Travel + Leisure - India & South Asia
FANTASY ISLANDS
These cruise lines are making it easier than ever to experience the rich traditions and unparalleled beauty of the far-flung South Pacific.
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islands and atolls, as well as pristine waters rich with marine life, the South Pacific is arguably best seen by ship. And now cruise lines are upping their game with innovative programming and visits to some of the region’s most remote corners. This year, Lindblad Expeditions (eightand nine-night sailings from
` 5,51,270 per person; expeditions. com) is bringing expert navigator Tua Pittman on board for two French Polynesia itineraries. A Cook Islander with Māori and Tahitian bloodlines, Pittman often sails the open ocean in a traditional vaka (outrigger canoe), using the stars to guide him. Aboard the ship, he will share his seafaring stories and insight into regional customs and cultures. Also in French Polynesia, Paul Gauguin Cruises (sevennight sailings from ` 3,87,487 per person; pgcruises.com) now offers Society Islands sailings that include a stop in Tahiti Iti, where passengers can dive the Marado, one of the archipelago’s only true drop-offs. Experienced divers can reach a depth of up to 27 metres to see coral, sea anemones, and plenty of reef fish. In April, Australia-based
Coral Expeditions (10-night sailings from ` 4,75,788 per person; coralexpeditions. com) launches the 120-passenger Coral Adventurer, which will have a variety of itineraries in Papua New Guinea, one of the world’s least-visited destinations. The Customs and Craftsmen journey will have an art historian on board and include visits to isolated villages to meet local makers. History buffs interested in the Solomon Islands—the setting for the Guadalcanal campaign in World War II—can explore battle sites and shipwrecks on the 20-passenger
Taka as part of Solomon Islands
Discovery Cruises (seven-night sailings from ` 1,22,573 per person; sidcruises. com.au). And come January 2020,
Windstar Cruises (six-night sailings from ` 1,66,132 per person; windstarcruises. com), which keeps its sailing yacht Wind Spirit docked in Tahiti, will launch a new collection of South Pacific itineraries. Ranging from seven to 16 days, the voyages will hit Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, Tonga, and the Cook Islands.