South Pacific 7-nights
Paul Gauguin (That’s Love)
Tahiti & Society Islands – 7-Night Cruise
In 1891, when Paul Gauguin arrived in Tahiti, he captured the charm, culture and languid grace of the natives in oils. You won’t find his paintings here, but the original models still call this piece of French Polynesia home. This 7-night itinerary is perfect for those who want a core Polynesian experience.
Call on Raiatea and its reef-bound lagoon and Taha’a, it’s companion island, where you’ll enjoy a full day of exploration. Then sail to Bora Bora, and her siren sister, Moorea.
Tour Program
The soil is excellent and everywhere you look there are plantations of taro, coffee, vanilla or melons. The principal village of Fare comes to life on boat days when inter-island freighters arrive to pick up produce and drop supplies. The historic village of Maeva is virtually an open-air museum where restored “marae” (Tahitian temples), ancient villages and stone fish traps lend clues to a civilization that existed over 1,000 years ago. Dr. Yoshi Sinoto from the Bishop Museum in Honolulu has conducted several expeditions to the island to help locate and partially restore many of the island’s archaeological sites.
Visitors to Bora Bora touch down on an airstrip (built by US troops during World War II) situated on a motu(islet) in the middle of the beautiful crystal-clear lagoon, and are ferried to the main island. The lagoon forms the centre of activities for holidaymakers, being the stage for numerous adventures, from shark-feeding excursions and swimming with giant turtles, to scuba diving, snorkelling, jet-skiing, glass-bottom boat cruises, descending into the ‘lagoonarium’, kite-sailing, picnicking on a motuand more.
Bora Bora also offers plenty of cultural and historical attractions, like taking a day trip to a Marae(ancient temple), exploring the World War II-era cannon and relics, browsing the art and craft galleries, watching a Tahitian dance ceremony, and perhaps even braving a traditional tattoo (the skin art is said to have originated here).
Bora Bora is a famously dreamy travel destination and more than lives up to its reputation. For a romantic holiday in a tropical beach paradise there is no better choice.
About 16,000 people live happily on Moorea, but there are no towns, or even villages, as such. Settlements offering clusters of shops and stalls line the 40-mile long (64km) paved road that encircles the island, giving access to a handful of sightseeing opportunities and lovely beaches. The best beaches are between the Moorea Village Hotel and the Hotel Beachcomber, and near the Sofitel Ia Ora near the airport.
All sorts of water activities and excursions are offered on the island, as well as several land-based activities like hikes and mountain safaris. A fun way to explore the island is to rent a scooter or bicycle, or join the locals on the ‘trucks’ that form the island’s public transport system, such as it is. Must-see sights include the panoramic view of the Cook and Opunohu bays from the Roto Nui (Belvedere) viewpoint, the Paopao open-air market, and a distillery where exotic liqueurs are produced from the local pineapple, vanilla, mango and coconut crops.
Moorea boasts some fancy luxury resorts for those wanting to indulge but there are also more reasonably priced options. Despite the island’s great popularity with travellers, Moorea retains an authentic, non-touristy atmosphere and provides a good retreat from bustling Tahiti.
Designed specifically to glide through the shallow seas of the South Pacific, The Gauguin is the flagship of Paul Gauguin Cruises and a small-ship cruiser’s dream. She delivers travelers to intimate ports inaccessible to larger cruise ships, all the while providing an onboard experience that is nothing short of luxurious. Guests aboard our luxury cruises enjoy spacious suites and staterooms (more than 70% with private balconies), an onboard watersports marina, three dining venues, an extensive spa, and five-star service. Life onboard also reflects the beauty and rich cultural heritage of the islands she calls upon, with a warm, friendly feel, informal setting, and even a beloved troupe of Gauguines and Gauguins—local Tahitians who serve as cruise staff, entertainers, and storytellers.
Owned by Pacific Beachcomber S.C., the leader in French Polynesia luxury destination resorts, Paul Gauguin Cruises operates the award-winning luxury cruise ship the m/s Paul Gauguin, which provides an exceptional cruise experience tailored to the unparalleled wonders of Tahiti, the South Pacific, and Fiji.
Launched in 1998, the renowned, 5+-star m/s Paul Gauguin was built specifically to sail the waters of Tahiti, French Polynesia, and the South Pacific and is the longest continually operating year-round luxury cruise ship in this enchanting destination. No other luxury ship in history has offered this level of single-destination focus and expertise on a year-round basis for such an extended period of time.
With more than 25 years of experience in the French Polynesian tourism market, Pacific Beachcomber is the country’s largest luxury hotel and cruise operator in the region. In addition to The Gauguin, Pacific Beachcomber operates seven award-winning hotels and is committed towards achieving environmental and social sustainability. Most recently, Pacific Beachcomber opened The Brando, an award-winning luxury eco-resort on the private island of Tetiaroa, on July 1, 2014.
Prices are per person, double occupancy, and do not include government fees, taxes, or airfare unless otherwise noted. Information and pricing is subject to change without notice. While we do our very best to ensure that information and pricing appearing in this website is complete and accurate, we cannot be responsible for incomplete and inaccurate representations, which may or may not be under our control. In the event of a pricing error, misrepresentation or omission, we reserve the right to adjust the pricing or make any other corrections.
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