Vava'u southern passages & anchorages

South of the main island of Vava'u, a maze of high, flat-topped islands and reefs stretches toward Ha'apai. The two ways in to Neiafu run through here: Ava Pulepulekai from the south and west, and Faihava from the north-west. The catch is depth. The anchorages NGA describes are in 53 to 54 m, and the east side of the group is reef with no way through.

At a glance

Getting in

From the south-west. NGA says that approaching from the south-west you'll see Fatumanga, a barren flat-topped islet about 10 miles south-west of Vava'u, in the foreground. About 5 miles further north-north-east, Fofoa, Kalau and Hunga look like one island ending in a bluff to the west. Fatumanga can be passed on either side, allowing for the shoal running 0.5 mile south of it.

Ava Pulepulekai. NGA says the channel between Hunga and Nuapapu is deep and clear of dangers, with deep, steep-to shores on both sides. It's the approach to Neiafu from the south and west.

Faihava. NGA says Faihava, about 1.5 miles wide between Hunga and the south-west tip of Vava'u, is the north-west approach and is deep and clear of dangers. It passes on a 2011 report of currents above 6 knots in Faihava Passage. LINZ Notice to Mariners 54/26 adds a submarine cable to the charts through Faihava.

Near Foelifuka. NGA warns that the area north of Foelifuka toward Fofoa and Hunga is encumbered with reefs and foul ground, and that you shouldn't pass between Tefitomaka (a 1.2 m rock 0.8 mile SSW of Foelifuka) and the islet.

Anchoring

• North of Ovaka. NGA gives 53 m, sand and coral, 0.3 mile offshore, with the east extremity of Ovaka bearing 156° and the north-west extremity 249°. LINZ chart data in OpenStreetMap marks a recommended anchorage here.
• Utungake and Kapa. NGA gives an anchorage in the bight formed by Utungake, Kapa and the reef, in 54 m, coral, with the south-west extremity of Mala bearing 141° and the west extremity of Utungake 016°. LINZ chart data marks a recommended anchorage in this bight.
• Depth. NGA describes the group's anchorages as few and indifferent, and those it gives are deep. Carry enough rode for 50 m and more, or plan to use the Neiafu harbour anchorages.

Hazards and cautions

• East of Kapa. NGA says the whole area east of Kapa is unapproachable, surrounded by reefs with no navigable channel. From Nukumalolo to Maninita, about 14 miles, the east side of the group is a line of reefs with shallow water between them that breaks heavily in any swell, and no channel for a vessel.
• Southern islets. NGA describes foul ground and breaking reefs running 5 miles NNE from Maninita, and unmarked shoals and reefs around Lua Hiapo and Lua a Fulehu.
• Volcanoes to the west. NGA reports Late Island (about 518 m, visible 50 miles in clear weather) active in 1971, Home Reef active in 2006, and Metis Shoal, where a volcanic islet was reported in 1995. It also reports volcanic activity (2019) about 25 miles north-west of the group.

Weather and seasons

• Winds. NGA says strong winds at Vava'u blow mainly from between east-south-east and south-south-east with rain squalls, and are said to last about 3 days.
• Cyclone season (dated). Tonga Meteorological Services' Tropical Cyclone Seasonal Outlook for 2026–2027 (released 28 October 2026, read 30 October 2026) gives the official season as 1 November 2026 to 30 April 2027 and notes that cyclones have occasionally formed outside it. It expects an average season, with 2 to 4 tropical cyclones affecting Tonga and a moderate to high chance of at least one severe tropical cyclone, and the highest risk from January to March 2027. It also reports drought declarations in force for Tongatapu, 'Eua, Ha'apai and Niuatoputapu, with Vava'u and Niuafo'ou under drought warning, so plan your water. NGA Pub. 126 adds that at Nuku'alofa sudden, violent west and north-west squalls are common from December to April.

Rules in brief

• Whales. Tonga's Whale Watching and Swimming Regulations 2013 say a private vessel may not approach closer than 300 m to any whale (unless it meets the swimming rules). If a whale approaches you, keep out of its path and, where practicable, keep 300 m away. Nobody may swim with whales except from a licensed whale-swim operator's vessel, jet skis must stay 2,000 m away, and when leaving whales go at idle or no-wake speed until you are 300 m clear.
• Special Management Areas. Many coastal communities manage their own Special Management Areas under the Fisheries Management Act 2002. The Ministry of Fisheries' brochure says nobody may enter or fish in an SMA's Fish Habitat Reserve without the community committee's permission. The brochure is from 2010 and shows only the first six SMAs, so ask the Ministry or the local community before you fish.

Facilities

• None to speak of. The nearest town, Customs, Quarantine and the small boat marina are at Neiafu.

Ashore

What's within about a 15-minute walk (1.2 km) of each marina, ramp or landing on this page, measured along streets and footpaths in OpenStreetMap. Addresses are from OpenStreetMap where it has one; where it doesn't, we show the name and distance only. Listings as fetched from OpenStreetMap on 28 October 2026; check opening hours before you walk.

There's no town on this page. For shops and cafes, see Neiafu.

No marine stores or chandlers are mapped in OpenStreetMap within the walk.

Places, types, addresses and walking distances: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), fetched 28 October 2026.

About this page

These are free planning notes written by a working delivery skipper from public sources. They are not for navigation. Use the current LINZ chart corrected for notices to mariners, current local notices, official tide tables and local advice. Spotted something out of date? Please use Report a correction below.

Official links

Check these before you go. They beat anything on this page.

• Whale Watching and Swimming Regulations 2013 (PDF, Ministry of Tourism)
• Ministry of Fisheries: community Special Management Areas (brochure, PDF)
• LINZ NTM 54/26: submarine cable, Neiafu Harbour and Faihava Passage (PDF)
• LINZ Notices to Mariners (cover the TO charts)
• NGA Pub. 126 Sailing Directions (Enroute) Pacific Islands (free PDF)
• Tonga Customs: private crafts (advance notice, temporary admission)
• Tonga Customs forms (Advance Notice of Arrival for small craft, C15 outward clearance)
• Tonga Meteorological Services: forecasts, tides and cyclone outlooks
• Tonga Meteorological Services: marine forecasts
• Maritime NZ: search and rescue in the Pacific (Mayday, beacons)
• TO 302 Vava'u Group (1:50,000)
• TO 301 Neiafu Harbour (1:10,000)
• TO 101 Tonga (1:750,000)

Sources & credits

Need a delivery skipper for this coast? Get a quote from Garry Hartshorne, AMSA Master <45.