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Tahiti
Fiji
Australia
New Zealand
Tonga
Galapagos
TahitiTahiti - Moorea - Bora Bora - island names that evoke a wonderful
state of mind, seducing honeymooners, romantics, adventurers, and vacationers looking for escape.
Here, around these South Seas isles, a romantic sunset sea sends giant curls of turquoise breaking
onto the colorful reefs that protect the tranquil lagoons of warm, bright-emerald waters and white
coral-sand beaches.
Day 1 |
Papette, Tahiti, is your portal to paradise. From Marina Taina, your first port of
call is Moorea, just 15 miles away. Sharp mountain spires covered in lush, green vegetation dominate
this 53-square-mile island. Make a circuit on scooters, with a stop at Island Fashion Black Pearls
near Cook's Bay. Surf the southwest coast or snorkel at Hauru Point. |
Day 2 |
Anchor off the beach and tender out to one of the islets where dolphins play. Watch
a pearl farmer tend his oyster crop or try a bit of mountain biking toward Belvedere Lookout.
Toast the pink-purple sunset on the aft deck. |
Day 3 |
Who needs Tiffany's when you can breakfast off Hauhine surrounded by the vistas of
your dreams? Visit quaint shops in the tiny village of Fare or take a horseback ride on the
beach. Fishing is good here just outside the reef. |
Day 4 |
A short cruise west brings you to Raiatea's protected lagoon. Don your flippers and mask and
jump overboard for an unforgettable snorkeling experience among technicolored tropical fish. The
chef brings back fresh vanilla beans for a gourmet dessert served against a backdrop of swaing palms. |
Day 5 |
After a morning dip, a 25-mile passage going with the Pacific tradewinds brings you to mythical
Bora Bora, with its twin, black rock peaks rising from the center of the island. Enjoy a torch-lit
dinner on the beach. |
Day 6 |
Explore Bora Bora by land, making sure to bring your camera. Climb to the island's highest
point to see the entire lagoon at your feet. Explore the inside of the reef in the tender and
watch a shark-feeding demonstration by brave islanders before you depart on the evening flight
to Tahiti. |
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Fiji
The joy of cruising the sparkling emerald and azure waters which joins Fiji's 330 islands is not just in the pleasure
of experiencing untrammeled beauty but also in the realization of childhood dreams of faraway places. The range
and scope of day cruises include dolphin-watching tours, game fishing, and snorkeling trips. Fiji's remarkable
marine life embodies all the elements that make Fiji's reefs so exceptional. Drama and diversity, brilliant
lavish panoramas, deep water rich with food and hiding places for the mysterious and race. Fiji's marine realm
is as dynamic and splendid as nature can be. Breathtaking hard and soft corals, wall dives, caves, grottos and
shipwrecks. Fiji is truly a diver's paradise where the daily menu is so diversified that it is sometimes difficult
to believe you are in the same country.
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Australia
Australia's awesome natural beauty is talked about worldwide with wonder. With regions such as the Gold Coast
and Whitsundays, it's little wonder that Queensland brings to mind lazy days on sunny beaches. It's true,
the perfect climate and seaside towns show relaxed Australian culture at its best. The Great Barrier Reef,
as one of the natural wonders of the world, is a truly amazing experience for divers with an abundance of
colourful marine life.
Whitsunday Islands
Day 1 |
Depart Cairns and cruise past the mouth of the Daintree River and views
of the adjacent world heritage rainforest. Relax and enjoy a cocktail while taking in the magnificent
sun set behind the Alexander Range. |
Day 2 |
Head off to the outer reef to spend the day snorkeling or diving among the profusion of corals
and colorful reef fish. Dinner will be a barbecue of freshly caught lobster or delicious reef fish. |
Day 3 |
Cruising north along the Ribbon Reefs you can alternatively island hop on the inner reef
islands or dive on the outer reef. The inner islands provide a chance to stroll a beautiful beach
at sunset. |
Day 4 |
Cruising north along the Ribbon Reefs you can alternatively island hop on the inner
reef islands or dive on the outer reef. The inner islands provide a chance to stroll a
beautiful beach at sunset. |
Day 5 |
We cruise to the "Jewel of the Reef," Lizard Island. Walk to the same
lookout used by Captain James Cook, who discovered Australia. Lizard Island has spectacular
"clam gardens" - coral gardens full of giant clams, some three feet in width. |
Day 6 |
No visit to the Ribbon Reefs would be complete without a snorkel or dive at the
Cod Hole. World famous potato cod weighing up to 1,000 pounds gather in this area and
can be hand fed. |
Day 7 |
Begin the return to Cairns via the Whitsundays, and a stop at the famous Hayman
Island Resort for tennis or a little shopping. The 74-island Whitsunday chain is excellent
for fishing and diving. |
The Great Barrier Reef
Day 1 |
Arriving in Cairns, the city where the rainforest meets the reef, you'll
find your yacht moored just minutes away. Soon, you're on your way to The Great Barrier Reef,
which includes 2,500 named reefs and 600 islands. Begin your underwater exploration at
sheltered Thelford Reef. |
Day 2 |
