Bora-Bora Lagoon hosts Hawaiki Nui Vaa on 30 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 05:47 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Bora-Bora Lagoon is the setting for the final stage of Hawaiki Nui Vaa on 30 October 2026, when the Polynesian canoe race reaches Matira. The venue lies beside Vaitape, the administrative centre of French Polynesia, and the published programme places the finish on the lagoon side of the island.
Hawaiki Nui Vaa reaches Bora-Bora Lagoon on 30 October
The 2026 race runs from 28 to 30 October across Huahine, Raiatea, Taha'a and Bora-Bora Lagoon. The programme gives the third stage as a 30 October course from Patio on Taha'a to Matira, with the first finish expected at midday.
The event is organised by the Hawaiki Nui committee and brings six-person va'a crews across open sea and lagoon sections. The 2026 race programme lists the Matira arrival and separates the senior and masters course from the shorter Va'a Taie route. Tahiti Tourisme also lists the race from 28 to 30 October, with Matira as the finish area in Bora-Bora Lagoon.
Matira links the race to the lagoon's protected waters
The finish is not an abstract island reference: Matira is on the southern side of the lagoon, where the municipality has created the Popora Rahui marine reserve. The reserve covers 574 hectares of the southern Matira lagoon and was approved as French Polynesia's first category 1A marine reserve.
The reserve prohibits fishing, motorised navigation, diving and other nautical activity within its boundaries. That protected area is separate from the race finish, but its location makes the 30 October programme especially relevant to visitors: spectators need to distinguish the Matira arrival area from the restricted waters. The municipality's lagoon information gives the reserve's boundaries and rules.
What the 2026 race means for visitors to Matira
The final stage connects a long-distance sporting route with one of the island's most accessible shoreline areas. The published programme names Matira as the arrival for the 30 October senior and masters stage, while the official tourism listing identifies the same beach as the finish location.
Visitors should therefore treat the event as a shoreline viewing opportunity rather than as permission to enter every part of the lagoon. The protected reserve remains subject to its own restrictions, and the race route itself crosses waters between several islands before reaching Bora-Bora Lagoon.
Visiting Bora-Bora Lagoon: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Hawaiki Nui Vaa reaches Matira on 30 October 2026. The third stage starts at Patio on Taha'a and finishes at Matira, with the programme giving midday as the expected first finish.
- The race arrival takes place at Matira, while the Popora Rahui reserve has separate restrictions. Fishing, motorised navigation, diving and other nautical activity are prohibited inside the 574-hectare protected area.
- Vaitape is the administrative centre on the main island, while Matira is the named finish area. Bora-Bora Lagoon is reached within the Society Islands of French Polynesia, with Tahiti Tourisme listing flights from Tahiti to the island.
- French is the official language and the Pacific franc, also called the CFP franc, is the currency used in French Polynesia.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Bora-Bora Lagoon
When does Hawaiki Nui Vaa take place at Bora-Bora Lagoon?
The race reaches Bora-Bora Lagoon on 30 October 2026, during its final stage from Taha'a to Matira.
What is protected in the Matira lagoon?
The Popora Rahui reserve covers 574 hectares and prohibits fishing, motorised navigation, diving and other nautical activity within its boundaries.
Where is Bora-Bora Lagoon and how do you get there?
The lagoon surrounds the main island of French Polynesia, with Vaitape as its administrative centre and Matira as the named finish area for the race.
