![]() Blissfully remote, it’s a magnet for divers who come to witness its famous “wall” of hundreds of sharks. In the Tuamotus I catch a speedboat across the lagoon to Tetamanu, a tiny village of five houses and a church but no Wi-Fi or 3G. It’s also bilingual, which adds a certain je ne sais quoi to shipboard life.įree-flowing Champagne aside, travelling by ship is the obvious and smart way to navigate this ravishing but far-flung archipelago, especially when itineraries offer the chance to see the islands from every angle, using every imaginable mode of transport.Īt our first stop, Huahine, there are almost a dozen excursions offered, by quad bike, e-bike, outrigger, 4x4, jetski and “le truck”.īora Bora, far more breathtaking in real life than in brochures, can be explored by all of the above plus aqua-bike, catamaran and helicopter.Ī Paul Gauguin cruise offers the best of both worlds: luxurious amenities like fine dining and entertainment alongside adventurous activities such as snorkelling and diving. On board there are three restaurants, three bars and 24-hour room service a marina with full dive team to maximise submarine encounters (anyone from age 10 can learn to dive) a five-room spa a well-equipped gym (a godsend given my indulgences). All come with constantly scrolling South Pacific views to calm the soul. There’s none of the garish tackiness of some cruise lines.Īccommodation ranges from porthole and window cabins on decks three and four to balcony cabins everywhere else, culminating in two spacious owners’ suites equipped with binoculars, Bose speakers and butlers. ![]() Teal-toned and honey-timbered, she looks fresh, contemporary, oceanic. Monsieur Pinault gives the old girl a makeover every year. The coral is crystallised into fantastic forms creating avenues lined with fishy apartment blocks that I navigate alongside a great flurry of yellow strumpets. So handsomely patterned.Īnd that afternoon I swim through some of the most extraordinary coral gardens of my long and colourful snorkelling career. Occasionally one breaks from the pack to check me out and reveals its big, curious face, like a cross between a dolphin and a flying fox. Later that same morning I’m in Bora Bora’s see-through lagoon tailing 10 eagle rays for what feels like ages. I ask guide William, who speaks like the turtle Crush from Finding Nemo – but in French – if finding this many is normal. We see six giants in total, each 5-6 metres wide. Especially when contrasted with our tangle of gangly snorkellers on the sea’s surface. Painted elegantly in grey, white and black, their grace is mesmerising. Manta rays, viewed from above, look like stealth jets cruising over the ocean floor. Bora Bora’s real-life beauty exceeds postcard images on the Paul Gauguin cruise.
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