lazy meander through the reef with snorkeling stops along the way bring you to Dunk
island, where you can go ashore and hike in a magnificent rainforest. |
Day 3 |
Taking the inside passage behind Hinchinbrook Island, you'll spot small coastal
kangaroos. After a picnic lunch in a quiet cove, head for Pelorus Island for diving before dinner. |
Day 4 |
Cruise past fringing reefs reroute to the Whitsunday's, a 70-island chain. Fish for marlin
from the sport boat or get in some serious diving. Exclusive Hayman Island combines luxury with the
beauty of a tropical paradise. This mountainous continental island offers bushwalks and idyllic
deserted beaches. Dine ashore at renowned La Fontaine. |
Day 5 |
Explore nearby Hook Island. The diversity of coral off the north shore provides some of
the best diving in the islands. One of the few walking tracks leads to Butterfly Bay, named
because of its shape and the butterflies that swarm its shores. Cut into the island's southern end,
two magnificent fjord-like inlets, Nara and Macona, provide spectacular anchorages. |
Day 6 |
Your charter concludes at Hamilton Island, a world-class resort with a modern
jetport and a village of boutique shops and restaurants. Encircled by a reef,
its best snorkeling and diving is at Catseye Beach. The nearby 50-acre park features kangaroos and koalas. |
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New Zealand
Relax on deck and see New Zealand's beautiful coastline and waterways from a unique offshore
perspective. You could find yourself cruising through glorious bays, island-studded gulfs
and sheltered waterways, or exploring inland rivers and lakes. On your private yacht you'll find
magnificent scenery not visible from the roads, as well as marine and bird life which may include
penguins, seals or albatross. Enjoy fishing, diving, swimming with dolphins or even
whale-watching.
Day 1 |
Arrive in Auckland and transfer to the Bay of Islands, New Zealand's most
popular cruising destination. The bay is a large natural harbor dotted with 150 islands. Board
the yacht at the deepwater port of Opua. Surrounded by stands of mature kauri trees. |
Day 2 |
After a day of fishing visit Russell or Paihia, on the opposite shore for dinner featuring
local specialties. Russell was New Zealand's first capital and a favorite haunt of writer Zane
Grey. No trip to the Bay of Islands is complete without a visit to Waitangi where the country's
founding document was signed by Queen Victoria' representatives and Maori chiefs in 1840. |
Day 3 |
Cruise to Opito Bay where enormous pohutukawa trees overhang a fine beach. The water in
the inlet is clean and warm and is regularly visited by dolphins. Fishing and kayaking are
the order of the day. |
Day 4 |
Head across to the northern side of the Bay around the remarkable flat topped Black Rocks, to
arrive at the mouth of the Kerikeri inlet. A cruise up the inlet ends at the Stone Store, New Zealand's
oldest building. |
Day 5 |
Past the famous Hole in the Rock and north of the Bay of Islands are the
jewel-like Cavalli Islands. There are bays to explore inshore and fish to catch offshore.
For divers there is a fascinating dive site created from the wreck of the Greenpeace
ship Rainbow Warrior. |
Day 6 |
Cruise north to the towering, fjord-like cliffs of Whangaroa Bay. The water here
is surprisingly deep, and the harbor is full of history. The Kingfish Lodge at the mouth of the
harbor is accessible only by water and attracts movie stars and vacationing entrepreneurs. |
Day 7 |
Return to the Huraki Gulf to cruise Auckland's marine playground with visits to
beautiful Great Barrier Island and the wineries of Waiheke Island before touring the City of Sails.
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Tonga
The 176 islands ranging from high volcanic to low coral terrain create scenic variety seldom
matched elsewhere in the world. The islands are divided into four groups and bordered on the east
by the deep Tongan Trench. Nuku'alofa, the capital, is located on the main island of Tongatapu.
It is more developed than its neighbors but still maintains an unhurried and peaceful lifestyle.
The island of 'Eua lies just a few kilometres off the south-eastern tip of Tongatapu. Niuatoputapu
is surrounded by magnificent white beaches. The most beautiful beaches are on the north-west side
of the main island. Along the sandy beaches of Niuatoputapu one can walk for hours. There is no
traffic, no crowds and no queues - just peace and tranquility. Yet there is a variety of accommodation
and you can enjoy a sumptuous lobster meal, if that is to your liking.
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Galapagos
There are 13 major islands in the Galapagos archipelago which lies 600 miles from mainland
Ecuador. This incredibly special place is home to plant and animal species whose ancestors
floated or were blown there. Indigenous fauna lived without natural predators and animals
became virtually fearless. Even now, visitors can walk along trails and pass within inches
of numerous species which is in itself a unique experience. 90% of the land surface and the
entire ocean out to the national limits was designated a national park in 1959 in order to
preserve the original ecology and to control the introduction of new and potentially harmful
species.
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