Experience the other side of French Polynesia, beyond the bungalow. Infinite shades of azure. Secluded atolls. The sultry perfume of the Tiare Tahiti flower. Unlock the secrets of the “pearl of the Pacific”—our expeditions are your key to truly immerse yourself in this tropical paradise. Snorkel over vibrant reefs—multicolored galaxies of corals teeming with tropical fish. Hike rainforest trails in search of seldom-seen endemic wildlife. And meet the welcoming people who live in these remote islands and share their rich cultural histories with us. Explore now.
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French Polynesia & Pacific Islands
New and Noteworthy
Special Offers
Length
12 days
From
$11,760
Prices are per person
French Polynesia & Pacific Islands
New and Noteworthy
Special Offers
French Polynesia & Pacific Islands
Special Offers
Length
17 days
From
$16,870
Prices are per person
French Polynesia & Pacific Islands
Special Offers
French Polynesia & Pacific Islands
Special Offers
Length
19 days
From
$20,000
Prices are per person
French Polynesia & Pacific Islands
Special Offers
French Polynesia & Pacific Islands
Special Offers
Length
10 days
From
$8,490
Prices are per person
French Polynesia & Pacific Islands
Special Offers
On Makatea, coconut crabs have become a cornerstone of the local economy, but hunting these enormous, oddly-hued creatures can be dangerous. Our Field Correspondent Jennifer Kingsley, together with photographer Eric Guth, chronicled the hunt for The New York Times's "The World Through a Lens" column.
The exploration lore and legend of the South Pacific is among the world’s most romantic. As we venture from west to east, we follow the routes of the bold people who populated these islands. Sail in their wake, and learn their stories. You’ll enter a world of visual wonder. Discover a profusion of wildlife—fairy terns, Tahitian petrels, tropicbirds, frigatebirds, and red-footed boobies—plus rare endemic species like the brilliantly hued, white-capped fruit dove in the Marquesas. The islands’ flora, lush and luxurious as a dream, is equally intriguing. Discover enchanting colors and sweet aromas of tropical flowers. Under the sea a kaleidoscopic world unfurls among pristine, colorful coral reefs.
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Being able to experience the ceremonies of the welcome—the dances, singing, leis—in an authentic Polynesian cultural context was not just artful, beautiful, and fragrant, it was also sincere and meaningful—pure bliss for both audience and performers.
Christine B.
It is a privilege to visit the far-flung and pristine islands of French Polynesia and the South Pacific, a richly diverse and culturally fascinating geography. And to the privilege of cruising the South Pacific, National Geographic Orion adds the luxury of comfort—a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness designed to relax and revitalize body, mind, and spirit.
6/5/2019
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National Geographic Orion
The last full day at sea found National Geographic Orion only 125 miles from the Big Island. The day was spent with educational lectures from the natural history staff, a clinic on knot tying and time spent on the bow looking for wildlife. As the ship drew nearer to the islands it passed over some hidden sea mounts that often attracts marine life such as sea birds and larger fish. The day ended with one last open ocean sunset.
6/4/2019
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National Geographic Orion
We awoke again to gorgeous skies and relatively calm seas. Before breakfast, seabirds were swirling around the ship. What is their motivation for being here? Are they lost? And where might they be on their way to? Well, it’s anyone’s guess what they were actually up to, but needless to say that the birds out here were quite a ways from shore. Yet that is not so abnormal. These days at sea we have spent in the realm of the true seabirds. For these sky dwellers, land is merely a place to lay an egg and little else. Today, those of us on the bow saw birds coming and going from all directions. We saw petrels that nest as near as Hawaii and the Marquesas and as far as Chile and New Zealand. What is it they were doing? Likely seeking out food, or travelling to an area more fruitful to their searching. Seabirds are a challenge to photograph and identify, yet something we are all likely to do tomorrow as we inch closer and closer to our final destination of Hawaii.
6/3/2019
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National Geographic Orion
Day four of our expedition, National Geographic Orion brings us from the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia to the Big Island of Hawaii. Our small team of explorers kept surprisingly busy with activities on every deck of the ship from early morning to late at night. The energy of our high-spirited team rose in tandem with the warm Pacific sun. Many guests attended stretch class, hit the gym, and bird watched from the ship’s bow. Throughout the day we had fascinating presentations that were well attended, yet many of us also took time over research of our own, expanding our knowledge of the locales of this trip in the ship’s library. With sunny skies and the vast blue ocean at every vantage, it’s hard to stray from admiring our surroundings out here. Sea birds were observed and identified throughout the day, including the likes of masked boobies, black-winged petrels, red-tailed tropicbirds, sooty terns, and wedge-tailed shearwaters. One notable yet unexpected sight was seeing a cargo ship for the first time on our journey to Hawaii, named Forest Symphony and well on its way to Chile. We have seen almost no other boats or ships, making the sighting a rare one. By the end of today, we had already sailed over 1,300 nautical miles; near a quarter of which had been covered on Monday alone. The wind was noticeably stronger in the morning, averaging between 22 and 25 knots from the northeast, then easing off in the afternoon. All day we felt the ship moving beneath our feet with a swell average of 2 to 3 meters. Though there were moments of rain and wind, the ocean water temperature was a comfortable 84 degrees Fahrenheit. We are still in paradise!
6/2/2019
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National Geographic Orion
After the excitement and ceremony of crossing the equator yesterday, we woke up slow and refreshed this morning. Wanting to get outside and stretch, we wondered aft, where we found our expedition leader Jimmy White and dive master Beau Price in a session of coffee and yoga. We may have found in our midst an animal whisperer. Every time guest adventurer Vern Western shows up we seem to find ourselves treated to a spectacular variety of marine activity. His presence is sought commonly. This morning it was spinner dolphins, and in numbers too great to count as they went on breaching off wake of National Geographic Orion . This morning’s lecture came from our intrepid Polynesian navigator Tua. In a patient, heartfelt delivery, he taught us about his ancient skills, including the way of the Pwo (pounder). A master navigator, the Pwo bears the responsibility of “pounding” the malleability of the novice and turning them into navigators. We have left the doldrums behind and are headed to the trade winds. A rainbow straddles the horizon. Listening closely, we can hear the faint sound of the drums from Hawaii calling. Adventure forward, great islands await!
6/1/2019
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National Geographic Orion
National Geographic Orion continues to make good time on our way north on the long passage from the Marquesas to Hawaii. This was an important route for the original Polynesian navigators whose incredible voyages of exploration found and settled these islands a thousand years ago. Following their historic paths is an exciting prospect. And although our experience aboard our luxurious modern ship is utterly different than theirs, we can still reach for some connection to them here in the expansive waters of the Pacific. Today we passed a milestone that was well known to them in their own way of seeing the world of the Equator.
Sven-Olof Lindblad
Indonesia, New Zealand & the South Pacific
