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Peregrine Travel Centre

Marquesas in Depth, Tuamotus & Society Islands

Marquesas in Depth, Tuamotus & Society Islands

From AUD $14,240

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Description

A vast expanse dotted with some one hundred heavenly islets and idyllic atolls bathing in stunning, translucent lagoons with a rich marine biodiversity, French Polynesia invites you for an enchanting, intriguing and captivating interlude. Set sail from Papeete aboard Le Paul Gauguin for an exceptional 15-day cruise to discover Polynesian treasures including wild natural environments, rich underwater scenery, and age-old traditions. The Paul Gauguin will stop at the heart of the Tuamotu Islands to explore the marvellous depths of the atoll of Fakarava, a UNESCO-classified nature reserve. In the middle of the natural sanctuaries of Fatu Hiva and Hiva Oa hide mysterious rock carvings bearing witness to a long history and ancestral traditions. These ancient customs are reproduced throughout the Marquesas, even on the smallest island of the archipelago, Tahuata, known for its traditional handicrafts. At the heart of the dense forests of Nuku Hiva, droplets from the waterfalls dive off the vertiginous cliffs. Ua Pou, your final port of call in the Marquesas, will reveal its majestic, steep rocky peaks and its stunning beaches of black sand. The sweet scent of vanilla and Tahitian gardenias bewitches you and your dreams of escape and contemplation now seem within hand’s reach. Marvel at the unrivalled beauty of the Bora Bora lagoon and the island’s distinctive volcanic silhouette, as well as the majestic ballet of the colourful fish undulating through the turquoise waters of motu Mahana, our small, private paradise steeped in the scent of vanilla. Finally, you will sail towards Papeete, your disembarkation port.

Trip Name
Marquesas in Depth, Tuamotus & Society Islands
Days
15
Overview
Vessel Type: Luxury Expedition Length: 504 feet, 153.6 meters Passenger Capacity: 332 Refurbished: 2021 Designed specifically to glide through the shallow seas of the South Pacific, The Gauguin is 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 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. Ship Features All oceanview accommodations, nearly 70% with balconies, measuring from 200 to 500 sq. ft., including balcony Butler service, in-suite bar setup, and iPod® music system in suite/stateroom category B and above A choice of three dining venues Complimentary 24-hour room service, including selections from L’Etoile restaurant during regular dining hours Complimentary beverages, including select wines and spirits, beer, soft drinks, bottled water, and hot beverages Onboard gratuities for room stewards, dining and bar staff Full entertainment program including Polynesian artists, musical entertainment, a pianist, and a professionally operated casino with slot machines Spa and beauty services, including hand and foot treatments, body treatments, facials, and spa programs Optional PADI SCUBA diving program and certification Watersports marina for complimentary kayaking and paddleboarding, and Zodiacs® for optional dive excursions Fully-equipped fitness center Presentations by local naturalists and a variety of special guests Spacious outdoor decks and pool La Boutique duty-free shop Book library (open 24 hours a day) Wi-Fi hot spots throughout the ship to cover most suites/staterooms and common areas, as well as guest-accessible computers, available 24 hours a day for a nominal fee Laundry services available Certified medical services 166 suites/staterooms on Decks 3-8, including one wheelchair-accessible stateroom and select staterooms that can accommodate three guests

