The top five shore
activities for guests
on the Paul Gauguin
cruise ship

tips & insights

Motu=ing

A motu is a tiny outlying island hugging a coral reef. No trip to French Polynesia is complete without experiencing one of these palm-fringed hideaways.

You get to visit two of them. Swim, snorkel or kayak in crystal-clear turquoise waters. Or, kick back your heels and laze on the silky white sand.

The private motu of Taha'a Island features a beach-side barbecue of seafood, steak and chicken plus a wide choice of beverages.

The quiet, secluded motu of Bora Bora offers only a limited choice of snacks and beverages. However, it has a romantic, isolated setting. One couple told me they imagined they were castaways on a deserted tropical isle.

Island watersports

Bora Bora and Moorea are world famous for their watersports.

Popular activities include snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurfing, parasailing, dolphin watching and shark feeding.

You can ride a sailboat, waverunner, submarine, and glass-bottom boat.

You can even don a diver's helmet and walk underwater with the fish.

Island exploring

Moorea is renowned for its Opunohu Bay, Cook's Bay, and Belvedere Lookout while Bora Bora's gems are its lagoon and two central peaks. See them from a helicopter or tour bus - or from your rented bike, scooter, ATV, or automobile - or with your hiking boots.

Take adventure rides on outrigger canoes and four-wheel off-road vehicles.

Shopping

Black pearls
Shopping for black pearl jewelry is a major tourist sport. Prices range from cheap (for very defective pearls) to astronomical (for jewelry made with top-grade pearls and designed by premier designers). The photo montage above shows a black pearl, an over-water pearl farm hut, and a pendant (designed by Tahia Collins, whose jewelry is sold on the Paul Gauguin).

Pareo
This is the traditional dress wrap of the Polynesians. Les Gauguines (members of the onboard staff) will gladly instruct you how to tie your pareo into several dress styles.

Tropical farm touring

Pearl farms
French Polynesia is the birthplace of the black pearl. A tour will show you how the pearl is cultivated in an oyster - and how it slowly develops - and why it is dark-hued instead of pearly white.

Pineapple and
vanilla bean farms
You learn how these tropical culinary products are grown and processed.

Click these buttons for
more of my photos, tips
and insights on a romantic
cruise on the Paul Gauguin

My "What it's Like"
cruise ship sections

to view

My general
cruise ship section

Click the button below for Regent's website for Paul Gauguin itineraries with maps, a list of cruise-specialist travel agents near you, plus other useful trip-planning information.