Marquesas Islands. Endless beauty

Departure from Papeete. We climb on board the Aranui 5; the bow points in the direction of the Tuamotu islands with Takapoto and then to the Marquesas Islands through the beautiful Nuku Hiva, Ua Pou, Tahuata, Fatu Hiva, Hiva Oa and Ua Huka without missing, returning to the base, the wonderful Rangiroa and Bora Bora. And suddenly we find ourselves in the fascinating atmosphere of the Marquesas Islands. This is the exuberant face of French Polynesia. Adjectives are insufficient. Another world; a dimension which, already from the esoteric names, opens its doors to a treasure trove of wonders. The ancient Maohi culture, the wafts of odours, the luxuriant vegetation, the colours, the traditional dances (in particular the typical dance Tamure) are the quintessence of the South Seas, as described by Robert Louis Stevenson, immersed in a mosaic of magic, untouched purity, pleasure of adventure, courage and cowardliness. Set in the enchanted haven of an intriguing archipelago, the twelve Marquesas islands of volcanic origin are reached on this special, highly technological cargo and passenger boat, which cuts through the emerald waters on a cruise lasting fourteen unforgettable days. This exciting tour explores the virgin lagoons, rocky coastlines lashed by the currents, rugged peaks and enchanted atmospheres of the islands, which are interwoven with a subtle web of wild, luxuriant nature that is tamed only on the shores of the secluded bays. Here, 800 miles from Tahiti, a stone’s throw from the Equator, the Henua enana (land of men) is a strip of land that has always been open to waves of colonisation, with a history that is intertwined with the remains of the Tiki of Hiva Oa, the statues of deified ancestors, and the sacred ritual of tattooing. A symbol of beauty and bravado, social rank and belonging to an important race, Marquesan tattoos follow the eyes and mouth, ear lobes and nose: bodies that speak and tell of ancient events with