Paul Gauguin Cruises

Daily Itinerary

1. Day 1

   Papeete

   Depart 18:30

   French Polynesia

   

   Papeete is the spirited, slightly ragged capital of French Polynesia — not the languorous paradise of travel-poster imagination, but a working harbour city of fresh produce markets, baguette bakeries, and Tahitian outrigger canoe clubs that provides an authentic counterpoint to the pearl-still lagoons of Bora Bora and Moorea nearby. The daily Marché de Papeete is the city's essential experience, its stalls piling high with vanilla pods, monoi-scented oils, black pearls, and the most exuberant floral arrangements in the Pacific. Moorea, visible across the Sea of the Moon and just 30 minutes by fast ferry, offers a dramatically quieter alternative. The dry season, May through October, brings the finest weather.

2. Day 2

   Huahine

   Arrive 07:30Depart 17:00

   French Polynesia

   

   Huahine, often called the "Garden of Eden" of French Polynesia, is a lush twin-island paradise between Moorea and Bora Bora where ancient Polynesian marae temples stand among jungle-covered hills and turquoise lagoons remain blissfully uncrowded. Visitors should not miss the thousand-year-old archaeological complex at Maeva and a lagoon snorkeling excursion through pristine coral gardens. The ideal season spans May through October — the austral dry season — when skies are clear, humidity is gentle, and the southeast trade winds carry the scent of vanilla and tiare flowers across the water.

3. Day 3

   Raiatea

   Arrive 08:00Depart 22:00

   French Polynesia

   

   Raiatea, the sacred ancestral homeland of Polynesian navigation and home to the UNESCO-listed Taputapuātea marae, offers an unhurried immersion into French Polynesia's deepest cultural roots. Visitors should not miss kayaking the Faaroa River — the only navigable river in French Polynesia — and crossing the shared lagoon to Taha'a's vanilla plantations and pristine motu. The dry season from May through October brings warm days, gentle trade winds, and optimal conditions for both lagoon exploration and open-ocean sailing.

4. Day 4

   Taha’a (Motu Mahana)

   Arrive 08:00Depart 17:00

   French Polynesia

   

   Taha'a, accessible only by boat within its shared lagoon with Raiatea, is French Polynesia's vanilla island — a roadless, airportless sanctuary where family plantations produce eighty percent of the territory's prized vanilla. Visitors should explore a working vanilla farm to witness hand-pollination and sun-curing techniques, then taste *poisson cru* dressed in fresh coconut milk at a waterside pension. The dry season from May through October offers the clearest skies and calmest lagoon conditions, ideal for small-ship circumnavigation of the island aboard Paul Gauguin Cruises, Windstar, or Silversea.

5. Day 5

   Bora Bora

   Depart 23:59

   French Polynesia

   

   Bora Bora rises from the South Pacific like the platonic ideal of a tropical island — a volcanic peak ringed by a lagoon of impossible turquoise clarity whose beauty has made it the benchmark against which all other island destinations are measured. The overwater bungalow was effectively invented here, and the island's luxury resorts remain the definitive expression of that sublime form of hospitality. Snorkel or dive the outer reef's extraordinary coral gardens, or simply watch the shifting light transform Mount Otemanu's basalt silhouette through the long Pacific afternoon. Visit April through October for the calmest, driest conditions. Tahiti's Faa'a International Airport is a forty-five-minute flight away.

6. Day 6

   Bora Bora

   Depart 17:00

   French Polynesia

   

   Bora Bora rises from the South Pacific like the platonic ideal of a tropical island — a volcanic peak ringed by a lagoon of impossible turquoise clarity whose beauty has made it the benchmark against which all other island destinations are measured. The overwater bungalow was effectively invented here, and the island's luxury resorts remain the definitive expression of that sublime form of hospitality. Snorkel or dive the outer reef's extraordinary coral gardens, or simply watch the shifting light transform Mount Otemanu's basalt silhouette through the long Pacific afternoon. Visit April through October for the calmest, driest conditions. Tahiti's Faa'a International Airport is a forty-five-minute flight away.

7. Day 7

   At Sea

   

8. Day 8

   Fakarava, French Polynesia

   Arrive 07:30Depart 17:00

   French Polynesia

   

   Fakarava is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve atoll in French Polynesia's Tuamotu Archipelago, offering some of the world's most spectacular diving — including drift dives through shark-filled passes — and pristine pink-sand beaches. Must-dos include diving the Garuae "wall of sharks," visiting a black pearl farm, and stargazing from an uninhabited motu. April through November brings the driest weather, with June and July featuring the legendary grouper spawning.

9. Day 9

   Rangiroa

   Arrive 07:30Depart 14:30

   French Polynesia

   

   Rangiroa is the world's second-largest coral atoll, a ring of palm-fringed islets in French Polynesia's Tuamotus encircling a lagoon vast enough to contain Tahiti. Visitors must drift-dive or snorkel Tiputa Pass for sharks and dolphins, visit the surreal Blue Lagoon and Pink Sands beach, and savour poisson cru in a Polynesian pension. May through October offers calm diving conditions, while January-March brings hammerhead sharks.

