PONANT
Le Paul Gauguin has been opening up the wonders of French Polynesia to its guests for over 20 years, providing an authentic and relaxed experience. The shallow draft allows for close access to shallow lagoons and isolated islands for optimal docking time. The 165 staterooms and suites all have an outside view and are tastefully decorated to pay tribute to the Polynesian way of life.
Spend your first two nights in San Francisco, then journey onwards to Papeete, where you will spend a further two nights before joining your 14-night French Polynesia cruise, taking in the world-renowned sights.
Day 1 - 2
Arrive in San Francisco and transfer to the Fairmont San Francisco, where you will stay for 2 nights. The Fairmont San Francisco offers guests jaw-dropping views of the city and the Bay, elegant guest rooms and suites and a well-deserved reputation for impeccable service.
Day 3 - 4
Fly from San Francisco to Papeetee and transfer to the InterContinental Tahiti Resort, where you will stay for 2 nights. Situated in 25 hectares of lush tropical gardens by a pristine, azure blue lagoon, The idyllic setting is just the start of an incredible Tahitian experience with a range of bars, restaurants and rooms.
Day 5
Depart your hotel and make your way to the port, where you will board Le Paul Gauguin and begin your 14-night All Inclusive cruise.
Day 6
The next day is a day at sea onboard Le Paul Gauguin. While at sea, take some time to recharge before your next port of call. Lounge by the pool, visit the spa, treat your tastebuds at one of the many onboard restaurants or enjoy some entertainment.
Day 7
The first stop is Fakarava, Tuamotu Islands. Listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Fakarava’s coral ellipsis is a narrow stretch of land sitting on a crystal-clear sea. Travellers here are surprised by the immensity of the lagoon, whose colours evoke an infinite palette. The atoll, renowned for its immaculate beaches and preserved nature, is home to rare bird species, plants and crustaceans.
Day 8
The next day is a day at sea onboard Le Paul Gauguin. While at sea, take some time to recharge before your next port of call. Lounge by the pool, visit the spa, treat your tastebuds at one of the many onboard restaurants or enjoy some entertainment.
Day 9
Your ship will take you to Omoa, a peaceful fishing village far from all civilisation, nestling in a magnificent bay on the island of Fatu Hiva. In the valley, you will be able to spot some tohua, former sacred sites, as well as the many burial caves lost in the island’s abundant tropical forest.
Day 10
Next dock at Atuona, Hiva Oa Island. You’ll immediately understand why this remote and unusual chain of islands bathing in the crystal-clear waters of the Pacific Ocean inspired Jacques Brel’s final album. During your cruise, you will stop at Hiva Oa, considered to be the “garden of the Marquesas Islands.” A special kind of power and charm emanate from its craggy skyline and black sand beaches.
Day 11
The next stop is Hapatoni, Tahuata Island. Located on Tahuata, the smallest of the inhabited Marquesas Islands, the village of Hapatoni will open its doors to you. A road built in old stones will lead you from the seashore to the village cathedral. Further on, vegetation takes over, inviting you to walk among its beautiful green valleys. Here, the population will give you a proper welcome, with traditional singing and dancing.
Day 12
Taiohae Bay welcomes you in a sumptuous setting. Your ship will drop anchor a few kilometres from the black sandy beaches, nestled between majestic valleys. You will find yourself in the middle of the main village on the island of Nuku Hiva. The site of Piki Vehine shows its tikis, sacred statues used for religious practices.
Day 13 - 14
The next two days are days at sea onboard Le Paul Gauguin. While at sea, take some time to recharge before your next port of call. Lounge by the pool, visit the spa, treat your tastebuds at one of the many onboard restaurants or enjoy some entertainment.
Day 15
The next stop is Huahine, Society Islands. Located less than 200 kilometres north-west of Tahiti, Huahine Island is a secret gem in French Polynesia. If you explore both parts of the island, la Grande Huahine to the north, and la Petite Huahine to the south, will reveal some of its hidden treasures, as well as some archaeological remains from the Polynesian past.
Day 16
Dock at Bora Bora, Society Islands. Here you’ll be won over as much by the white sandy beaches as by its famous lagoon, one of the most beautiful in the world, where colourful fish frolic in waters of incomparable turquoise. The island is covered with tropical vegetation, and dominated by the majestic outline of Mount Otemanu.
Day 17
The next stop is Motu Mahana, Taha’a Island. Feet in the sand, on the islet of Motu Mahana, our sumptuous little private paradise, you will share a very special experience around an authentic traditional Polynesian barbecue. A veritable jewel in the Taha’a lagoon, pristine atoll of the Society Islands, Motu Mahana offers an infinite palette of shades of turquoise, an idyllic backdrop for observing the majestic ballet of the tropical fish.
Day 18
Dock at Mo'orea. A part of the Windward Island archipelago just to the west of Tahiti, famous Mo'orea will leave you with a series of unforgettable images and memories. Bask on its heavenly beaches, enjoy a dip in the turquoise waters of its lagoon, and soak up its luscious vegetation and the heady flowers that carpet the inland areas.
Day 19
Arrive back in Papeete where you will disembark the ship and transfer to the airport for your flight home.