Society Islands & The Tuamotus

Dine al fresco or enjoy wraparound ocean views from the dining room of La Veranda, where we offer an ever-changing selection of buffet breakfast and lunch items and a la carte options, many of which are inspired by the destinations we visit. In the evening, La Veranda is transformed to a reservation-only dining venue.

When your day’s plans call for a more casual dining experience, join us at Le Grill, located by the pool and offering a buffet breakfast, grilled lunch favourites, salads, and fresh tropical fruit. In the afternoon, stop by for tea with finger sandwiches, fresh fruit, desserts, pastries, and petit fours. Return in the evening to sample Polynesian specialties in a relaxed atmosphere. Reservations required for dinner.

Paul Gauguin Cruises serves complimentary wines in each dining venue, lounge, and bar which are selected by our wine sommeliers. Additionally, The Gauguin features a special Connoisseur Wine List with Champagnes from France and a variety of wines from California, Washington, Oregon, France, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, and Chile which can be purchased by guests by the bottle.

Wine Pairings

The Gauguin’s sommeliers also provide suggestions for food and wine pairings to enrich and enhance dining experiences. 

Our Private Paradise … and Yours

Part of what makes a voyage with Paul Gauguin Cruises so special is the access our small ship provides to some of the world’s most idyllic, unspoiled beaches. We’ve made this benefit even better by offering you the opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable day on one of our private retreats. Those who enjoy watersports are in for a real treat at any of our two utopias.

Motu Mahana

Picture yourself in French Polynesia on a brilliantly sunny morning. You step out onto your private balcony aboard the m/s Paul Gauguin to a balmy breeze and view the almost uninhabited Taha’a, with its carpet of greenery, rising out of a cerulean sea. Just offshore lies Motu Mahana, Paul Gauguin Cruises’ private South Seas island, where you’ll spend a day (or maybe two, depending on your itinerary) doing exactly as you please.

There’s no end to the indulgences of our private island paradise. Go for a swim in the warm waters. Snorkel with colorful tropical fish among the green and purple blooms of coral. Or paddle out farther in one of the kayaks that have been brought to shore from The Gauguin’s watersports marina.

Ashore, you might engage in a game of volleyball or watch as your hosts, Les Gauguines and Les Gauguins, demonstrate how to open a coconut or tie a pareo. Perhaps you’ll treat yourself to an overwater massage. And when the time comes for refreshments, delight in a sumptuous barbecue feast—complete with cocktails from our floating bar.

Bora Bora

You may have seen countless photos of Bora Bora island from travelers who have gone on Bora Bora vacations. Where is Bora Bora you may ask? The island is northwest of Tahiti in the South Pacific. With a lagoon resembling an artist’s palette of blues and greens, and castle-like Mount Otemanu piercing the sky, the beautiful island of Bora Bora in French Polynesia has inspired romantics from around the world. Like a priceless Paul Gauguin painting come to life, Bora Bora is one of the world’s top honeymoon destinations.

The island of Bora Bora is famous for its luxury resorts with overwater bungalows. Lush tropical slopes and valleys blossoming with hibiscus delight the eye, while palm-covered motus (islets) circle the illuminated lagoon like a delicate necklace. In this South Pacific paradise, on one of these motus, lies our own Bora Bora private beach.

You can spend as much time as you’d like during the day on our private beach in Bora Bora*. The specialists from our watersports marina will be on hand to help you enjoy kayaking or paddleboarding from the beach, or don the equipment you packed and enjoy exceptional snorkeling to view tropical fish and manta rays in the azure lagoon.

Or you might simply stay on the warm white sands of the beach, sunbathing or engaging in a game of volleyball. But this Bora Bora island retreat especially speaks to those seeking that quintessential remote Tahitian beach with few signs of the outside world. A place to daydream, nap, read, or just be. A fair amount of time should be spent just marveling at the postcard-perfect views of Mount Otemanu towering over the main island in this exclusive Bora Bora getaway.

*Subject to availability as conditions allow. When unable to call there, we will be offering a tender to the pier and a free shuttle to Matira Beach, the island’s award-winning public beach that features restaurants, public facilities and shopping. Voted #1 in the best things to do in Bora Bora by U.S. News & World Report, Matira Beach boasts powdery white sand, waters in a thousand shades of blue, and is wonderfully uncrowded.

Our specially designed watersports platform turns the ship into your headquarters for all kinds of adventures on the water. It’s as easy as descending to sea level and hopping aboard a paddleboard or launching a kayak.

Our watersports equipment is also available when we call upon our private beaches. Plus, if you plan on snorkelling in multiple ports, you’re welcome to check out snorkelling gear from the marina for the duration of your cruise.

The watersports marina is available in select ports and subject to weather conditions and local restrictions. Swimming from the watersports marina is prohibited.

Float effortlessly over rainbow-colored coral reefs and come nose to nose with parrotfish, clownfish, giant clams, and sea turtles. Dive deeper to swim alongside colorful sea anemones, eagle rays, sharks, and octopi. Polynesia’s translucent, shimmering aqua lagoons are begging to be explored. And there’s no better place to do so than from the m/s Paul Gauguin’s retractable watersports marina, where you can embark on an optional SCUBA adventure.

Even if you have not SCUBA dive before, as a guest aboard The Gauguin, you can witness spectacular marine life up close and swim among beautiful, rainbow-colored coral reefs within a matter of hours. The Gauguin’s SCUBA diving excursions are designed for all levels of experience, and we offer PADI certification on board for novice divers, as well as refresher courses.