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1 PAPEETE, TAHITI ISLAND
Capital of French Polynesia, the city of Papeete is on the north-west coast of the island of Tahiti. You’ll find a relaxed atmosphere here,where urban buzz combines with the legendary laid-back Polynesian lifestyle. Culture is not lacking. You can enjoy sites narrating the history of the archipelago, including the colonial cathedral and the Maison de la reine Marau. The Vaipahi public gardens will win you over by their abundant plant-life. The large municipal market offers local specialities: fresh fruit, spices and all kinds of fish abound on their stalls.
Day 2 - Day 2 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. You’ll disembark in a zodiac and berth in front of the Veke Veke guesthouse, where you will be welcomed with garlands of flowers and traditional music. You will then be able to go for a walk along the beach or put on flippers, mask and snorkel to make the most of the warm waters of Fakarava and observe its brightly coloured coral.
Day 3 - Day 3 AT SEA
During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 4 - Day 4 OMOA, FATU HIVA ISLAND
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. During your port of call, you’ll be able to discover the Maison Grelet, a museum that houses remarkable wooden sculptures and local works of art. Right in front of you, the village’s artisans will demonstrate how they make tapa, a bark cloth obtained through the technique of beating layers of wood, and explain the manufacturing processes of umu hei, a bouquet garni made from a delicious mix of fragrances.
Day 5 - Day 5 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, we 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. This port of call will provide you with an opportunity to visit the small village of Atuona, home to the tombs of Jacques Brel and Paul Gauguin, as well as a cultural centre devoted to the memory of the famous French painter.
Day 6 - Day 6 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. You will also find a craft centre presenting various sculptures and engravings in bone or wood. Marquesan art is, in fact, recognised all over French Polynesia. 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. A moment of conviviality you’ll remember!
Day 7 - Day 7 HATIHEU, NUKA HIVA ISLAND
Entering Hatiheu Bay, you will quickly make out the statue of the Virgin, which, standing more than 300 metres high, overlooks this beautiful little village. Located on the north of Nuku Hiva Island, this locality is dominated by impressive basalt pitons. In the past, the fear of tsunamis and attacks from other clans led the tribes to settle in the interior of the valleys. As a consequence, many archaeological sites remain preserved and make for interesting excursions. You will find many of the ceremonial plazas, called tohua, notably those of Kamuihei and Hikokua where you will be able to observe several reconstructed traditional houses.
Day 8 - Day 8 HAKAHAU, UA POU ISLAND
Located in the Marquesas Islands, in the north-east of French Polynesia, Hakahau is the main village and port of Ua Pou (meaning “pillars”), the third largest island in the archipelago. Nestling in the curve of a sheltered bay, Hakahau will charm you with its tranquillity and the wild splendour of its scenery. Lined with a black-sand beach, the village offers an unsettling landscape with volcanic rock peaks that rise up like imposing statues. Inhabited since 150 B.C., Hakahau is home to several churches and the Motu Haka cultural federation. The 2,000 or so inhabitants of the island live primarily off fishing, farming and crafts. Their wooden and stone sculptures are renowned.
Day 9 - Days 9 - 10 AT SEA
During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 10 - Day 11 RANGIROA, TUAMOTU ISLANDS
A secluded atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago, Rangiroa, meaning “vast sky” in Polynesian, is very aptly named. The lagoon of the largest atoll in Polynesia is reminiscent of the heavens, imprisoned by hundreds of islets formed by sand that veers from immaculate white to pink. But the beauty of Rangiroa, classed by Captain Cousteau as one of the most beautiful diving spots in the world, is most evident in its underwater life: you will have the occasion of admiring all the richness of the site on a snorkeling tour or on a glass-bottom boat tour. Rangiroa is also the high seat of Polynesian pearl culture.
Day 11 - Day 12 AT SEA
During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 12 - Day 13 BORA BORA, SOCIETY ISLANDS
Paradisiacal atoll of the archipelago of the Leeward Islands, west of French Polynesia, mythical Bora Bora offers a natural spectacle of captivating beauty. 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. A promenade through this volcanic landscape will enable you to discover a number of villages and meet local communities.
Day 13 - Day 14 MOTU MAHANA, TAHA'A ISLAND, SOCIETY ISLANDS
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. The volcanic island of Taha’a, dominated by Mount Ohiri and Mount Puurauti, will reveal its fertile and luxuriant nature, ideal for cultivating the magnificent black pearls of French Polynesia, as well as vanilla. This rare spice, greatly in demand by gourmets, is the main economic resource of what is also known as Vanilla Island.
Day 14 - Day 15 PAPEETE, TAHITI ISLAND
Capital of French Polynesia, the city of Papeete is on the north-west coast of the island of Tahiti. You’ll find a relaxed atmosphere here,where urban buzz combines with the legendary laid-back Polynesian lifestyle. Culture is not lacking. You can enjoy sites narrating the history of the archipelago, including the colonial cathedral and the Maison de la reine Marau. The Vaipahi public gardens will win you over by their abundant plant-life. The large municipal market offers local specialities: fresh fruit, spices and all kinds of fish abound on their stalls.
Day 15 - Please Note:
Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
14-09-202428-09-2024AUD $14,240Porthole Stateroom
14-09-202428-09-2024AUD $15,010Window Stateroom
14-09-202428-09-2024AUD $20,700Balcony Stateroom. From
14-09-202428-09-2024AUD $27,620Veranda Stateroom
14-09-202428-09-2024AUD $34,080Veranda Suite
14-09-202428-09-2024AUD $45,620Grand Suite
14-09-202428-09-2024AUD $47,460Owner's Suite. From

Inclusions

    • History and culture are in the forefront on the island of Hiva Oa, which is the home of the largest stone sculptures in the Marquesas, which are said to be linked to the famous tikis of Easter Island.
    • UNESCO World Heritage Site: biosphere reserve of Fakarava, and the world’s second-largest lagoon, home to unique flora and fauna, gray sharks and untouched coral reefs.
    • Discover the most beautiful islands of the Marquesas, combining age-old traditions and wild, unspoiled nature.
    • Discover Polynesian culture: ancient crafts in Fatu Hiva, sculpted works in Tahuata, sculpted stone tiki and 7,000 petroglyphs in Taiohae.
    • Live the life idyllic with a memorable day on Motu Mahana, our own private slice of paradise. On this exclusive islet, treat yourself to sand between your toes, the shade of swaying palm trees, a sumptuous barbecue lunch, and, of course, drinks sipped from coconuts.
    • Landscapes: towering peaks, imposing cliffs, plantations, forests, turquoise lagoons, unspoilt beaches, deserted coves and more, underwater caves.
    • Possibility of diving (PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent) with an experienced instructor on board.

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