Enchanting Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia 2020

Description

Come explore the enchanting Marquesas Islands aboard the latest incarnation of our famed ships. Setting sail in the Winter of 2015, the new Aranui 5 represents the crowning jewel of a 30 year long pursuit of the ultimate passenger freighter.

Redesigned and custom built with passenger comfort in mind, you will embark on a voyage of discovery following the paths of Paul Gauguin, Robert Louis Stevenson, Thor Heyerdahl and Jacques Brel. Our Polynesian staff and crew will welcome you to these exotic, captivating islands they call home.

The Aranui 5 continues our relaxed, friendly tradition with space to meet new friends in the bars and lounge or while relaxing on the deck or by the pool, as the islands seem to float by. If you are looking for privacy or romance, retreat to your balcony in our suites and deluxe staterooms. Watch the infinite colors of the sunset play in the sky and sea as another day draws to a close in the South Pacific.

After a 3 course dinner, let the lively Aranui Band introduce you to Polynesian rhythms and teach you to swivel your hips to the infectious beat of the Tamure or the Tahitian Waltz.

In these remote islands, our arrival is always met with great enthusiasm as we provide an essential link to the outside world. Copra, citrus fruit, fish and barrels of Noni are loaded and destined for Papeete.

Watching the Aranui’s muscular crew perform their tasks like a tightly choreographed ballet is part of the attraction and charm of the voyage. Descendants of the greatest navigators of all time, the ancient Polynesians who settled these islands they called “The Land of Men”, you will get to know our lively and talented sailors as they assist you from ship to shore, on and off our whale boats and tenders.Join us as the new Aranui 5 continues to offer adventure voyaging at its best, with full amenities, seafaring stability, warm hospitality and a lifetime of unforgettable memories.

All meals are included in the price of voyage. Meals are served in the dining room in an informal setting. Depending on the number of passengers, there will be on or two seatings. There is buffet breakfast. Lunch and dinner menus will vary depending on what fresh ingredients are available. Complimentary wine is provided at both lunch and dinner.

For shore excursions, we will provide either a picnic lunch or a delicious meal at a local restaurant.

Please Note:

* Port Taxes and Charges vary depending on cabin type.

* Single supplement, child rates and triple & quad share cabins are available – please contact us for more details.

* Dormitory cabins can be mixed sex – You should be aware that you may be sharing with males and females in these dormitories.

Trip Name

Enchanting Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia 2020

Days

Overview

Vessel Type: Passenger ship Length: 126 m Passenger Capacity: 260 Speed: 15 knots The Aranui is a mixed passenger/cargo vessel that operates between Tahiti and the Marquesas. It offers comfortable, air-conditioned accommodations for about two hundred passengers. Passengers will be able to sunbathe on deck, swim in the pool, or enjoy exotic tropical drinks while the Aranui wends her way among the islands of the Marquesas. Accommodations classes are Suites, Deluxe, Standard and C Class. The vessel operates under the French flag, and her crew are all Polynesian, primarily Marquesans. The name “Aranui” means “The Great Highway” in Maori, another great Polynesian culture. The first Aranui was purchased from a New Zealand ship owner in 1959. CPTM kept her original name, because it suited her. Serving as a link between the remote Marquesas and the rest of the world, she truly was a “Great Highway” on which cargo and passengers traveled. The original Aranui was too small to meet the needs of the islands as trade increased. CPTM therefore retired her, and purchased a new vessel, which was also named the Aranui. The second Aranui was originally built as a freighter for the Baltic trades, with unusually thick hull plates because of floating ice often found in that area. She was modified in Germany in 1990. After only a few years in service, it too was getting too small again to meet the islands growing trade needs as well as the increase in passenger travel. CPTM decided this time to built a new vessel in 2000, which was named the Aranui III. The Aranui III was built in Romania as a freighter and passenger vessel. Because of the number of passengers the vessel can carry, she was reclassifed as a passenger vessel. Thus, meeting the strict requirements of international SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) regulations and many safety features including life boats and lifte rafts and fire safety systems. The vessel is French registry, and crewed primarily by Marquesans. They are extremely skillfull and very hospitable. It is often their custom to give an impromptu concert in the evenings, both for their own and our passengers pleasure. The ship features a small boutique where various sundries, clothing and souvenirs are available. There are washing machines and dryers aboard, but dry cleaning is not available. There is also 2 bars and video room, which has a television, VCR and a small collection of videotapes. She also has a swimming pool and sunbathing space. The electrical current in the cabins is 220 volt 50 cycle AC, using French-style plugs. If you have any small appliances, please make sure you have voltage converters and plug adapters needed to use the ship’s standard power. The vessel accepts traveler’s checks and credit cards for on-board purchases. We regret that we cannot honor personal checks. Lock boxes are available on board for passenger convenience. However, we do not accept custody or responsibility for passenger valuables or money. Facilities: * 1 dining room * 2 spacious lounges & 2 conference rooms * 4 bars including 1 panoramic bar (Skybar) * 1 fitness room * 1 outside swimming pool * 1 shop * 1 massage room * 2 lifts

