Anchorage· Raiatea· French Polynesia — Society Islands

ZMR d'Uturaerae (Raiatea)

16° 44.2′ S · 151° 29.2′ W

Raiatea's long-stay anchorage on the west coast, off the Uturaerae boatyards (Raiatea Carenage and CNI), where cruisers wait out work lists, haul-outs and crew changes.

Society IslandsTahiti & Moorea

Practical

Quota 30 boats: 20 for up to 30 days (renewable) and 10 for up to 7 days (renewable). Under 20 m only. Enter through Rautoanui Pass. Shore access is by the Uturaerae marina docks, which are reserved for yard customers (the gate closes at 6pm), or by the small dock at the sports field south of the marina. Mud and sand bottom; the regulatory survey found mostly mud across the Raiatea–Taha'a zones. Raiatea has no public rubbish bins: CNI is the only place to leave sorted household waste (clear bags, 250 XPF per bag, 2025 brief). Fish & Blue, the Raiatea Lodge, a pharmacy at Faafau and snack bars are within walking or dinghy distance; it is easy to hitch into Uturoa. Polygon centroid computed from the nine corner points in Arrêté 911 CM. Overnight stays (4pm to 9am) must be booked on escales.gov.pf, by email to escales.dpam@administration.gov.pf, or by phone to DPAM on 40 54 45 78 (24/7). Boats under 20 m may use any ZMR space between 9am and 4pm without booking, within the zone quota. The booking service was free in its 2025 pilot; fees were announced for 2026, so verify locally. Under Arrêté 911 CM (2025): boats over 20 m are not allowed in these zones; maximum speed is 5 kn; no sailing, scuba diving or jet skis inside the zone; anchor lights at night; AIS left on at anchor; no underwater or hull lighting; no grey or black water discharge. Once permanent moorings are installed (works planned through 2026), anchoring is banned and you must use a buoy.

Best for

Long stays and boat work next to the two Leeward Islands boatyards

Season

Year-round; the usual hurricane-season base for boats hauled or working at the yards

Nearby