Here are highlights of what else you might expect to find in dives off specific islands along the path of your itinerary:

Society Islands

Moorea—Catch a glimpse of black-tipped reef sharks, lemon sharks, impressively large moray eel, sea turtles, and barracudas.

Bora Bora—View lemon sharks and manta rays up close.

Tuamotus Islands

Rangiroa & Fakarava—In this premier diving location, look for hammerhead sharks (December-February) or manta rays (September-October). In addition, dolphins, turtles, eagle rays, barracuda, and other fascinating fish species are often spotted here, among coral reefs and canyon passes – including Fakarava’s reef, a UNESCO-Classified Nature Reserve.

Cook Islands

Aitutaki—Dive along the sheer drop off and large coral bommies to come across impressively large hawksbill turtles, white tip reef sharks resting on the sea floor, friendly emperor angel fish and occasional eagle rays.

Marquesas Islands

The Marquesas Islands are among the best diving spots in the world. The Gauguin offers you your only opportunity to explore the underwater world of the Marquesas, as there are no dive centers in these remote but pristine islands.

Nuku Hiva—The steep cliffs and caves off this island reveal a variety of unusual marine life, including hammerhead sharks, manta rays, moray eel, manta rays, and scorpion fish.

Tahuata—Jump into an underwater wilderness and observe grey sharks, Hiva Oa manta rays, dragon moray eel, lobster, and schools of juvenile fish dancing among predators such as giant trevally or tuna.

For the safety of our guests, diving is available in the Marquesas for advanced Open-Water Certified divers with the Deep Diver Specialty Certification only, as dives are 60 feet minimum.

Diving certifications are subject to availability.

There is nothing like basking in the sun next to the Pool with the magnificent Mount Otemanu of Bora Bora filling your viewscape. Elegant new textiles, loungers, tables and armchairs make this space a very lucrative place to relax and take in French Polynesia’s grandeur while you receive five-star service from the pool bar.

Sun Bar – Solarium

Take advantage of Deck 9 to relax in the sun with a book and a cocktail, or watch the evening sunset.

This versatile lounge offers morning snacks, serves as the backdrop for special events, hosts Polynesian activities led by Les Gauguines, and is the perfect place to grab a nightcap and dance under the stars to live music.

When the sun goes down at sea, Le Grand Salon comes alive with spectacular performances. Every night brings something different, whether it’s Les Gauguins & Les Gauguines performing ote’a—a complex line dance accompanied by drums—live piano music, Broadway show tunes, or foot-tapping rock music. Return to our main lounge during the day for a game of table tennis or lecture from a roster of anthropologists, archeologists, and marine biologists, as well as visiting experts on other popular topics.

Just steps from your stateroom, find the perfect memento of your South Pacific cruise, like genuine Tahitian black pearl jewelry exclusively designed for Paul Gauguin Cruises, Tahitian vanilla, local arts and handicrafts, souvenir apparel, and more. It’s also the perfect place to pick up any necessary sundries or toiletries, like swimwear, beach attire, sunscreen, and batteries.

The crew members onboard The Gauguin are certainly experts at providing first-class service to our guests, but they also boast many other talents that we’re proud to showcase in our crew show. Every voyage offers something different, but you’re always guaranteed a night of amazing entertainment, much of which showcases the unique cultures of our crew members’ home countries.

Soak in the South Pacific sunshine with a day spent lounging by our outdoor pool. Cool off in the refreshing water, grab the drink of the day from the Pool Bar, or take in the scenery from a comfortable lounge chair.

Decorative screens featuring Paul Gauguin’s artwork appear throughout the ship, one of which resides in Fare Tahiti, the ship’s “museum.” Passengers have the opportunity to navigate through 150 paintings and read annotations on Paul Gauguin’s work. All promenades feature new carpets, furniture and textiles. You’ll pass teak wood-topped coffee-coloured ceramic tables, decorative porcelain and vibrant pottery on your way to the ship’s restaurants, boutique and spa. Oak wood and natural fibre sconces and wood blinds adorn the walls and windows. The photo gallery showcases imagery from your cruise on three Mac displays along the 5th floor promenade.

On every voyage of The Gauguin, we’re accompanied by our own troupe of Tahitian hosts and entertainers that bring the spirit of Polynesia to life. Enjoy a retelling of ancestral legends through dance, delight in traditional songs onboard and on our private motu, and learn local handicrafts during hands-on demonstrations. Couples celebrating a honeymoon or anniversary can even attend a Polynesian blessing ceremony.

In addition to Les Gauguins & Les Gauguines, on every voyage we invite local performers onboard to entertain you. Don’t miss an evening spent with local group Mamas and Papas, whose dynamic performance of Polynesian dance and singing is a perennial guest favourite.

The former casino has been replaced with a Reading Nook so that you might steal away for some quiet time during the day, and enjoy a cocktail with piano accompaniment in the evenings.

In addition to the reception, Deck 4 also hosts the excursion and diving desk.

Soak in the South Pacific sunshine with a day spent lounging by our outdoor pool. Cool off in the refreshing water, grab the drink of the day from the Pool Bar, or take in the scenery from a comfortable lounge chair.

Our convenient fitness centre is outfitted with the latest fitness equipment, including Lifecycles, treadmills, stair climbers, and weight machines. Other onboard fitness opportunities include a morning mile-long walk around decks 8 and 9 and a sunrise Polynesian-inspired Zumba class, both hosted by Les Gauguines.