THE PEARL of the PACIFIC

Island-hopping on a boutique ship is the best way to discover the natural beauty and culture of French Polynesia, writes Jocelyn Pride.

“Thirty years ago, it was like a gold rush here,” local Andrew Brodien says in a thick French accent, his outstretched arms embracing the palm-fringed lagoon surrounding us. We’re perched on the back deck of his pink, shutter-windowed stilted cottage where rows of large oysters are roped neatly together in wooden frames. “But we didn’t come to dig for gold – we came to make pearls.”

Unlike natural pearls, Tahitian cultured pearls, renowned for their stunning array of colours, are created through science and nature. With the precision of a surgeon, Andrew demonstrates how a small bead (made of mussel shell) is placed inside the treasured black-lipped oysters found in these waters. It’s then left up to nature for more than 18 months to produce a pearl.

It’s giving an appreciation of place through its people that’s at the heart of island-hopping around French Polynesia with Windstar Cruises, which this year celebrated 35 years of sailing these dreamy 50-shades-of-blue waters.

The recently updated boutique Star Breeze is my ‘floating over-water bungalow’ for seven nights, and she’s a beauty. With a maximum 312 guests and 200 crew, it’s intimate yet spacious, luxurious without being pretentious.

My balconied suite is decorated in neutral, earthy tones with a soft white curtain that can separate the lounge from the bedroom. Tucked neatly into the other end is a walk-in wardrobe and sleek bathroom with oversized shower (plus L’Occitane goodies).

Classic meets innovation across the five restaurants onboard, from Amphora, the elegant main dining room, to the funky Star Grill by the pool.

Candles is the place to be for sunsets, while Spanish tapas restaurant Cuadro 44 has the best jamón ibérico (Spanish ham) I’ve ever tasted.

We cruise to a different island each day. Sometimes we’re serenaded onshore by the distinctive Polynesian sound of the ukulele and perfectly harmonised voices, other times leis of intoxicating flowers are placed around our necks. Led by locals, activities range from sightseeing in a glass-bottom boat to hiking, with scenery as dramatic above the water as it is below.

I take the opportunity to improve my snorkelling skills. Bora Bora lives up to its reputation with water so clear a snorkel is barely needed. A full-day tour has us swimming with baby black-tip reef sharks and stingrays in the morning, lunching on a banquet of local delicacies at a table in the shallows of a motu

(islet) with fish swimming past, followed by snorkelling through coral gardens teeming with fish in the afternoon.

I’m also drawn to the fascinating history and customs of the islands: listening to legends of times etched in Polynesian culture at maraes – ancient sacred sites made of stone and coral dotted throughout the islands; learning how to wear a pareo (painted, handmade skirt); floral crown making; and 101 ways to use a coconut tree.

One afternoon, we meet Tihoti, a descendant of the last Polynesian chief, who shares the stories of his life through the tattoos covering his body.

And then there’s the grand night when we’re transported to a quintessential deserted island for a Polynesian feast followed by a stirring drumming and dance show. A lasting memory of an enriching cruise.