10. Day 10

    Moorea

    Arrive 07:00Depart 23:59

    French Polynesia

    

    Moorea is a volcanic island in French Polynesia, separated from Tahiti by a narrow channel known as the Sea of the Moon, celebrated for its twin cathedral-like bays, jagged emerald peaks, and lagoons of almost surreal turquoise clarity. Visitors should not miss savouring authentic *poisson cru* at a beachside roulotte and exploring Ōpūnohu Bay by outrigger canoe or guided hiking trail. The ideal season to visit is May through October — the dry, austral winter — when skies are reliably clear, humidity is gentle, and humpback whales pass through the surrounding waters on their annual migration.

11. Day 11

    Moorea

    Depart 17:00

    French Polynesia

    

    Moorea is a volcanic island in French Polynesia, separated from Tahiti by a narrow channel known as the Sea of the Moon, celebrated for its twin cathedral-like bays, jagged emerald peaks, and lagoons of almost surreal turquoise clarity. Visitors should not miss savouring authentic *poisson cru* at a beachside roulotte and exploring Ōpūnohu Bay by outrigger canoe or guided hiking trail. The ideal season to visit is May through October — the dry, austral winter — when skies are reliably clear, humidity is gentle, and humpback whales pass through the surrounding waters on their annual migration.

12. Day 11

    Moorea

    French Polynesia

    

    Moorea is a volcanic island in French Polynesia, separated from Tahiti by a narrow channel known as the Sea of the Moon, celebrated for its twin cathedral-like bays, jagged emerald peaks, and lagoons of almost surreal turquoise clarity. Visitors should not miss savouring authentic *poisson cru* at a beachside roulotte and exploring Ōpūnohu Bay by outrigger canoe or guided hiking trail. The ideal season to visit is May through October — the dry, austral winter — when skies are reliably clear, humidity is gentle, and humpback whales pass through the surrounding waters on their annual migration.

13. Day 12

    Papeete

    French Polynesia

    

    Papeete is the spirited, slightly ragged capital of French Polynesia — not the languorous paradise of travel-poster imagination, but a working harbour city of fresh produce markets, baguette bakeries, and Tahitian outrigger canoe clubs that provides an authentic counterpoint to the pearl-still lagoons of Bora Bora and Moorea nearby. The daily Marché de Papeete is the city's essential experience, its stalls piling high with vanilla pods, monoi-scented oils, black pearls, and the most exuberant floral arrangements in the Pacific. Moorea, visible across the Sea of the Moon and just 30 minutes by fast ferry, offers a dramatically quieter alternative. The dry season, May through October, brings the finest weather.

Cabin Categories

Balcony Stateroom

Balcony

239 sq ftMax 3C

Balcony Staterooms ending in 6 or 8 can accommodate a third guest in a loveseat convertible. Stateroom 7006 (stateroom 206 sq. ft. – balcony 37 sq. ft.) features a very small bathroom with shower only

Queen or Twin ConfigurationSofa BedLounge AreaBathToiletries ProvidedFree Mini Bar+7

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Balcony Stateroom

Balcony

239 sq ftMax 3D

Balcony Staterooms ending in 6 or 8 can accommodate a third guest in a loveseat convertible.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationSofa BedLounge AreaBathToiletries ProvidedFree Mini Bar+7

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Veranda Stateroom

Balcony

303–305 sq ftMax 3B

Includes complimentary Butler Service. B Veranda Staterooms can accommodate a third guest by adding a sofa bed. Stateroom 7003 features a shower stall with no tub and also a queen-size bed.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationSofa BedLounge AreaBathToiletries ProvidedFree Mini Bar+8

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Porthole Stateroom

Outside

200 sq ftMax 3F

200 sq. ft. with two portholes.

BathQueen or Twin ConfigurationSofa BedToiletries ProvidedFree Mini BarTV+6

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Window Stateroom

Outside

200 sq ftMax 3E

Wheelchair-accessible stateroom (415) Window Staterooms ending in 5, 6, or 8 (except 415) can accommodate a third guest in a loveseat convertible.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationSofa BedBathToiletries ProvidedFree Mini BarTV+6

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Grand Suite

Suite

529 sq ftMax 3GS

Two suites available: Paul Gauguin Suite (801), Flora Tristan Suite (802). Grand Suites can accommodate up to 3 guests. Grand Suites includes Butler service and complimentary internet.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationSofa BedLounge AreaShowerBathToiletries Provided+10

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Owner's Suite

Suite

534–588 sq ftMax 3OS

Owner's Suite can accommodate up to 3 guests. Bathroom includes a full-size tub, separate shower and a dressing area. Owner's Suite includes Butler service and complimentary internet.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationSofa BedLounge AreaShowerBathToiletries Provided+11

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Veranda Suite

Suite

349–358 sq ftMax 3A

Veranda Suites can accommodate up to 3 guests. Includes complimentary Butler Service.

Queen or Twin ConfigurationSofa BedLounge AreaShowerBathToiletries Provided+11

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