Tahiti & Society Islands cruise 2027: aboard Paul Gauguin
French Polynesia has a rather unfair advantage when it comes to scenery.
Volcanic mountains rise almost vertically from intensely green valleys. Lagoons change from cobalt to turquoise to water so clear that the shadow beneath your kayak appears to float on the sand. Tiaré flowers scent the air. Outrigger canoes skim past coral reefs. Dinner comes after an afternoon swimming rather than fighting traffic.
And the scale of the m/s Paul Gauguin suits these islands beautifully.
Instead of experiencing French Polynesia from one resort and taking flights between islands, you unpack once and wake to a different piece of the Society Islands outside your window.
One morning may begin beneath Huahine's forested hills. Another may find Mount Otemanu rising behind your breakfast table in Bora Bora.
That is a rather pleasant commute.
Huahine: a quieter introduction to the Society Islands
Our first island is Huahine, and I think it is a lovely way to begin.
Huahine feels more unhurried than its famous neighbour Bora Bora. There are lush forests, villages, archaeological sites and lagoons made for swimming and exploring.
This is the point in the journey when shoulders generally begin to drop a few centimetres.
Explore ashore, head for the water or simply allow yourself the radical luxury of having nowhere particularly urgent to be.
Taha'a and Motu Mahana: your private-island day
One of Paul Gauguin Cruises' signature experiences is Motu Mahana, the cruise line's private islet off Taha'a.
Imagine stepping ashore into warm, shallow water, finding a palm tree that appears to have been reserved specifically for you and spending the day swimming, snorkelling, kayaking or paddleboarding.
There is a barbecue lunch, Polynesian hospitality and full bar service, including the rather appropriately positioned floating bar.
This is the sort of day where your most complicated decision may be whether to swim before lunch or immediately after it.
Bora Bora: stay long enough to exhale
Then comes Bora Bora.
Mount Otemanu rises above one of the world's most recognisable lagoons, surrounded by coral reefs, small motu and water in colours that appear mildly Photoshopped even when you are standing in front of it.
The important detail here is time.
This voyage includes an overnight in Bora Bora, rather than treating the island as a quick daytime port call. That gives you more freedom to experience the lagoon, head out snorkelling, explore the island's interior or spend some deliciously unproductive time at the beach.
When conditions permit, Paul Gauguin Cruises also offers guests access to its secluded beach on a motu off Bora Bora.
There is something wonderfully indulgent about watching the afternoon visitors begin to leave and realizing that your hotel is floating quietly offshore.
Moorea: the island that may steal the show
Bora Bora gets the headlines. Moorea has a habit of quietly winning people over.
Sharp volcanic peaks rise behind deep bays. Pineapple fields occupy the interior. Coral gardens sit just offshore. Roads curl around the island through villages, beaches and tropical vegetation.
It is an island that invites you to get outside.
Spend the day snorkelling, hiking, exploring the interior, heading onto the lagoon or finding somewhere beautiful for lunch and deciding that the rest of the schedule can wait.
By this point in the voyage, island time tends to have become less of a concept and more of a personal operating system.
Host name: Dean Nelson
Dean Nelson is a Vancouver-based Certified Travel Advisor, LGBTQ+ tourism specialist and founder of departuresXdean, with more than 35 years of tourism experience and travel to 145+ countries across all seven continents. His honours include Travel Gay Canada’s LGBT Tourism Leader of the Year, the IGLTA Pioneer Award, Distinguished Alumni recognition, an honorary Doctor of Laws for advancing LGBTQ+ human rights and tourism, and ACTA’s 2026 Leisure Travel Agent of the Year. Founder of the 2010 Olympic Pride House and co-founder of Mr. Gay World, Dean creates thoughtful luxury, expedition, cruise and LGBTQ+ travel experiences through trusted global partnerships. https://www.personaltravel.ca/travel/agent/dean-nelson