Canadian World Traveller Spring 2024 Issue
Now in our 22nd year of publishing, World Traveler explores the culture and history of worldwide destinations, sharing the adventure of discovery with our readers and motivating them to make their travel dreams a reality. World Traveler helps sophisticated, independent travelers choose their next destination by offering a lively blend of intelligent, informative articles and tantalizing photographic images from the world’s best destinations, cruises, accommodations and activities to suit every traveler's taste.
Now in our 22nd year of publishing, World Traveler explores the culture and history of worldwide destinations, sharing the adventure of discovery with our readers and motivating them to make their travel dreams a reality. World Traveler helps sophisticated, independent travelers choose their next destination by offering a lively blend of intelligent, informative articles and tantalizing photographic images from the world’s best destinations, cruises, accommodations and activities to suit every traveler's taste.
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58<br />
Photo: Variety Cruises<br />
Unveiling Tahiti’s Allure with Variety Cruises<br />
Article and photography by Nicholas Kontis<br />
When travelers conjure images of<br />
French Polynesia, not surprisingly,<br />
the first island to come to mind is<br />
not Tahiti but the supermodel island of Bora<br />
Bora, with its luxurious hotels like the Four<br />
Seasons Bora Bora, complete with expensive,<br />
over-the-water bungalows and unblemished<br />
panoramic views of omnipresent Mount<br />
Otemanu.<br />
But there's more to this storied archipelago<br />
than Tahiti and Bora Bora. After short visits to<br />
these famous destinations, I was excited to<br />
join a seven-night sailing through the Society<br />
Islands with Variety Cruises, a Greek smallship<br />
cruise line. Aboard the 164-foot (50-<br />
meter) Panorama II, my wife and I had the<br />
opportunity to visit multiple off-the-beatenpath<br />
islands. With its 25 ocean-view cabins<br />
serving 49 guests and 16 crew, the twin-masted<br />
private yacht offered an immersive cultural<br />
voyage more than a beach holiday.<br />
Variety's Society Islands sailings include sevenand<br />
10-night cruises, both departing and<br />
returning to the capital of Papeete. We opted<br />
for the shorter cruise to Moorea, Huahine,<br />
Bora Bora, Taha'a and Raiatea. The longer<br />
voyage ventures further to the rarely-visited<br />
Tuamotu archipelago, stopping at Makatea,<br />
Rangiroa, and Tikehau.<br />
We were greeted in Papeete by Panorama<br />
Captain Andreas Sifnotis, a Greek seafarer<br />
who has spent his life sailing to the world's far<br />
ends. The gregarious captain quickly reminded<br />
me of my name: St. Nicholas protects all<br />
sailors and ships, and with Saint Nicholas<br />
Day, December 6th, rapidly approaching, I<br />
should feel safe. Soon, I met more Greek<br />
crew members and Indonesian housekeeping<br />
and kitchen staff. All are friendly, asking me<br />
where I'm from while reminding me I'm in for<br />
an unforgettable excursion.<br />
Sephora, the cruise director, is a native of<br />
Raiatea, which we will soon visit. The charming<br />
hospitality leader would serve as our<br />
entertainment guide and head of household<br />
www.worldtraveler.travel - Already 22 Years!
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