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  3. Tahiti & the Pearls of French Polynesia
Days
8
Price from
1880GBP
Map of Tahiti & the Pearls of French Polynesia including French Polynesia

Experience the vibrant natural landscapes and relaxing pace of French Polynesia.

It might sound like a cliché, but the crystal blue waters, colourful coral and lush green islands of French Polynesia are anything but boring. Snorkelers and swimmers will be in their element, with abundant marine life, stunning lagoons and pristine coral reefs just begging to be explored. On dry land, learning about the fascinating ancient culture of the French Polynesian people is an experience, with temples and archaeological sites abound. From your base on the Panaroma II, a comfortable small ship and an expert crew to show you the way, you’ll embrace the island life in no time.

Start
Papeete, French Polynesia
Finish
Papeete, French Polynesia
Destination
French Polynesia
Style
Peregrine
Theme
Adventure Cruising
Code
PMPT
Physical rating
Ages
Min 7
Group size
Min 1, Max 47

Why you'll love this trip

  • Snorkel with sting rays and sharks in beautiful Bora Bora.

  • Take a tour of a local pearl farm on the lush island of Taha'a.

  • Enjoy a speedboat ride down Faaroa River in Raiatea.

  • Visit an ancient marae (temple) at Taputapuatea, which was recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Is this trip right for you?

  • This is a small ship Adventure Cruise, which means you’ll be sailing on a motorised yacht with 30–50 other people. The boat is spacious and comfortable, but this cruise focuses more on the destination than on-board activities. Instead of a pool, we have the sea itself. Instead of a casino, we’ve got board games and a good book. There’s also no formal dress code to worry about. Wi-Fi is available for a small charge.

  • Our ship moves under engine power, rather than sailing, so all cabins will experience light engine noise when the ship is moving (and occasionally when we drop anchor). It’s probably worth packing earplugs if you’re a light sleeper.

  • The ship will experience some roll and pitch in choppy conditions, however all of our ships come equipped with stabilisers to minimise movement. There will be seasickness tablets on board and your crew will do all they can to minimise any discomfort.

  • This trip is very much focused around marine activities so confidence in the water will allow you to make the most of the snorkelling opportunities. Flotation aids will be available on board as well as kayaks and stand-up paddleboards.

  • There are no lifts (elevators) on board our ships, so you’ll have to navigate a few steep flights of stairs (fitted with handrails) to access all the decks.

  • French Polynesia is a tropical climate, so while the weather is normally quite warm in some parts of the year you might experience a heavy downpour of rain that lasts around 30 minutes or so.

  • None of the activities on the trip are included, they are all optional extras.

Aerial view of Bora Bora in French Polynesia
A traditional cultural dance on the French Polynesian islands
A local prepares some coconut on the French Polynesian islands
The beautiful shoreline of Bora Bora in French Polynesia
A cultural dance on the island of Tahiti in French Polynesia
Rangiroa island in the French Polynesian Islands

Itinerary
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Ia Orana, welcome to Tahiti! This afternoon, you’ll make your way to your floating home for the next eight days – the Panorama II, which is docked in Papeete Port. Meet your fellow travellers, crew and local leaders between 2:30pm and 4:00pm and after a welcome briefing and safety drill you’ll set sail for Bora Bora. On this trip, all meals are included on the boat, so you will enjoy dinner at sea before rocking to sleep with the gentle waves.
Accommodation
  • M/Y Panorama II (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Dinner

Arrive in Bora Bora first thing this morning. After enjoying breakfast with a view of Bora Bora lagoon and the famous Mount Otemanu in the backdrop, you’ll have a choice of a number of optional activities to fill both today and tomorrow. These include a cultural tour with a local guide in a 4x4, a snorkeling trip where you can keep an eye out for the sharks and sting rays or an open-air Lagoon Aquarium. There may be a more optional activities available on your trip, so have a chat to your leader about the different options. Tonight, you will spend the night anchored n Bora Bora Lagoon.
Accommodation
  • M/Y Panorama II (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Bora Bora - Guided Snorkelling Tour (half day) - EUR80
  • Bora Bora - Cultural Tour by 4WD - EUR105
  • Bora Bora - Open Air Lagoon Aquarium Experience: Shark & Ray, Moto Tapu - EUR115
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

