on 19 May 2022
New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji and Australia have all recently announced the removal of Covid-19 border restrictions
Cape Kidnappers, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. Photo: Gary Lisbon
Countries across the popular chartering grounds of the South Pacific are re-opening to superyachts, after a long period of closures and Covid-related restrictions that have been in place since early 2020.
New Zealand, Tahiti, Fiji and Australia have all recently announced the removal of Covid-19 border restrictions, and from August 2022, visiting yachts can stay two or more years in each country on a revolving basis that now allows them to enjoy the South Pacific indefinitely.
Each of the four countries have also coordinated superyacht procedures for ease of cruising across the entire destination.
Millennium Cup Regatta 2020
The coordination allows superyachts to create multiple charter seasons across the wide blue spaces of the South Pacific. With the countries dotted down the Pacific and each equipped with superyacht infrastructure, yachts are able to plan seasons in Tahiti and Fiji, before moving on to spend time in New Zealand and Australia, and back into the islands if they choose. The refit hub of New Zealand allows for warrantee repairs and service schedules for new builds, or complex refits to be undertaken to facilitate multiple seasons.
The South Pacific offers a year-long summer climate for charter yachts, with the Tahiti and Fiji season from May to October and the New Zealand and Australian season from October to May.
The reopening of New Zealand completes the traditional South Pacific loop for yachts, with most superyachts favouring a journey which takes them through the islands of the Pacific, including beauty spots like Tahiti, Fiji, and then on to the peak of the South Pacific, New Zealand. There, they refit, bunker, provision, explore, charter, and often create a base over several seasons, before heading back into the Pacific and onward on their journeys.
How to get there?
Superyacht New Zealand has produced a summary of the entry rules for each South Pacific country and a fact sheet for superyachts visiting New Zealand.