You will see man-made wonders such as mysterious statues on Easter Island, home to powerful remnants of civilizations lost. On Gambiers, you will visit a magnificent religious complex with a stunning mother-of-pearl encrusted altar.
You will visit Pitcairn Island of the legendary mutiny on the Bounty fame. And throughout this voyage, see hundreds of different life forms on land and under the water. You will even explore the ruins of a shipwrecked copra vessel.
From the coral atolls of the Tuamotu Archipelago to the startling beauty of the lush Marquesas, you will enjoy the history, culture, and scenic splendor of these remarkable islands.
Departures:- 21 Oct – 13 Nov 2001 (Papeete to Easter Island)
- 30 Mar – 21 Apr 2002 (Easter Island to Papeete)
- 26 Oct – 18 Nov 2002 (Papeete to Easter Island)
Trip Length:
- 22 Days
Prices:
- From $7,569 depending upon cabin accomodations. Please send us an email for detailed pricing.
PRICE INCLUDES: Pre- and post-cruise land programs as described in brochures, shipboard gratuities, select alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, shore excursions and port charges.
NOTE: Flights are not included in the cruise / land rates. Society Expeditions offers group flight schedules and special group rates. Single travelers may occupy categories B,C,D and E at 150% of published rate. Other categories are available upon request. The rate for a third person, occupying at stateroom with two full fare guests is available at 50% of published rate. Share accomodations can be arranged on request. Please send us an email for rates for the 2002-2003 season. All prices are in US dollars and do not include international airfare, unless otherwise noted.
Day by Day itinerary
| Day 1. | Los
Angeles, California to Papeete, Tahiti Island, Society Islands Depart Los Angeles in the evening for Papeete. We will arrive in Papeete in the early morning the following day. |
| Day 2. | Papeete,
Tahiti Islands, Society Islands We will be met by a Society Expeditions escort upon arrival in Papeete and will transfer to our deluxe resort hotel, where we will spend the next two nights. |
| Day 3. | Papeete,
Tahiti Islands, Society Islands Explore Papeete on your own today, or simply relax at the resort or on one of Tahiti’s beautiful beaches. |
| Day 4. | Papeete,
Tahiti Islands, Society Islands Today we will gather for a tour of Papeete, which will conclude at the "New" World Discoverer. Settle in and meet your expedition team before enjoying the first of many gourmet meals onboard. |
| Day 5. | Bora
Bora, Society Islands Of all the idyllic isles of the South Pacific, perhaps none have inspired so many writers, poets, sailors, and dreamers as Bora Bora. With its verdant double peaks and encircling lagoon, Bora Bora is unsurpassed in its scenic beauty. The surrounding barrier reef provides superb snorkeling and diving, which is sure to be one of the underwater highpoints of the voyage. Guests may opt to take part in optional shark feeding excursions or helicopter tours. (Please note: all passengers participating in scuba diving excursions must be fully certified BEFORE the voyage). |
| Day 6. | Mataiva,
Tuamotu Islands Mataiva is the quintessential South Pacific atoll, replete with sun drenched beaches, palm trees, and affable islanders. We will be greeted warmly by Mataiva’s 200 residents, who will take us on a tour of their island, which may includes stops at copra or vanilla plantations. The islanders will also treat us to a wonderful traditional feast for lunch. Snorkeling and diving excursions may be offered as well. |
| Day 7. | Ahe,
Tuamotu Islands Ahe is an island of spectacular color. From the endemic Atoll Fruit-dove, to exotic black pearls, to the magnifent lagoon, it seems as though no creature has been overlooked by Nature’s paintbrush. Diving, snorkeling, and glass bottom boat excursions will showcase the vast profusion of marine life and living labyrinth of corals found beneath the surface. Onshore, we will visit a black pearl farm. |
| Day 8. | At
Sea Join Society Expeditions lectures and naturalists on deck today as we search for seabirds and other local wildlife. A full program of lectures will be offered throughout the day. Today is also a good day to catch up on your journals and postcards, browse the "New" World Discoverer’s excellent reference library, or relax with your fellow passengers. |
| Day 9. | Motu
Oa and Ua Pou, Marquesas Islands Uninhabited Motu Oa is a haven for seabirds. Located just off the larger island of Ua Pou, it boasts several species of boobies, noddies, terns, shearwaters, and petrels. We will pay an ecologically-controlled visit to the islet before continuing on to Ua Pou. Ua Pou should have something for everyone, with possible activities including island tours, birding walks, Zodiac cruises, and archaeological site visits. Birders will seek the Marquesas’ three endemics, along with a host of other tropical birds. |
| Day 10. | Hiva
Oa, Marquesas Islands Hiva Oa was once home to a substantial population of people who left behind a rich archaeological record of their way of life. Accompanied by a Society Expeditions expert, we will tour the ruins of several marae (sacred sites) and other points of interest amid the verdant growth of this tropical island. Hiva Oa is also the final resting place of painter Paul Gauguin and folksinger Jacques Brel. |
| Day 11. | Fatu
