Cruise Weekly Comment: Tahiti

From Expedition and Adventure Cruising

How could you possibly dismiss Tahiti as an adventure cruise destination?

Drenched in popular folklore thanks to the famous Mutiny on the Bounty, Tahiti has associated itself with almost everything romantic and adventurous. Heartthrobs Mel Gibson, Errol Flynn, Marlon Brando and Clark Gable all played the lovable rogue seaman, Fletcher Christian, a real-life character who threw away his life as a Royal Navy officer to elope with a beautiful Polynesian woman.

Instead of hard-edged exploration and discovery, Tahiti earns its adventure status for its emotive allure and pure hedonistic escapism. Just as the crew of the Bounty discovered in 1787, life on this pristine tropical island was infinitely more preferable than one of harsh servitude in the English Navy.

Today, luxury cruise operators such as Haumana, Nomade Yachting (formerly Bora Bora Cruises) and Aranui 3 offer a range of sun-soaked itineraries to transport you back to the time of the goggle-eyed limeys, smitten by the warm weather and affectionate locals.

While Haumana and Nomade offer boutique relaxation and escapism, Aranui embraces the true adventurer as it takes passengers on its dual-purpose 14-night journey to the remote and exotic Marquesas where artists like Paul Gaugin and writer Herman Melville found inspiration for their works.

You can explore all these possibilities at the one-stop-shop: www.ultimatecruising.com.au