 Motutunga Atoll was first sighted by James Cook on 13 August 1773 who named it "Adventure", after the name of his own ship.Spanish navigator Domingo de Boenechea sighted Motutunga on 9 November 1774 on ship "Aguila".He named this atoll "San Blas"

Motutunga belongs to the commune of Anaa that also includes the associated commune of Faaite with the atoll of Faaite and the uninhabited atolls of Tahanea and Motutunga.