Cruising with a Tahitian flair

By ROZ and DENNIS KNILL


Just five hours aloft and 4000km of water separates Auckland from Tahiti. Blessed with white-sand beaches, blue lagoons and palm trees, Tahiti encapsulates everything that is good about the Pacific islands.

As the first solid speck in the Pacific's vastness comes into view, its utter remove from the rest of the planet is driven home with sudden intensity. From the air, Tahiti looks like a cluster of sugar loaves, criss-crossed by valleys and rivers strewn between seas of verdure, blue and azure with the distant reefs that protect the lagoons broken only by the pounding surf of the Pacific.

The capital and French Polynesia's largest city and port is where ocean liners, yachts and freighters converge. To most tourists Papeete is Tahiti. But Papeete is not Tahiti, nor is it Paris with palm tress. It is an urban jungle, dogged by traffic, narrow streets and a profusion of odours that range from dried coconut to decaying fish.

It has been six years since our last visit and we have seen enough of Papeete to know we want to explore the other islands.

We board Wind Star and start seven days of sailing French Polynesia - who could possibly fail to be seduced by the appeal of a cruise that is the ultimate food lover's fantasy?

Morning, noon and night the culinary largesse extends to a global smorgasbord, from freshly baked croissants, to fresh tropical fruits, beef fillets and lobster and vintage wines.

Our fellow passengers are a curious mix - a smattering of Aussies and a couple of New Zealanders, but most are American.

Wind Star is not large and on this voyage there were fewer than 150 passengers and 80 staff - the ideal ratio for anonymity while providing enough people for polite conversation.

At seven in the morning we motor into Cooks Bay on Moorea, the second-largest island and often thought to be mythical Bali Hai.

For day trippers it's a 40-minute journey by quickcat or six minutes by air from Papeete. All the big-name resorts are here and with its natural beauty and easy lifestyle preserved, it is no mystery why 95 per cent of visitors to Tahiti make a beeline here.

In the pre-war days, Moorea was an island of vanilla plantations and copra, today it's tourism and pineapples that keep the economy motoring.

Despite the drizzle, cameras and camcorders are clicking and rolling and for a precious moment the sunlight cuts through the mist and strikes the mountain peaks making them look like jagged shards of glass.

The adventurous opt for parasailing or diving while others settle for a three-hour, off-road safari. Some choose to remain onboard and the chance to have the ship almost to themselves and enjoy poolside life.

We opt for a whales and dolphin-spotting excursion led by Michael Poole, a passionate marine biologist keen to share his knowledge. We didn't see any whales but a couple from LA kept us entertained with their wonderful sense of humour, snazzy dress and Cartier jewellery - some of it as rare as whales.

We head off to Huahine, two islands separated by a narrow channel. Mountainous and rugged with magnificent indented bays and long white beaches, it is a magnet for surfies. It is more cultural than scenic, with a long tradition of independence and resistance to change.

Threading our way along the waterfront we move through an assemblage of humanity, bicycles, cars and buses. For shoppers there is everything from monkeypod bowls from the Philippines to rare pearls and art.

Although still untouched by the turbulence of modern life, Raiatea is not much of a drawcard for the beach set. Instead, the pearl farms pull the crowds.

Much has been written about Bora Bora. James Michener once said no other island on Earth was synonymous with South Pacific paradise - he may well be right.

Bora Bora is a volcano on one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world. Most tourists fly there, but for large cruise ships there is only one entry through a narrow pass enclosed by small islands to one end and a reef to the other.

Its mountainous heart - three towering peaks of sheer black rock that slope down to the beaches and bays below - dominate the skyline.

Bora Bora has survived the US Navy, film-makers, hotel entrepreneurs and developers, but cultural shocks have a way of being absorbed. Life here is not sudden or dramatic. It's a wildly romantic destination and a favourite haunt for the rich and famous.

Soon after we drop anchor we do what every visitor to Bora Bora does and head for the lagoon.

Most of our fellow passengers sign up for organised tours, the rest of us shop and explore Bora Bora by grabbing a rental - a one-hour leisurely drive with breathtaking scenery all the way and still time to stop at Bloody Mary's for a cool drink.

As we lie back on the deckchairs sailing back to Papeete, a few of us recall our most memorable moments - who could forget that barbecue feast on our own private island?

The wind fills the sails as we sip our pina coladas, enjoying this Pacific paradise for just a moment longer.

* Roz and Dennis Knill were hosted by Air Tahiti Nui and Francis Travel Marketing.


Windstar Cruises



GETTING THERE

Air Tahiti Nui has three flights a week, and Air New Zealand four. Francis Travel Marketing (ph 489 1363) has a seven-day Wind Star special for $4175 a person (includes air fares and all meals) with pre and post accommodation in Papeete (excluding meals).


WHEN TO GO

March to November

GETTING AROUND

Papeete: le truck or taxi. Moorea and Bora Bora: bicycles, motor scooters or hire car.

TOURS

Circle island tours; Tahiti: Tahiti Nui Travel ($80), Moorea: Moorea Explorer ($30), Bora Bora: Bora Bora Tours ($35)

WHERE TO EAT

Papeete: Les Roulottes (a must-do experience), Le Coco's (French), Le Cigalon (Italian), L'Api'zzeria (pizza), Le Dragon d'Or (Chinese). Moorea: Capos (Tahitian), Plantation (French), Linareva (seafood). Bora Bora: Top Dive (French), Bumble House (modern), Bloody Mary's (French)

SHOPPING

Limited. Imported goods all have high tariffs.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Papeete: Presidential Palace, Central Markets, Blowhole, Ferns Grotto, Three sisters waterfall.

Moorea: The Juice factory, Point Belvedere.

Bora Bora: WW II ruins, viewing platform Mt Pahia, Bloody Mary's.

BACKGROUND READING

Lonely Planet Guide to Tahiti and French Polynesia by Hillary Rogers, The Tahiti and French Polynesia Travel Survival Kit by Rob Kay.