Hiva, Marquesas Islands Soaring volcanic spires and verdant slopes give Fatu Hiva an unmistakable, dramatic appearance. Birders will seek endemic White-capped Fruit-doves, Marquesas Reed-warblers, and Fatu Hiva Monarchs. Underwater, divers may have the opportunity to explore Fatu Hiva’s volcanic caverns. The people of Fatu Hiva are renowned for their fine tapa (bark) cloth. Look for local examples as we call on the village. |
| Day 12. | Puka
Puka, Tuamotu Islands First sighted during Magellan’s 1521 voyage, Puka Puka was the first South Pacific island to be spotted by Europeans. Though it was uninhabited at the time, it is now home to 112 people who utilize the arable land for copra production. Today we will be guests of the villagers, who will entertain us with traditional songs and dances. Snorkeling and diving excursions may be offered as well. |
| Day 13. | Puka
Rua, Tuamotus Islands Located on the outer fringes of French Polynesia, Puka Rua faces thousands of miles of open ocean. Onshore, its small population lives in a spirit of cooperation and friendship, living largely on coconuts and the bounty of the sea. We will visit this small community, where we will be enthusiastically greeted with friendliness and music. We may also have a chance to swim or snorkel off the lovely beaches. |
| Day 14. | Mangareva,
Gambier Islands Mountainous Mangareva is home to a remarkable cathedral with a stunning mother-of-pearl alter. Built under the malevolent order of a tyrannical priest, this church cost the lives of many islanders. Today Mangareva is much more peaceful, as you will see during our island tour. Activities may include nature walks or snorkeling and diving in the surrounding reef with its dramatic coral formations. Mangareva is also unofficially known as the best place in the world to buy black pearls, so hone your bargaining skills and prepare to be dazzled. |
| Day 15. | At
Sea Today we sail through the waters of French Polynesia on our way to Pitcairn Island. A full program of lectures will be offered, along with leisure time. |
| Day 16. | Pitcairn,
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn! Far-flung and intriguingly notorious, this tiny island towers high in the history and imagination of the South Pacific. The mutiny on the Bounty is a tale that needs no introduction. Today we will meet descendents of the infamous mutineers and tour their history-studded isle. Bounty artifacts will be on display in the village. You may choose to take part in a jungle hike to Fletcher Christian’s cave, or mingle with the 48 residents who still speak an eighteenth century form of English. Society Expeditions’ expert historians will be on hand throughout our time on this fascinating and seldom-visited island. |
| Day 17. | Henderson,
Pitcairn Islands Uninhabited Henderson exists as a snapshot of the South Pacific before human colonization. Its four endemic species of birds include the Henderson Flightless Rail, one of a family of increasingly rare flightless bird species. Our ornithologists and other Society Expeditions naturalists will lead us on a nature tour of this uncommon isle. |
| Day 18. | Ducie
Atoll, Pitcairn Islands Alone on the edge of a virtually endless expanse of sea, uninhabited Ducie is the last outpost before Easter Island. Thanks to its isolation, Ducie has become a crucial habitat for seabirds and they can be found here in abundance. Today will also be our last chance to snorkel before reaching the colder waters around Easter Island. Enjoy exploring the underwater world from Ducie’s protected lagoon. |
| Day 19. | At
Sea Today we will be at sea en route to Easter Island. Relax on deck, poolside, or in one of the "New" World Discoverer’s several lounges. A full program of lectures will be offered throughout the day. |
| Day 20. | At
Sea Today we will continue on our journey to Easter Island, a tiny dot in a vast ocean. A casual program of lectures and activities will keep us busy throughout the day. |
| Day 21. | Easter
Island, Chile Easter Island has become synonymous with mystery, the very symbol of archaeological pursuit. We will disembark the "New" World Discoverer after breakfast and enjoy a tour of this most fascinating of islands. Society Expeditions expert archaeologists will lead us as we call on numerous moai (giant statues) and other intriguing archaeological sites. After the tour, we will transfer to our hotels, where we will spend the next two nights. |
| Day 22. | Easter
Island, Chile We will spend a second day exploring this island of mystery. Once again, Society Expeditions’ expert archaeologists will escort us to numerous archaeological sites, giving us insight into this enigmatic isle. |
| Day 23. | Easter
Island to Santiago, Chile and Miami or Los Angeles Time permitting, we may enjoy a brief morning tour before departing for the airport. We will then depart Easter Island for Santiago, where we will connect to flights for Miami or Los Angeles. |
| Day 24. | Arrive
in Miami, Florida or Los Angeles, California Arrive in Miami or Los Angeles (flight times and time zone changes will result in early morning arrivals). Connect to homeward bound flights the following morning. |
Voyage Log Excerpts
Date: April 1, 1999
Location: Pitcairn Island
We were awakened at seven by our expedition leader's announcement that the World Discoverer was approaching legendary Pitcairn Island, last refuge of HMS Bounty's mutinous crew. This was a day that many of us had dreamed of for years!