Itinerary

Day 1 - Day 01: Papeete, Tahiti (Saturday departure)

Departure from Papeete dock at 10:00am. Checking time is between 7:00AM and 9:00 AM and the counters will be closed at 9:30 AM.. There is a sense of excited anticipation onthe dock as passengers board the shipand the last cargo is loaded. The voyagebegins in true Polynesian style with a spiritedMarquesan dance show and cocktails aroundthe pool. As Aranui 5 heads northeast andTahiti fades into the distance, there is plentyof time to settle in and meet your crew andfellow adventurers and get to know the ship’slively and multitalented crew.

Day 2 - Day 02: Tuamotu Archipelago – Takapoto

After breakfast we get our fi rst glimpse ofthe glittering blue lagoon of the Takapotoatoll. Once the ship has anchored, we goashore by barge. After a short walk throughthe village and a visit to the brightly colouredchurch, we arrive at a picture-perfectwhite coral beach for a barbecue picniclunch. With local musicians providing thesoundtrack of theSouth Seas on ukeleleand guitar, we spenda lazy afternoonsnorkelling and swimmingin the warm, translucentwaters of the lagoon.

Day 3 - Day 03: At Sea

After a leisurely breakfast you might like totake a dip in the pool, sunbathe on one ofthe decks, indulge in a spa treatment or reador chat in the comfortable lounge. There isalso a library, gym, boutique and four bars toexplore, or you may choose to retreat to theprivacy of your suite or stateroom and dreamof the adventures that lie ahead.

Day 4 - Day 04: Nuku Hiva (Taiohae-Hatiheu- Taipivai)

At fi rst light we sail into Taiohae’s spectacularbay, a giant volcanic crater surrounded bytowering cliffs. As the Aranui 5 unloadsat the dock, there is a chance to exploreTaiohae, the small administrative capital ofthe Marquesas. After a tour of the CathedralNotre Dame, famed for its stonework andwood sculptures, we get into 4WDs andhead for the hills. Taiohae Bay is where theyoung sailor Herman Melville jumped ship in 1842. Following his escape route up the same winding mountain tracks and through jungle-likevalleys, we arrive at the archaeological site ofKamuihei where a troupe of dancers performin a magical setting on an ancient stoneplatform beneath a giant 400-year-old Banyantree. In the village of Hatiheu we have lunchat Chez Yvonne, one of the best restaurantsin the Marquesas, where the specialty ispork baked in an underground oven aswell as traditional Marquesan delicaciesincluding breadfruit, poisson cru, taro andsweet red bananas. In the afternoon wetravel to the valley of Taipivai, where Melvillewrote his famous book Typee. The area isdotted with stone tiki gods, sacred ritualsites (marae) and stone platforms (paepae)where the Taipi people built their houses, aswell as petroglyphs of birds, turtles and fi sh.Meanwhile hikers can follow a steep trail to aridge for breathtaking views of the beautifulAnaho Bay, where the Scottish writer RobertLouis Stevenson spent three weeks during aSouth Seas voyage in 1888.