This morning you will have a chance to take part in the cultural tour in a 4x4 if you didn’t get the chance to do it yesterday. Then, after lunch on board the boat you will cruise out of Bora Bora towards Huahine. You may want to while away the afternoon on board making use of the sun beds on the top deck, chatting to your fellow travellers or curling up with a book in the lounge. You’ll arrive in Huahine late in the evening and spend the night anchored inside the lagoon.
Accommodation
  • M/Y Panorama II (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Bora Bora - Cultural Tour by 4WD - EUR105
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Today you will be exploring the two main islands of Huahine, a jungle paradise filled with tropical plantations including coconuts, vanilla orchids, banana groves, breadfruit trees and watermelon fields. Aside from blossoming with nature, Huahine is also known for its cultural significance – it was once home to Tahitian royalty and has many ancient temples known as marae in French Polynesian culture. Some of these date back as far as 700 AD! Today you will have the choice of two optional tours; a half day or a full day tour. On the half day tour, you’ll be driven around in 4x4 vehicles to visit the small villages of Fare, which is an archaeological site and Maeva, a vanilla plantation. If you choose this option, you will return to the boat for lunch. The full day excursion includes a boat excursion to visit a local pearl farm, complete with a picnic lunch and snorkeling. If neither of these day tours appeal, you can spend the day at your leisure – either relaxing on the boat or exploring the area around the lagoon. Tonight, after dinner on board you will spend the night anchored in the lagoon.
Accommodation
  • M/Y Panorama II (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Huahine - Lagoon Tour with Moto Lunch - EUR95
  • Huahine - 4WD & Walking Tour: Maeva Village, the Faie & Sacred Site - EUR78
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

This morning you’ll leave Huahine early and set sail for the island of Taha'a, which shares a magnificent lagoon with neighbouring Raiatea Island. This lush island is extremely fertile and is covered with banana, watermelon, vanilla orchid and coconut groves. Today you’ll have the chance to explore the beautiful island by 4x4 vehicle in an optional tour. You’ll visit a pearl farm and a traditional vanilla plantation. It’s also the perfect opportunity to try some of the local fruits that are grown in the region and take in some of the incredible views of Ha'amene Bay. The afternoon is free for swimming and snorkeling on the “motu”, or reef islet, or exploring the area around the reef on your own. Tonight, will be spent anchored in the lagoon.
Accommodation
  • M/Y Panorama II (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Taha'a - Taha'a Guided tour by 4WD - EUR69
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

First thing this morning you’ll sail across the lagoon to reach Raiatea, which is considered the homeland of the ancient Polynesians. While it was previously known as Havai’i, Raiatea translates to “faraway heaven” and “sky with soft light”. Today you’ll have the chance to take part in an optional speedboat ride down Faaroa River with an expert local guide leading the way. You’ll end up at the ancient marae (temple) at Taputapuatea, which was recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you’ll have the chance to learn about Taputapuatea’s history, before enjoying a picnic lunch of local fare. Later that afternoon there will be time to relax on the boat before sailing to Mo'orea overnight.
Accommodation
  • M/Y Panorama II (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Ra'iatea - Faaroa River & Marae Taputapuatea by speed boat - EUR96
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

You’ll reach Mo'orea first thing in the morning, which is easily spotted thanks to the eight huge mountain peaks that rise from its lagoon. This place is thought to have inspired the mythical Bali Hai from James Michener's Tales of the South Pacific. Today the optional activity is a nature safari tour in a 4x4. You’ll be exploring the inner crater of the island’s volcano, visiting a pineapple plantation and an agricultural school, as well as seeing the incredible landscapes of the island. Everyone will meet back on the ship later in the day and enjoy a farewell dinner together, before spending a night anchored in the lagoon.
Accommodation
  • M/Y Panorama II (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Moorea - Nature & Culture Tour by 4WD - EUR88
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

This morning you’ll set sail early for Tahiti, arriving in Papeete by 9am. From here, you will say farewell to your fellow travellers and the crew before disembarking the Panorama II.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Meals

7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners

Transport

Small Cruise Ship

Accommodation

Small Cruise Ship 7 nights

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Important notes

Your voyage is operated by our partner company, Variety Cruises.

SHORE EXCURSIONS
On this itinerary, shore excursions are optional and are paid on board the ship in Euro’s. The price and a description of these excursions are listed in the day to day itinerary. Please note there is a a minimum of 12 customers required for all shore excursions to go ahead.

BOOKING CONDITIONS
Adventure Cruising trips have a deposit of A$600 per person (different amounts apply in other currencies) and the balance is due 90 days before departure.
If a booking is cancelled 90 days or more before departure - the cancellation fee is the full loss of the deposit paid.
If a booking is cancelled between 89 and 31 days before departure - the cancellation fee is 50% of the total booking cost, or the deposit, whichever is greater.
if a booking is cancelled 30 days or less prior to departure - the cancellation fee is 100% of the total price of the voyage.
Other fees may apply for air tickets and other arrangements booked in conjunction with a voyage.

SINGLE TRAVELLERS
It is not possible to share with a stranger on a Variety Cruises voyage and single travellers must pay the Single Occupancy rate.

Essential trip information

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