# Marae Moana, French Polynesia: what it is and when to go

> Marae Moana is a marine protected area in the Cook Islands EEZ in French Polynesia. Interests: Nature and Wildlife. The best time to visit is May to October. In December there are 12 h 59 of daylight, and in June, 11 h 01. Here is what it is, where it lies, when to come, how to get there and what else is nearby to turn it into a trip.

- Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/marae-moana/
- Reviewed on: 2026-10-12
- Language: en

## In a nutshell

- **What it is:** Marine protected area in the Cook Islands EEZ · Nature, Wildlife
- **Where:** French Polynesia
- **Best time:** May to October.
- **Nearest airport:** BOB Motu Mute, 631 km as the crow flies
- **Website:** [maraemoana.gov.ck](https://www.maraemoana.gov.ck/)
- **Coordinates:** -16.60184, -157.65787

## What it is and where

Marae Moana is a marine protected area in the Cook Islands EEZ in French Polynesia.

Its coordinates are -16.60184, -157.65787; the nearest main airport is Bora Bora Airport (BOB, Motu Mute), 631 km as the crow flies. How to get around French Polynesia (train, car, bus) is covered in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/#moverse).

- [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=-16.601841%2C-157.657871)
- [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=-16.601841%2C-157.657871)

It is one of the [Nature](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/naturaleza/) places in French Polynesia. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) it is already on your trip map next to the places you save yourself, and it goes into a day's plan with one tap.

## When to go

The best time to visit Marae Moana is **May to October**.

| Mes | Época | Hours of daylight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| January | Better not | 12 h 53 |
| February | Better not | 12 h 32 |
| March | Possible | 12 h 07 |
| April | Possible | 11 h 37 |
| May | Best time | 11 h 13 |
| June | Best time | 11 h 01 |
| July | Best time | 11 h 06 |
| August | Best time | 11 h 26 |
| September | Best time | 11 h 55 |
| October | Best time | 12 h 23 |
| November | Possible | 12 h 48 |
| December | Better not | 12 h 59 |

In December there are 12 h 59 of daylight, and in June, 11 h 01. Daylight hours are calculated from the site's latitude for the 15th of each month; when planning a full day on foot they matter as much as the weather.

| What you come for | Best time | Possible |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Nature | May to October | March to April and November |
| Wildlife | May to October | March to April and November |

It is not the same trip whatever you come for: Marae Moana has a different season depending on what you want to do here, and [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) puts it in the right month for you.

When to go to French Polynesia in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/#cuando-ir).

## Before you go to French Polynesia

To enter French Polynesia there are 10 things to sort out before you leave, starting with “Inter-island flights, bought before you leave home”: they are all, with their deadlines, in [the French Polynesia checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/#antes-de-salir). Currency: CFP franc (XPF), pegged to the euro; plugs: Type C and E · 220 V · 60 Hz; emergencies: 112 · 15 ambulance · 17 police · 18 fire.

In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) you tick off the checklist inside your trip, and each item reminds you when it is time to do it.

## What is nearby

- [Église évangélique de Vaitape](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/evangelist-church/): Church located in Polynésie française, in France · 630 km
- [église Saint-Pierre-Célestin de Vaitape](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/eglise-saint-pierre-celestin/): Church located in Polynésie française, in France · 630 km
- [Bora Diving Center](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/bora-diving-center/): Dive site · 631 km
- [Mount Pahia](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/pahia/): Mountain on Bora Bora · 632 km
- [Mount Otemanu](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/mont-otemanu/): Mountain on Bora Bora · 632 km

Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in [the French Polynesia guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/).

## More in French Polynesia: Nature

- [Mont Orohena](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/mont-orohena/): mountain on the island of Tahiti
- [Mount Tohivea](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/tohi-e-a/): mountain in France
- [Matavai Bay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/baie-de-matavai/): bay on the north coast of Tahiti
- [Mount Duff](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/duff/): mountain in French Polynesia
- [Mont Oave](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/oave/): mountain in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia
- [Temetiu](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/temetiu/)

Every French Polynesia place under Nature, each with its season, is on [its page](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/naturaleza/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Marae Moana?

It is a marine protected area in the Cook Islands EEZ in French Polynesia.

### When is the best time to visit Marae Moana?

May to October. In December there are 12 h 59 of daylight, and in June, 11 h 01.

### How do you get to Marae Moana?

The nearest main airport is Bora Bora Airport (BOB), 631 km as the crow flies. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=-16.601841%2C-157.657871) opens the route on the map, and how to get around French Polynesia is explained in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/#moverse).

### How do I add it to my trip?

With one tap. In Kokai it is already on the French Polynesia map, next to the places you save yourself: add it to a day's plan, give it a time and, if you like, get a reminder when you pass nearby.

### What else is around here?

Nearby you have [Église évangélique de Vaitape](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/evangelist-church/), [église Saint-Pierre-Célestin de Vaitape](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/eglise-saint-pierre-celestin/), [Bora Diving Center](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/bora-diving-center/). The rest is in [the French Polynesia guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/oceania/polinesia-francesa/).

Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/11366652), licensed under the ODbL, and from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q38121092), CC0. More about Marae Moana on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marae_Moana). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).