Beyond Bora Bora: Vishal’s Journey Through French Polynesia

By Vishal Patel, CEO

When most people think about French Polynesia, they picture Bora Bora.

And I completely understand why. The turquoise lagoons, overwater villas, white-sand beaches and dramatic mountains are every bit as beautiful in real life as you imagine them to be.

But after travelling through French Polynesia aboard Aranui 5, I came away feeling that Bora Bora is only one part of the story.

The real surprise for me was the Marquesas.

This was a journey through islands that felt untouched, incredibly welcoming and completely different from the French Polynesia you see in the brochures. There were moments when it felt almost surreal and, more than once, I found myself thinking that this was exactly the kind of experience our travel agents should know about when looking for something genuinely different for their clients.

The warmth starts the moment you arrive

Our journey began in Tahiti, and one of the first things that struck me was how friendly everyone was.

There was music and dancing at the airport, with ukuleles and traditional performances welcoming visitors. It immediately set the tone for the trip.

Tahiti itself has a good balance of the familiar and the traditional. There are good hotels, restaurants, nightlife and plenty to explore, while the seafood-led cuisine gives you that first taste of Polynesia.

boarding Aranui 5

The atmosphere changed as soon as we boarded Aranui 5.

We were introduced to the ship with a traditional haka performance, music and singing. There was a real warmth to the welcome, and the crew immediately made us feel part of the experience rather than simply passengers arriving for a cruise.

The people are a huge part of the Aranui experience.

This isn’t simply about sailing from one beautiful island to another. The crew, the entertainers and the local communities you meet along the way are what give the journey its character.

Fakarava: a glimpse of the French Polynesia I hadn’t expected

Our first stop was Fakarava.

I spent some time cycling around the island and, honestly, it felt surreal.

It was peaceful, unspoilt and incredibly quiet. There wasn’t the feeling of being somewhere built purely for tourism. You could slow down and simply take in where you were.

We also learnt about the local pearl industry, which gave us another insight into the culture and economy of the islands.

Fakarava is particularly impressive for divers, with its exceptional lagoon and marine life, but even if you’re not a diver, the feeling of being somewhere so untouched is an experience in itself.

Back on Aranui, there were ukulele lessons and other activities. The ship never felt like somewhere you simply returned to between excursions, there was always something happening.

Sailing into the Marquesas

One of my favourite parts of the journey was the time spent sailing towards the Marquesas.

The landscape begins to change dramatically. You start seeing the volcanic formations and ridges rising out of the sea, giving you a sense of just how different these islands are.

We also learnt about the history of Polynesian tattooing, including the symbolism behind the designs and their connection to warriors and chiefs.

It made the scenery around us feel even more meaningful.

You aren’t simply looking at volcanic mountains. You’re travelling through a place with an incredibly deep history and culture.

Nuku Hiva: wild, green and wonderfully unspoilt

When we arrived in Nuku Hiva, the scenery was incredible.

There were forests, enormous banyan trees, empty beaches and dramatic landscapes everywhere you looked. At one point, it felt like there were countless different plants growing within the same area.

There were also local performances and plenty of opportunities to experience the culture.

For clients who love scenery, walking and getting away from the obvious tourist trail, I think the Marquesas would be an incredible recommendation.

And that became a theme throughout the trip.

The further we travelled, the more I realised just how little of French Polynesia many people actually see.

Ua Pou felt like stepping back in time

Ua Pou was another highlight.

The island is famous for its dramatic rock pillars, which give the landscape an almost prehistoric appearance. We visited a beautiful beach where there was virtually no development, it genuinely felt like a desert island.

The fruit was incredibly sweet, the people were incredibly welcoming, and around the port children were playing in the water with a carefree energy that you don’t see everywhere.

There was a real warmth and soul to the place.

We even had someone getting married back on the ship that evening, which added to the feeling that Aranui isn’t just a cruise, it’s a little community travelling together.

For clients who love small-ship and expedition-style travel, this is where I think Aranui really comes into its own.

Hiva Oa: culture, food and generosity

Hiva Oa brought another side of the Marquesas.

We visited museums and explored the island, but what really stood out to me was the food and the generosity of the people.

The fruit was phenomenal; including rambutan, which reminded me of lychee and the seafood was excellent.

Everywhere we went, people seemed genuinely happy to share their island with us.

There was also a wonderful spontaneity to the experience. We saw people playing football and were invited to join them.

That happened repeatedly during the journey. People were welcoming, relaxed and incredibly friendly.

It made the islands feel very wholesome.

Fatu Hiva: one of my favourite days

Fatu Hiva was one of those days where the landscape almost doesn’t look real.

