Cruise French Polynesia on the Pacific Princess
Tahitian Black Pearls, Lemon Sharks, and South Seas Culture
Jan 10, 2009
French Polynesia is made up of about 130 main islands totaling 1,500 square miles – which are spread out over two million square miles of South Pacific Ocean. The bustling capital of Tahiiti, Papette contrasts with sleepy enclaves where life wafts along at the pace of a sultry Polynesian trade wind.
Flying between islands is quick, and there’s a good network of both ferries and puddle (or ocean) jumpers. But the truly luxurious option to take a cruise. Princess Cruises offers several itineraries that stop here, and in 2009, the 675-passgenger Pacific Princess offers tours entirely within French Polynesia.
Tahiti: Papeete's CIty Market, Tahitian Black Pearls, and Paul Gaugin
Known for its influence on the art of Paul Gaugin, Tahiti is French Polynesia’s major island, with bustling Papeete the capital and cruise embarkation point. Don’t miss the colorful local market filled with vegetables, fruits, seafood, and crafts. The Pearl Museum is on the main drag along the seafront, and is well worth a stop: It contains displays of more than 2000 years of pearl diving, and has Tahitian black pearls of all sizes and prices for sale. Outside of town, the Gaugin Museum is also worth the drive. Although it doesn’t have many original paintings, its exhibits describe Gaugin’s life and work in Polynesia.
Bora Bora: Diving, History, and a Memorable Bloody Mary
James Michener called Bora Bora the world’s most beautiful island, and described the atoll’s famous coral ring as “absolute perfection.” The semi-circular palm-fringed atoll has appeared on calendars and magazines worldwide. History buffs can visit the left-over American World War II cannons; celebrity hounds can follow in the footsteps of movie actors like Marlon Brando, who have visited Bloody Mary’s, perhaps the island’s most famous watering hole (order the signature drink).
Divers have a choice of several exciting dives, where you might see lemon sharks, gray sharks, white tips, and black tips. Warning for the slightly scared: Chumming is often done to bring the sharks in closer. If you’re not SCUBA-certified, you can still experience some of the undersea world with shark-encounter snorkel trips, an undersea submarine, or by taking an undersea tour where you basically walk underwater with an old fashioned divers helmet that provides an air-line to the surface.
Moorea: Volcanic Scenery and Catamaran Sailing
Moorea has become a vacationer’s paradise, with its volcanic mountains jutting straight up to the sky, its beachfront dotted by over-sea bungalows, and its waters home to sleepy catamarans that offer sunset sails and all-day excursions; diving and snorkeling are also available.
Raiatea: Traditional Polynesia and Watersports
Raiatea is one of Polynesia’s best-kept secrets. Islanders maintain a traditional pace of life imbued with a respect for the old ways. Raiatea is home to some of French Polynesia’s most sacred sites. Marae, which are traditional places of worship, are scattered around the island; It’s worth taking a guided tour to learn about the customs and history. Raiatea is also known for water sports; it is a yachting center, and offers fine snorkeling off the small sandy islands known as motus.
Huahine: Sacred Sites and Black Pearls
Famous for its many historic sacred sites, Huahine boasts the largest collect of marae in French Polynesia. This sleepy island is popular with independent adventure travelers, less so with luxury seekers – although its pearl farms, where Polynesia’s famous black pearls are pulled from the sea, and turned into stunning jewelry, offer fascinating tours of the pearl cultivation process
Getting To and Around Polynesia
In addition to the Pacific Princess, several other Princess ships stop in French Polynesia as part of around-the-world or longer trips.
Air Tahiti Nui is offering special fares in winter, 2009: $860 roundtrip from Los Angeles
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