· Taha'a· French Polynesia — Society Islands
ZMR de Vaiorea (Taha'a)
16° 36.1′ S · 151° 32.6′ W
A two-boat zone in Vaiorea Bay just north of Tapuamu, in front of the Ia Orana pearl farm. It is a quiet alternative to Tapuamu and close to the Coral Garden.
Practical
Quota: 2 boats, 48 h max (decree ZM-VA-1 to VA-4; position is their centroid). The pearl farm (spelled 'Ia Ora Na' in the brief and 'Ia Orana Pearl Farm' in OpenStreetMap) has four moorings, recognisable by their double buoys, which you use at your own risk. Never tie to the single buoys in the southeast of the bay: they carry the suspended pearl-oyster lines. DPAM planned to lay bookable moorings here. A pontoon at the north of the bay gives access to the village, which has a small supermarket and two grocery stores. 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
Pearl farm visit and a quiet night near the Coral Garden
Season
Year-round; lee side in trades
Nearby
- Love Here & Ia Orana Pearl Farms (West Coast)0.2 NM away
- Vaiorea Village Shops (Magasin Nohotua)0.2 NM away
- Domaine Pari Pari Rum Distillery0.7 NM away
- ZMR de Tapuamu (Taha'a)0.8 NM away
- Rhumerie Mana'o (Tapuamu)1 NM away
- Tapuamu Quay & Fuel1 NM away
- Water & Laundry for Taha'a Crews1 NM away
- Tapuamu Store1.1 NM away