Day 5 - Day 05: Ua Pou (Hakahau- Hakahetau)

After a short overnight voyage, dawn revealsthe extraordinary jagged pinnacles that havegiven Ua Pou the name ‘Cathedral Island’.Smiling locals turn out to greet the Aranui 5 atthe dock in the small town of Hakahau.As the crew busy themselves unloading cargo,passengers can take a 40-minute walk for abird’s eye view of the harbour before exploringthe town. The cultural and agriculturalcentre on the waterfront is a highlight andan opportunity to taste a variety of local fruitand pick up some unique souvenirs includingpieces carved from the exquisitely patternedvolcanic fl ower stone. Before a traditionalbuffet lunch at Tata Rosalie’s Restaurant, weare treated to a performance by some of thefi nest dancers in the Marquesas, including thespectacular Bird Dance, for which Ua Pou isfamed. In the afternoon we sail around therugged northern tip of the island and dropanchor off Hakahetau where we go ashoreby barge and spend a relaxed couple of hoursexploring the village.

Day 6 - Day 06: Tahuata (Vaitahu) & Hiva Oa (Atuona)

Follow our expert guides to the mysteriousjungle ruins of Puamau, where we visit one ofthe Marquesas’ most signifi cant archaeologicalsites at Mea’e Ipona that is noted for its tikis(ancient human-like religious sculptures). Thesehaunting and sometimes frightening statuesremind us of the often fearsome ancientcivilisations. Of particular interest is the largesttiki in the Marquesas that stands over twometres high, a six-fi ngered tiki that is said tohold signifi cant spiritual power, and anotherthat is a revered symbol of childbirth.Our next port of call is Atuona, the villagewhere the French painter Paul Gauguin spentthe last years of his life. It was also the homeof Belgian singer/composer Jacques Brel who,like Gauguin, lived out his last days in thislittle piece of paradise. After entering Atuonaharbour and docking at high tide, we visitthe Gauguin and Brel museums, a replica ofGauguin’s ‘House of Pleasure’, and the fi nalresting place of both men in the frangipaniscentedvillage cemetery high on a hilloverlooking the bay. The more active can alsojoin a one-hour hike to a spectacular viewpointabove the village or, if the weather is fi ne, signup for an adventure on horseback. Lunch isanother traditional Marquesan feast at Hoa Nuirestaurant followed by free time to shop forlocal crafts or check out the General Store.

Day 7 - Day 07: Hiva Oa (Puamau)

This is the smallest of the Marquesasinhabited islands and was the fi rst to tradewith Europeans. Captain Cook named theisland’s Resolution Bay after landing here in1774. The huge church, built by the Vaticanin the 1970s, is worth seeing for its woodcarvings and stained-glass windows. Theisland is also famed for its bone carvingand you will fi nd plenty of bone jewelleryamong the handicrafts for sale here. Whilethe Marquesans would once have carvedobjects from the bones of their ancestors,you will be relieved to fi nd they now use thebones of cows, whales and pigs rather thanhumans! For lunch we head to Kokuu Beach,one of the most beautiful in the Marquesas,for a barbecue picnic followed by a relaxedafternoon spent swimming or lying in theshade of the pandanus trees.

Day 8 - Day 08: Fatu Hiva (Omoa-Hanavave)

The first European contact with the Marquesanpeople occurred here in 1595 when theSpanish, thinking they had reached theSolomon Islands, arrived at Fatu Hiva. It is themost lush and remote island of the Marquesasand also a centre of Marquesan crafts. Iinthe village of Omoa we see women makingtapa cloth in the traditional way by beatingmulberry banyan or breadfruit tree bark. Weare also shown how the women make thewonderfully fragrant umu hei bouquets thatthey wear in their hair. Ink drawings on tapa,hand-dyed pareos and monoi coconut oil areamong the most highly prized souvenirs atOmoa’s arts and crafts centre. While the Aranui5 sails up the west coast to one of the mostbeautiful bays in the world, the Bay of Virginsat Hanavave, those who are feeling energeticcan make the 16-kilometre trip on foot. It is amoderately challenging but hugely rewardingmountain walk with a picnic stop at the top.The descent into Hanavave offers spectacularviews of soaring volcanic peaks and the Aranui5 at anchor in the bay below. Meanwhile thosewho have travelled to Hanavave on the shiphave time to explore the village and enjoy aperformance by local dancers.

