Tahiti & Society Islands 7-night cruise on Paul Gauguin Cruises

Virtual voyage. Come sail with Carrie Finley-Bajak from Cruise Buzz to Tahiti, French Polynesia  & The South Pacific on the 5+-star m/s Paul Gauguin

Sail with me!

On assignment. Happening Now: virtual voyages and trip journal from the field.

Join me as I journey to Tahiti, French Polynesia  & The South Pacific.  I set sail for a 7-night cruise aboard the M/S Paul Gauguin on Feb 25, 2012. Follow along on Twitter, I will be posting to the #Tahiti12 hashtag.

Itinerary

25 Feb 2012  - Day 1: Embark Paul Gauguin in Papeete, Tahiti

The journey begins. After an 8-hour flight on Air Tahiti Nui from Los Angeles, we will embark the ship in Papeete, the capital of Tahiti.

26 Feb 2012  - Day 2:   Raiatea,  Society Islands

Getting to know the ship is my first priority. 

We have the  day to explore the island, which was once  the cultural, religious, royal and political heart of Polynesia. I will be on the lookout for the remains of ancient Polynesian-built maraes, or temples, of stone in many sizes. The maraes provided a physical space for the spirit of the gods to occupy during ritual ceremonies, as did the carved wooden tikis for which the region is famous.  I am hoping to  Taputapuatea, a national monument and the most important marae in the Society Islands.

27 Feb 2012 – Day 3:  Taha’a (Motu Mahana), Society Islands

Motu Mahana, an islet adjacent to Taha’a, is Paul Gauguin Cruises very own South Seas paradise featuring white sand beaches with swaying palms, crystal-clear waters and gentle breezes. Most cruise visitors that return from their cruise rave about their time at Motu Mahana and suggest spending every possible moment at this isolated island.

28-29 Feb 2012 (Overnight):  Day 4 and 5 Bora Bora, Society Islands

The iconic  basalt tombstone of Mount Otemanu is easy to recognize. Rising from the ocean, this half-atoll, half-mountain is surrounded by a lagoon and a series of smaller islands. The ancient Polynesians called it Parapora, or “firstborn,” because they thought it was the first island created after Raiatea.

1-2 Mar 2012 – Day 6 and 7 Day 6 (Overnight): Moorea, French Polynesia

Only 9 miles northwest of Tahiti, Moorea is earned a reputation as one of the most beautiful places on earth. The abundant natural landscape  set amongst a spectacular backdrop of mountain peaks will provide plenty of photo opportunities. Lucky for us we overnight on the ship in the bay giving us  two full days on Bora Bora’s gorgeous sister island.

3 Mar 2012 Day 8 Papeete (Tahiti)

I have chosen the “Trails of the Ancients” shore excursion today. This or snorkel one of the world’s most beautiful lagoons. At the end of the afternoon, we cruise to our home port in Papeete, docking for the night.

Day 8 Disembark in Papeete

Since I did not have any time to explore Papeete when I arrived, I am looking forward to checking out the area and exploring Papeete.  A good place to plan my adventure is from this Papeete City Tour – interactive Google map.