Our stop in Rarotonga in the Cook Island was cancelled. Due to rough seas the captain deemed it unsafe to tender ashore. This is the fourth time I have had a scheduled stop here. Lucky me, on my first two visits here I made it to the shore. However, getting back to the ship on the second visit was quite the adventure, so I feel lucky to have explored this island.
On to Polynesia and the Society Islands.
Our first stop was Raiatea. At one time Raiatea was the religious center of all the Society Islands. Legend also has it that the Polynesian voyagers who discovered Hawaii and New Zealand left from here. The distance around this island is approximately fifty miles. We rented a car to take in the sights and enjoy the beauty of this little island. About half way around we stopped at a new resort “Aratoa” that was stunning and enjoyed veggie and fish tapas boards.
The next day we sailed into Papeete, French Polynesia. Again, we rented a car to explore the scenery of the main island, Tahiti Nui (great). We took a detour across the isthmus to visit Tahiti Iti (small). I wanted to see where the 2024 surfing Olympics were held. The waves were too far from shore to appreciate them. It was still a win-win. Allan found a fabulous restaurant on the beach, and we enjoyed fish that I am sure was caught that day. This was the end of the road, so we retraced our path back to Tahiti Nui to finish our tour of the island. We headed back to the ship and waved at The World cruise ship “parked” across from us.
Our stop after Papeete was to Moorea. Extremely hot and the ship’s tenders did not come ashore at a convenient location. A 15-20 minute cab ride here can easily cost $40 US. It was a quick visit. Sandra, Allan and I had visited here numerous times, (I spent three months here is 2012), so we headed back to the ship. It is still my favorite, and I believe one of the most beautiful of the islands.
Our last stop in this part of the world was to Fakarava, Tuamotu, French Polynesia. The entire atoll was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2006. This is the second largest (after Rangiroa) of the chain of atolls known as the Tuarmotu Archipelago and has a population of approximately 800. This is considered a diver’s paradise and at certain times of the year, the Southern and Northern Passes are known for “walls of sharks”. By boat one can explore the lagoons, pink beach and Topaka Lighthouse. Our visit was short, it was Good Friday and everything was closed for the holiday.
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