cook islands and society islands 2019-20 - explor cruises · 2018-10-05 · day 4 – aitutaki,...
TRANSCRIPT
COOK&SOCIETYISLANDS
This11-nightodysseyshowcasestheregion’sincrediblediversityofscenery,fromAitutaki’slow-lyingislandstothejaggedpeaksanddeepvalleysoffertileRarotonga,whichwassimplycalled“Paradise”bythefirstEuropeanexplorers.ContinuetotheSocietyIslandstodelightintheSouthPacific’scrownjewels—BoraBora,Taha’a,Huahine,andMoorea.
DATES:2019–March9;June15;August3;
November22020–January18;March7;July18;
October3
DURATION:12DAYS/11NIGHTS
EMBARK:PAPEETE,TAHITIDISEMBARK:PAPEETE,TAHITI
SHIP:PaulGauguin
FROM:$6,395
(IncludesairfromLAX)
HIGHLIGHTS–
• WhileintheCookIslands,calluponAitutaki,atinyislandthat’shometooneoftheworld’smostspectacularlagoons.
• SpendarelaxingdayonMotuMahana,ourveryownprivateislet,completewithwhite-sandbeaches,swayingpalmtrees,abarbecuelunch,drinksservedincoconuts,andafloatinglagoonbar.
• ThewatersaroundMooreaarehometoanamazingarrayofseacreatures.TakeanoptionalSCUBAexcursiontoswimamongtheseaturtlesandvibrantschoolsoffish.
• InBoraBora,spendtimeatourexclusivewhite-sandbeachonamotuenjoyingsnorkeling,kayaking,paddleboarding,volleyball,andstunningviewsofMountOtemanu.
ITINERARY–Day1–Embarkthem/sPaulGauguininPapeete,Tahiti,SocietyIslandsTheislandsofPolynesiaareagorgeouscollectionofvolcanicatollsstrewnacrossthegrandPacificOcean,andtheislandofTahitiisthelargestofall118.Explorethedynamicdining,nightlife,andshoppinginthecapitalcityofPapeetebeforeembarkingonTheGauguin.Day2–Huahine,SocietyIslandsKnownas“TheGardenIsland,”Huahine’slushrainforestsanddramaticterrainsurroundsacredsitesandlegendarylandmarksthatareamongthebest-preservedarcheologicalsitesinFrenchPolynesia.IfHuahine’sexpansivelagooniscallingyourname,enjoyaSCUBAdivingexcursionorpicniconthebeach.Day3–AtSeaSpendthedayenjoyingTheGauguin’sPolynesianambiance:casual,leisurely,andgraceful.Perhapsyou’lltakeinalecturebyoneofourspecialguests,andthenreflectonyourdayoverclassicFrenchcuisineatL’Etoile.
Day4–Aitutaki,CookIslandsWhiletheislandofAitutakimaybesmall,it’sbigonbeauty,thankstoitscoralreef-enclosedlagoon.Witnessitssplendorup-closewithaleisurelybeachvisit.Don’tforgettosavetimetoventureintothevillageofArutanga,whereyou’llfindtheoldestchurchintheCooks,whichdatesfrom1829.
Day5–Rarotonga,CookIslandsRuggedRarotongaisthemostmountainousofalltheCookIslands,andtimehereisbestspentexploringitsnaturalbeauty.SnorkelinMuriLagoon,wanderthelushTakitumiConservationArea,ortakeahikeintotheisland’sdenseinterior
withPa,alocalnaturalist.Day6–AtSeaThetimeyouspendonboardTheGauguinoffersendlessopportunitiesforrelaxationandenjoyment,whetherthatmeanssamplinggourmetcuisine,indulginginaspatreatment,watchingthesunsetfromachaiseloungeonthesundeck,orsimplymakingthemostofyourin-roomamenities.
Day7&8–BoraBora,SocietyIslandsAbucketlistdestinationformany,stunningBoraBorawelcomesyoufortwofulldaysofexploringlushpeaks,white-sandbeaches,colorfulcoralreefs,andromanticlagoons.Experiencethenaturalexcursion,sunsetjetboatride,orahelicoptertourthatfliesyouoverBoraBora’siconicMountOtemanu.Youcanalsospendtimeatourprivatebeachwhichoffersvolleyball,snorkeling,kayakingandpaddleboarding.Day9–Taha’a(MotuMahana),SocietyIslandsEmbarkonyourchoiceofexcitingshoreexcursionstoday,orspendyourwholedayrelaxingonMotuMahana,ourveryownprivateislet.Enjoyswimming,snorkeling,andkayaking,orsimplyloungeonthebeachwithachilledbeveragefromourfloatingbar.LesGauguineswillalsobeonhandtoprovidemusicalentertainmentanddemonstratetraditionalPolynesiancrafts.Adeliciousbarbecuelunchisprovided.
Day10–Moorea,SocietyIslandsVibrantcolorsaboundonMoorea,ineverythingfromfreshfruitsandflowerstomulti-huedlagoons,andfromspectacularmountainpeakstomulti-huedlagoons,andfromspectacularmountainpeakstopalm-fringedbeaches.Shopforlocalhandicrafts,embarkonanoptionaldolphin-watchingexpeditionwithamarinebiologist,andsamplethelocalpineapples,saidtobethemostdeliciousinallofFrenchPolynesia.
Day11–Moorea,SocietyIslands/Papeete,Tahiti,SocietyIslandsMoorea,oftenlikenedtoJamesMichener'smythicalislandofBaliHai,isworthavisitjusttoexperienceitsspectacularvistas.Volcanicpeaks,reflectedinthewatersofCook'sBayandOpunohuBay,riselikeashark'sjawabovepalmtree-linedbeaches.Theunderwaterworldisjustasenchanting,withsharks,tuna,dolphins,andtropicalfish—nowonderit’sapopulardestinationfordivers.
Day12–DisembarkinPapeete,Tahiti,SocietyIslandsTahiti’scapitalcityofPapeetewelcomesyoubackwithemeraldhillsides,sapphirewaters,andwarmbreezes.Ifyou’renotreadyforyourSouthPacificvacationtoend,spendafewdayshereexperiencingresorts,spas,restaurants,nightlife,andshopping.
PAULGAUGUINGUESTS:332FROM:$6,145(IncludesairfromLAX)WanttostaylongerandExplorthearea?PreandorPoststaysareavailableinFrenchPolynesia,CookIslands,Australia,NewZealandorFiji!