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!