Selling Travel September 19

my trip to... 49
BORA-BORA
STINGRAY ENCOUNTER, MOOREA
CREDIT LINE HERE PLEASE IF ANY
island, hiked up Mount Tapioi on Raiatea
and joined the long list of celebrities who
have frequented the famous Bloody Mary’s
Restaurant on Bora Bora, an hour’s walk
from the pier.
Sacred places
And then there was that Trails of the
Ancients tour with Mark Eddowes, a
regular guest speaker on Paul Gauguin’s
Society Islands’ cruises.
We saw the remains of an ancient marae
(the Polynesian’s sacred meeting ground)
and learned of their religious beliefs and
how life in the islands changed when the
French arrived in the 1700s. The excursion
was supposed to be four hours but was
so fascinating that when it overran no one
noticed or cared.
We even went along to Mark’s lectures
back on Paul Gauguin - one about ancient
Polynesian society, another billed the
DECK VIEWS
‘true’ story of the mutiny on the Bounty.
Unfortunately I missed the ending because
we had to leave half way through as we
had booked dinner in the Grill, one of two
speciality restaurants on the ship. The
other is the Veranda, which doubles as the
self-service for breakfast and lunch) that
book up fast.
We dined in each, but most evenings
went to L’Etoile, the main dining room,
where you can eat when and with whom
you want. During meal times, two of Les
Gauguines, a group of seven local women
who provided the entertainment on the
ship, passed through the restaurant, one
playing the guitar, the other dancing.
They also performed song-and-dance
shows in the theatre in the evenings,
and by day hosted games of volley ball,
petanque and hermit crab racing, as well
as telling us about life ON the islands and
teaching us how to make shell bracelets.
It sounded a lot easier than it was but
practice makes perfect so as I see it, I just
need to cruise on Paul Gauguin again and
have another go!
How to get there
The best route from the UK to Tahiti
is via Los Angeles. Air Tahiti Nui flies
from Paris to LA between five and
seven times a week depending on the
season and offers a daily service from
LA to Papeete, taking eight hours. The
national carrier has just launched its
new Dreamliner fleet, with a refreshed
cabin reflecting the tropical colours and
shapes of the idyllic Polynesian islands.
British Airways flies direct to Los Angeles.
PADDLE BOARDING
Top tips
Group mentality
Offer to organise a Polynesian cruise or
liveaboard diving holiday for a group
from your local dive club or shop.
All-rounder
With everything from hardy mountain
and rainforest hikes and thrilling water
sports to gentle swimming on the menu,
this is a perfect cruise for all ages.
Addded extras
Extend your client’s South Pacific holiday
with pre or post-cruise hotel nights in
Tahiti’s capital Papeete, Los Angeles or both.
Not just for cruise lovers
Think beyond cruising and target luxuryloving
clients looking for an exotic holiday
with plenty of sun, sea and sand.
Where to book it
The Cruise Portfolio has a one-week Tahiti
and the Society Island voyage with Paul
Gauguin Cruises from £4,272 per person
departing January 4, 2020 including
return flights with Air Tahiti Nui between
Los Angeles and Papeete.
cruiseportfolio.co.uk
sellingtravel.co.uk