Triton Cape Sea Travel
021 4439030
5th Floor Rosebank College House,
5 Waterkant Street Cape Town 8001
5th Floor Rosebank College House,
5 Waterkant Street Cape Town 8001
Makatea Island, South Pacific, is one of the most northwesterly of the Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia. It is an uplifted coral island which was once a solid mass of phosphate that was mined jointly by the British and the French. Makatea is one of the only four islands of the Tuamotu Archipelago that do not constitute a true atoll. It is administered as part of the Windward group of the Society Islands.
Makatea is surrounded by spectacular cliffs, rising to a plateau 80 meters above the sea level. The principal village is Moumu on the east coast. There is a ghost town, Vaitepaua, and a close-by abandoned port on the northern west coast, Temao, both from the times of phosphate mining
Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – CFP franc (XPF)
Language – French, Tahitian
Land Area – 24 km²
Population – 95 approx
Electricity – 2 angled flat pins and 1 round pin centred below Australian style
Time – GMT minus ten hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 689
Port Location – The port is located at the village of Moumu, on the east coast of Makatea.
Transport Links – Two cruise ships/luxury liners currently ply the islands: the Paul Gauguin, which does a regular 7-day trip around the Societies, with occasional trips out to the Tuamotus, Marquesas and Cook Islands; and the Tahitian Princess which does similar itineraries.