Day 9 - Day 09: Ua Huka (Vaipaee-Hane- Hokatu)

Everyone gathers on deck atdawn to witness one of the mostextraordinary maritime manoeuvresin the world when Aranui 5 has to makea 180-degree turn in the narrow mouth ofVaipaee’s Invisible Bay. With no more thanabout 20 metres to spare on either side,it is a highly skilful operation in restrictedwaters. Once ashore, we visit an archaeologymuseum and an artisan market. Ua Huka ishome to the Marquesas’ best wood carversand here you will fi nd a fantastic range ofcarved items including tikis, manta rays,turtles, bowls and ukuleles.The island, where the Marquesas’ fi rst airstripwas built in 1972, is largely arid and home to many wildhorsesand goats.While here,we travelin fl owerdecorated4WDsto a large botanicalgarden and meet theextraordinary man behind it –Frenchman Léon Litchlé, who wasmayor here for 30 years. After stoppingfor a wonderful dance show, we head tothe restaurant Chez Celine Fournier in Hanefor lunch. Tonight we all let our hair downon the pool deck for an evening of feasting,fanfare and frivolity – Polynesian night! It’sa chance to wear fl owers in our hair, beentertained by fellow passengers and crew,and dance under the stars.

Day 10 - Day 10: At Sea

After an enchanting, enriching journey to the heart of Polynesian civilization, unwind or enjoy the various activities and lectures offered.

Day 11 - Day 11: Rangiroa, Tuamotu Islands

At Rangiroa, one of the largest atolls in theworld, we stop for a day of swimming andsnorkelling or scuba-diving in the warm,turquoise lagoon. Described by some as anunderwater jewellery box, these waters arenoted for their stunning coloured corals andclouds of tropical fi sh. Here, there is also thechance to visit a pearl farm where you mayfi nd it hard to resist the temptation to buythe ultimate Polynesian souvenir – a perfectlyformed, shimmering black pearl.

Day 12 - Day 12: Society Islands – Bora Bora

As the Aranui 5 sails into Bora Bora’sstunning blue-green lagoon, it’s not hard tosee why this place is on the bucket list of somany travellers. Of all the islands in FrenchPolynesia, it is arguably the most beautiful withits crystal waters and ring of islets emergingfrom the coral reef. The castle-like MountOtemanu stands sentinel above impossiblyperfect white sand beaches, and in theemerald waters a kaleidoscope of tropical fi shswim among coral gardens. Here you have theopportunity to snorkel while the ship’s crewprepares a beach picnic. For an additionalcost, you can sign up for a tour of the islandby outrigger or bus, swim with manta rays andsmall sharks, go scuba-diving or take a thrillinghelicopter ride over the lagoon.

Day 13 - Day 13: Papeete, Tahiti

Morning arrival in Papeete by 9:00am. Safe trip home with these memories.

Day 14 - Please Note:

This itinerary may be subject to change depending on if you have a Thursday or Saturday departure. Itinerary days are also subject to technical, meteorological reasons or freight constraints.Thursday Departure Itinerary: DAY 1: Papeete, Tahiti, DAY 2: Fakarava- Tuamotu ArchipelagoDAY 3: At SeaDAY 4: Hiva Oa (Puamau) & Tahuata (Vaitahu)DAY 5: Nuku Hiva (Taiohae- Hatiheu- Taipivai)DAY 6: Ua Pou (Hakahau)DAY 7: Hiva Oa (Atuona) & Tahuata (Koku'u)DAY 8: Fatu Hiva (Omoa- Hanavave)DAY 9: Ua Huka (Vaipaee- Hane- Hokatu)Day 10: At SeaDay 11: Rangiora, Tuamotu Archipelago Day 12: Bora Bora (Vaitape), Society ArchipelagoDay 13: Arrival in Paeete, Tahiti

Trip Dates

Start	End	Price From	Room Type

Inclusions

Enjoy one of the most fascinating voyages anywhere on the planet
Visit remote islands rich in culture, history and scenic beauty
Be introduced to Polynesian paradise and the centuries-old customs and way-of-life that so enthralled early explorers like James Cook