We walked around 30km, passing incredible greenery and learning about the plants growing around us. There were water stations along the route and plenty of opportunities to stop and take in the views.

As we climbed higher, you could really see the volcanic ridges and formations in the cliffs. In places, the mountains almost seemed to have faces carved into them.

It was a challenging day, but an unforgettable one.

And then you get back on the Aranui and discover another side of the experience, dinner with the captain and an evening watching the ship make an impressive 180-degree turn at sea.

It’s moments like that which make this journey feel like an adventure rather than a conventional cruise.

Ua Huka: the island that felt Jurassic

If I had to describe Ua Huka in one word, it would probably be wild.

There was something almost Jurassic about the scenery.

We visited botanical gardens, saw an incredible variety of flowers and fruit, and met local warriors who shared more about traditional Polynesian culture.

We also enjoyed a traditional Polynesian lunch on the island.

By this point in the trip, I thought I might have become accustomed to the scenery.

I hadn’t. Every island still managed to surprise me.

Leaving the Marquesas was actually quite emotional. We threw sticks into the sea as we departed, and it felt like saying goodbye to somewhere that had become surprisingly special in a very short space of time.

The Marquesas were my favourite part of the journey.

Then came Rangiroa

After another day at sea, we arrived in Rangiroa.

The water was incredibly clear, the beaches were quiet and unspoilt, and the lagoon was simply beautiful.

It’s another destination that immediately makes sense for divers, but what I loved was the peacefulness of it.

At one point, someone was kind enough to let me go out on their boat. That kind of spontaneous generosity seemed to happen everywhere we went.

By now, I understood what made these islands so special.

It wasn’t just the scenery, It was the people.

Bora Bora really is everything you expect it to be

Eventually, we arrived in Bora Bora.

And yes, it really is as beautiful as the pictures.

Sometimes destinations struggle to live up to the expectations created by years of photographs and social media.

Bora Bora didn’t.

The lagoon was phenomenal, and the choice of resorts means there is plenty of scope to create a truly special stay.

For clients looking for a secluded luxury escape, particularly those wanting an overwater villa, Bora Bora is difficult to beat.

But after everything we’d experienced in the Marquesas, I also found myself appreciating Bora Bora differently.

It isn’t better or worse.

It’s simply a completely different experience.

Moorea: paradise with a little more life

From Bora Bora, we returned to Tahiti before continuing on to Moorea.

Moorea felt more developed and commercialised than the Marquesas, but it still delivered exactly what you hope for from a Polynesian island, beautiful scenery, incredible water and that feeling of being somewhere tropical and special.

I can particularly see Moorea working beautifully for honeymooners. There are plenty of opportunities for snorkelling, relaxing and enjoying the island at a slower pace, while still having more facilities and activity around you.

Even the journey back to Tahiti had its own atmosphere, with people singing and playing ukuleles on the ferry.

It was the perfect way to end the trip.

What I took away from French Polynesia

I came away from this journey with one overriding feeling: French Polynesia has warmth, soul and character.

Of course, the scenery is unbelievable. The beaches, lagoons and mountains are everything you hope they will be. But what made the biggest impression on me was the people.

The welcome we received, the generosity, the music, the food, the culture and the sense that people were genuinely happy to share their home with us.

I also didn’t expect to feel quite so emotional about leaving. After nearly two weeks of travelling through these islands, I genuinely didn’t miss home. I was actually sad to go. And I think that says something.

Why I’d recommend Aranui to travel agents

From a TravelPack perspective, this trip reinforced something I believe strongly in: first-hand experience matters.

It’s one thing to read about an island or look at photographs of a hotel. It’s another thing entirely to stand there, meet the people, eat the food, experience the journey and understand how it feels.

Aranui gives you an array of French Polynesian experiences that you simply won’t get by staying in one resort.

You can combine Tahiti, the remote Marquesas, Fakarava, Rangiroa, Bora Bora and Moorea into one journey, while experiencing a completely different side of the destination along the way.

For clients who want more than a beach holiday, it’s a fantastic option.

For divers, there are exceptional opportunities.

For honeymooners, Bora Bora and Moorea provide that dream-island experience.

For travellers who love small ships, expedition-style journeys, culture and genuinely unique destinations, the Marquesas are something else entirely.

And if your clients tell you they’ve always dreamed of visiting paradise?

I’d say French Polynesia actually lives up to the expectation.

But don’t just show them Bora Bora.

Show them the French Polynesia beyond the postcard.

That was the part of the journey I loved most and the Marquesas will stay with me for a long time. 👉 Discover the Aranui offer available to TravelPack agents.