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All you Need to Know

by Travel Journalist Tony Peisley

From the light plane taking me from Tahiti to Bora Bora, I swear I could see to the bottom of the ocean so translucent was the rippling water below.

I also enjoyed the picture-postcard sight of a sail-cruise ship making the same journey and immediately wished I was on board her rather than strapped into a cramped seat on the stuffy plane. For this, I thought, has to be the perfect place for a cruise.

Bora Bora is everything evocative movies like "South Pacific" have led us to expect and hope for as the main island sits in the middle of a magical emerald green lagoon circled by a coral reef rich in colourful marine life including parrot and butterfly fish and the occasional passing dolphin.

There are regular one- and two-week cruises (sometimes extending to the Hawaiian islands) among the Society Islands of French Polynesia: Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea as well as Tahiti and Bora Bora.

But the South Pacific covers a huge area so most itineraries are longer - either "Circle Pacific" or sectors of world cruises. On these, you will visit some of the most isolated, exotic places the world has to offer. Such as Christmas Island (Kiritimati in the Republic of Kiribati) which is home to vast numbers of exotic wild birds.

Or Easter Island, which is 1,200 miles from its nearest neighbour (Pitcairn Island) and boasts the iconic giant-headed statues that continue to mystify historians and enthrall visitors like Alan Whicker described the island as the most memorable place he has ever been. But then this ocean has always lured explorers and adventurers down the centuries with Captain Cook captivated by the relaxed, hedonistic lifestyle which continues to this day on Tonga.

While Robert Louis Stevenson spent the last years of his life near the Samoan capital and port of Apia where he could - as visitors still do - simultaneously enjoy views of its richly-forested mountain backdrop and of the traditional outrigger canoes being raced offshore. The South Pacific is not entirely unspoilt by progress and 21st Century living but this is surely as close to paradise lost as anywhere a cruise ship can take you on this planet.

DOS and DON'TS of South Pacific Cruising

DO appreciate that the cost of living in many South Pacific islands is higher than back home (mainly because of the cost of shipping everything in from far-off mainlands) so food, drinks, transport and souvenirs are not cheap. But there are some unique local craftworks that are well worth the price.

DON'T expect a port-a-day on the longer Pacific cruises - the distances between calls are often long which means you will enjoy plenty of days at sea - the best part of cruising for many people.

DO take care when sunbathing, particularly on those days at sea. The sun is very strong in these parts, especially so when combined with the sea breezes.

DON'T be put off by how built-up it is on the road from Tahiti's airport to the capital Papeete when you fly in for your cruise. This is a commercial, touristy island with a lively nightlife but, once you cruise away, you really are in the South Pacific of your dreams.

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