Pitcairn's unique history is perhaps the best-known and most intriguing story in all of South Pacific lore. In a nutshell, the Bounty's infamous mutineers landed here, burned their ship, and set about creating a new life with the Tahitian islanders they brought with them. Eighteen years later, the islanders were discovered living in a prosperous community -which included just one surviving mutineer. Today, most of the island's inhabitants are descendents of the Bounty's crew and still speak an archaic form of English that dates to the eighteenth century.
After a delightful breakfast, we landed on Pitcairn with a list of several options for seeing the island. Private ATV's were available to take passengers literally all over the island. No roads seemed too steep or too rutted to drive up or down.
Others explored Fletcher Christian's cave. There are many different stories about why Fletcher Christian spent so much time here, but the most widely believed theory is that he would go to the cave to think about the mutiny.
The hiking trail started just past the school in a thick area of lush, green vegetation. We walked through the lush canopy for about five minutes and then the vegetation turned into bamboo and tall grasses. As we climbed to higher elevations, the vegetation became sparser. As we exited the cover of pandanus, breathtaking views of the surrounding ocean began to appear. We could now see the black triangle of the cave and the World Discover anchored far away in Bounty Bay. After a steep climb, we were standing at the base of Christian's cave. The feeling was total euphoria -like being a child again! And the views were even more spectacular than before.
The small village of Adamstown (named after John Adams, the last surviving mutineer), the radio station and the anchor of the Bounty were other spots we visited. Various elevated points afforded beautiful views of the whole island and surrounding rocky cliffs. Looking out at the vast blue sea as far as one could see, we imagined how the mutineers felt, essentially hiding in the folds of a cartographers mistake, waiting for the day when another ship would inevitably discover their refuge.
Having the whole day to explore, some of us went back to the ship to enjoy an elegant lunch in the dining room, accompanied by many of the locals who were welcomed aboard by the Captain. Tony our ornithologist and Edmundo our anthropologist led tours through the small town. Several took ATV's over the top of the island to Saint Paul's Cove, driving on dirt roads through a verdant canopy dominated by pandanus and hau.
Cresting the hill and descending through basaltic rock, we peered over the edge to find a gorgeous tide pool the size of a football field. Pillars of rock protected the small pool from the fury of the Pacific. The huge surf would roll in, creating a fountain of water that would spray far into the air, turning this pristine pool into a wave tank.
Returning at different times throughout the day, we had the opportunity to chat with the locals. Although the Pitcairners speak English and several other languages, they also speak a local English-Polynesian dialect. This language was slowly disappearing until the local school set about reviving it. We listened carefully to hear the Pitcairners speak it among themselves.
Several of the locals were selling the souvenirs for which Pitcairn is famous: wood carvings, baskets, honey, and stamps. They had carved small animals such as sharks and turtles. A few people had even carved an entire replica of the H.M.S. Bounty. However, the Pitcairners are most famous for their stamps, which form the largest part of the economy and are sought by stamp collectors all over the world. Most of the Pitcairners live a subsistence lifestyle, evidenced by the gardens in most yards.
After spending a whole day on this
magical island with its warm and generous people, we hated to leave. The
day was growing short, however, and rising smoke from the deck indicated
it was almost time for our onboard barbeque with the Pitcairners. After a
lavish barbeque, our new friends disembarked and we all waved goodbye as
their little boat wove its way back to their
fascinating homeland. Conversation soon turned to the wonders of the day.
It was hard to believe that we had actually visited Pitcairn and met its
famed islanders. This was a day none of us would ever forget.