Sample Itinerary
Here is sample itinerary of what you may expect while enjoying a sailing vacation with TradeWinds in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. Weather or other outside factors may mean that your Captain sets an alternative course.
Arrival Day - Saturday
Boarding is at 5pm on Saturday in Marina Apooiti on Raiatea. You will be welcomed with Captains’ Cocktails before heading out to the anchorage in time for watching the sun going down on the next island we’ll visit: Bora-Bora! You will then receive your cabin briefing and once we have settled in and become acquainted with our fellow passengers we will enjoy a delicious three course dinner, prepared using the freshest local ingredients by your onboard chef.
Raiatea is known as “the sacred island” as it is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Marae Taputapuatea, a large ceremonial complex dating back to 1000AD. The site features several Marae and other stone structures and was once considered the central temple and religious center of Eastern Polynesia.
Cruising Day 1 - Sunday
Wake up to the smell of fresh coffee in paradise and take in the breathtaking surroundings. You have made it to the middle of the South Pacific! The lush greens of the mountainous hills and varying shades of blue in the lagoon are incomparable. Breakfast is served so let’s tantalize our taste buds with exotic seasonal fruits and freshly baked French pastries.
Our captain will go through the various safety aspects of the boat and outline the plan for the week. The sails will then be hoisted as we get ready for the most amazing sail of the week, choose your favorite spot for the 4 hours sail to the Pearl of the Pacific, Bora Bora. The Bora Bora lagoon is spectacular and is said to boast 13 shades of blue. We will spend much time in, under and on the water here.
The first stop is for a delightful well-deserved lunch, and we’ll anchor in a large shallow area where rays can be seen swimming in the turquoise blue water.
In the afternoon we'll go for a snorkeling exploration between the Motu's (Small Islands) where your captain will drop you for a gentle drift above an extensive, stunning coral garden. After this we will sail around the north of Bora-Bora towards an area called the “Hotel side”: Four Seasons, St Regis, Intercontinental - all iconic hotels with their overwater bungalows for which this very unique island of the South-Pacific is famous. We will sail past all of them to go and moor in the south-east corner of Bora Bora at the “Swimming Pool”, right on time for a board meeting (cocktails on the paddle board)! We’ll relax and day-dream, watching the infinite turquoise water on the horizon - and on the other side the sunset painting Bora-Bora’s dramatic silhouette with all its flaming colors.
Cruising Day 2 - Monday
Scuba divers will be collected from the boat by Patrick from Dive n' Smile (see details in our “Good to know” section). In the meantime, we will go snorkeling!
Your captain will take you with the tender to an area where you can be lucky enough to experience swimming with schooling eagle rays. Stay calm and quiet and they can be sometimes more than a dozen swimming right below you. Some nice beachcombing at the motu is possible too.
After lunch our captain will raise the sails and circumnavigate the whole island, regatta time!
We will moor on the west side of Bora-Bora behind Motu Toopua, for more swimming if you want or just to relax floating behind your luxury yacht. We love this place because it is where you will be able to see the most amazing South-Pacific sunset right over the water, green flash…?
Cruising Day 3 – Tuesday
This morning is all about water sports! Snorkeling with stingrays is possible or if you are lucky, we even sometimes have Manta rays hovering over the coral blocks, as these are their “cleaning stations”. Also,l if the conditions are right this is a fantastic area for seeing spotted eagle rays from the kayak or the paddle board.
After lunch we can go explore the Island on a 4X4 guided tour, enjoy some shopping in town, or you may wish to hike to the lookout above Matira Point, where you will be awed by the different shades of blue in the lagoon! Finally, we will all meet up onboard for some cocktails before dinner.
Tuesday night’s meal ashore is either at the star-studded Bloody Mary's bar and restaurant or in a Bora-Bora restaurant of your choice. At the Bloody Mary’s the daily catch is on display and you just need to point at what fish you want to eat, the chef will throw it on the grill right away! We will be able to check internet here and send some photos home to make friends and family extremely jealous!
Cruising Day 4 – Wednesday
After a nice healthy breakfast our captain will set the sails up for the morning sail back to Taha'a, keep an eye out for dolphins near the passes of Bora-Bora or Taha’a, as this is where they like to relax. In season we have the chance to see humpback whales coming in our waters for breeding, calving, mating or simply relaxing, so all eyes on deck and look for spouts!
Arriving in “The Vanilla Island” we will sail along its lush green coast and we will pass the village of Tiva to see the picturesque red and white church on the waters’ edge.
For lunch our captain will anchor just north of Motu Tautau on the west side of Taha'a (home of The Relais and Chateau resort “Le Taha'a"). Bora Bora will be, far in a distance, framed between the motus dotted along the edge of the reef. Then our crew will bring us ashore in the dinghy for a spectacular drift snorkel between two motus. This is the highlight of the week for underwater adventurers and is not to be missed! We will need water shoes to walk to the start of the drift section.
Cruising Day 5 – Thursday
We will continue our circumnavigation of Taha'a and moor in the beautiful Faaaha Bay. (There are only 13 letters in the Tahitian alphabet, and every letter in a word is pronounced)!
Taha'a is symbolically known as “The Vanilla Island”. It is on these fertile lands that Tahitian vanilla is cultivated, considered the best and the most fragrant vanilla, which is sought after by the best chefs around the world. This morning we will visit a family run, organic vanilla farm 'Vallée de la Vanille'. The process of vanilla cultivation and its many uses will be described in detail. Along with the famous and healthy coconut oil, a local antiseptic miracle oil is also produced on site from the Tamanu nut.
We will finish the day in the turquoise blue water of Motu Ceyran for a swim with view over Huahine island, whose shape from a distance looks like a pregnant Tahitian lady laid in the water with her very long hair floating over the horizon. Ask your captain what does “Huahine” mean in Tahitian, and perhaps you will learn the legend of the “Secret Island” …
Cruising Day 6 – Friday
After breakfast we will sail to the largest, most impressive bay of Taha’a: Apu Bay on the south side of the Island.
We'll be taken ashore to visit the Champon Pearl Farm, a locally run farm where pearl production and jewelry creation is done by the family with great professionalism and taste. They will teach us about the process of pearl making, and will bring us into the workshop where we can witness first-hand all stages of pearl harvesting. Peer over the pearl surgeon’s shoulder and share in the excitement as he delicately pulls out exquisite pearls from oysters he had implanted two years previously!
In the afternoon you may wish to snorkel along the drop off, explore the bay on the paddle-boards and kayak, or go for a leisurely wander and ice cream ashore.
Friday night’s meal ashore will be either at the “Raiatea Lodge restaurant” for a gourmet blend of French and Tahitian cuisine or at “Le Ficus” restaurant - the friendliest local restaurant. A traditional Tahitian oven will be uncovered, followed by a buffet of traditional delights and an authentic Polynesian dance show.
Departure Day – Saturday
All too soon it’s departure day, and our crew will have the boat back on the dock by 7.30am. Enjoy one last breakfast aboard in paradise, before you depart Apo Iti Marina at 9am. First, though, we swap email addresses and photos, and then we send everyone home with great memories and anticipation for our next Tradewinds’ sailing vacation.
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