Spain - Harvey World Travel

A luxurious small ship and the
fabled islands of Tahiti….
For Natalie Archer
of Harvey World Travel Remuera,
they were the ingredients for
a perfect honeymoon.
Tahiti has always been a destination that
conjures up romance and relaxation in
my mind, so what better place to go for
a honeymoon? I’d always had my heart
set on staying in an overwater bungalow
in Bora Bora – until I found out how much
that would cost!
After comparing a few alternatives I came
across Paul Gauguin Cruises. For a fraction
of the cost of an overwater bungalow, we
could have our own moving ‘overwater
bungalow’ for seven nights to explore
several islands in French Polynesia! So it
was decided and we booked for April,
a great time of year to visit since it’s right
after the rainy season and we were lucky
enough to have ten days of pure sunshine.
Paul Gauguin Cruises offers great value
and ease for the traveller as all meals,
drinks (including alcohol), gratuities and
entertainment are included in your cruise
fare, so all you need to budget for are
shore excursions and spending money.
The m/s Paul Gauguin is a small,
322-passenger luxury cruise ship with a
very relaxed island atmosphere. From the
moment we stepped on board we felt at
home and the staff really go out of their
way to ensure you have a memorable
experience, to the point where our waiters
memorised not only our names but also
our drink preferences! The food on board
was so delicious and plentiful that it was
hard coming back home to cook our own
meals again!
Having cruised many times on large
ships of around 3,500 passengers, we
expected the cabins and public areas to
be small, but we were surprised to find the
ensuite bathroom in our stateroom had
a full-size bath (with L’Occitane personal
care products) and an overhead shower.
There was also plenty of space to store
our suitcases for the week.
The public areas were also very spacious
and we even managed to get deck chairs
around the pool with ease. Of course, you
don’t have the glitzy Broadway shows and
array of activities as you would on a large
ship, but there are some great activities
you can participate in while on board.
There are small nightly shows, a piano bar
and visits to the galleys and the bridge.
We enjoyed the stargazing experience a
couple of times which was very informative.
Out at sea, without light pollution, the stars
are truly amazing.
Since our voyage, Paul Gauguin has had
a seven-million-dollar facelift so I’m sure
she is now even more impressive.
We flew direct from Auckland to Papeete
with Air Tahiti Nui, and on arrival were
transferred to the Radisson Plaza Resort,
which was about 20 minutes from the
airport. We spent a lot of time in the
resort’s fabulous swimming pool as well
as drinking cocktails! We also caught
the Radisson’s complimentary bus into
Papeete and had a good look around
the markets and the surrounding area, but
we couldn’t wait to get out and see the
islands and the crystal-clear waters that
French Polynesia has to offer.
That day soon arrived and we were
collected from the Radisson Plaza
Resort and taken to the pier in Papeete.
Embarkation was very quick and efficient
and before we knew it we were sipping
Champagne on board before being
escorted to our stateroom.
We booked the seven-night ‘Tahiti &
Society Islands’ cruise in an Oceanview
Stateroom, which was great for us as we
spent a lot of time out and about. I must
admit though that next time we’ll go for
a Veranda or Balcony Stateroom so we
have a lovely deck to relax on in the
afternoons.
One of the highlights of the cruise was
a day spent on Motu Mahana, Paul
Gauguin Cruises’ own private motu (little
island) off the larger island of Taha’a. It
was a fabulous day spent snorkelling in
the crystal-clear waters, eating (they pull
out all the stops for the beach barbecue),
drinking from the floating bar (you don’t
even need to leave the water to get a
cocktail!) and relaxing in the sun on the
deck chairs. This is now my ‘happy place’:
I dream of lying in the sun here when I’m
having a bad day!
The other highlight was definitely Bora
Bora. On one of our days there we
booked an Aqua Safari underwater walk
that took us to the bottom of the ocean
wearing old-style diving helmets. It’s a
whole different world down there and the
coral and tropical fish were spectacular.
The next day we booked Le Truck and
went for a tour around the island. I have to
say that Bora Bora has some of the most
stunning scenery and beaches I’ve ever
seen in my life and it truly does look like a
computer screen-saver.
Moorea was also a beautiful island
surrounded by beautiful beaches and
full of history. We took a tour of Moorea
with one of the locals who took us out
to explore the pineapple fields and an
ancient Tahitian stone temple en route to
the Belvedere Lookout. At the summit, there
were breathtaking views of Cook’s Bay,
Opunohu Bay and Mount Rotui.
On another day in Moorea we wanted
to do something a little different so we
took a Dolphin Watching Expedition
with Dr Michael Poole, who was very
knowledgeable about the spinner
dolphins we saw. We also got some
great photos.
Sadly, our seven days on the Paul Gauguin
sped by and before we knew it we were
back at the pier in Papeete and off to
board our plane home. The only thing that
made that a bit more bearable was flying
in Business Class on Air Tahiti Nui!
We definitely fell in love with Tahiti and the
Society Islands and can safely say that
we’ll be back one day – and we’ll do a
longer Paul Gauguin Cruise next time!
on location harveyworld.co.nz
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