PITCAIRN & GAMBIER - IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE MUTINS OF BOUNTY

Boarding on the Aranui between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. You will be warmly welcomed by our Polynesian staff and take your marks on the boat before the big trip to Anaa.

A small atoll with less than 500 inhabitants, Anaa has entered the history books as the birthplace of the royal family of Tahiti, the Pomare dynasty. Nowadays Anaa is best known for its jade lagoon and picturesque motus with no less than 11 small islands scattered around the atoll. Most of the population is engaged in making coconut oil or fishing, which has given rise to the development of the island's sustainable fishing program. Passengers will be able to visit the village of Tukuhora, try their hand at traditional javelin throwing and learn about local crafts. Beware of the “feo”, these gigantic fossilized coral blocks that are characteristic of the atoll. The lagoon is the ideal place for fly fishing, an optional activity offered in Anaa.

Located more than 900 km east of Tahiti, Amanu is an idyllic atoll with its translucent lagoons bordered by coconut palms and its charming island village. After taking a few steps you will arrive at Ikitake where you will be greeted by a dance performance featuring some of the children. During your visit, you will discover local crafts, including shellwork, and admire the old traditional lighthouse of the village, the old and new Saint-Paul churches, a large fish park and a building. 19th century with coral walls which serves not only as a town hall but also as a cyclone shelter. A buffet of local specialties will be served under a century-old tree known as the "tau".

Take advantage of this day at sea to relax by the boat's swimming pool, to participate in one of our conferences or activities organized by our guides.

The Gambiers are the cradle of Catholicism in Polynesia. Visit the Catholic Church of St Michael whose altar is encrusted with an iridescent mother-of-pearl shell. Mangareva is the largest of the Gambier Islands and its main village, Rikitea, is the capital of the archipelago. The island has a huge lagoon with blue and green hues which is also famous for its black pearls.

The story of the mutiny on the Bounty, Her Majesty's ship, is one of the best-known in history. After having abandoned at sea in a rowboat the captain of the Bounty, William Bligh, his second, Fletcher Christian and the mutineers returned to Tahiti and then set sail for the Austral Islands to take refuge on an uninhabited island, protected from the outside world. Pitcairn. The reduced crew is joined by six Polynesians and twelve Polynesians who will become descendants of the current community of Pitcairn. Arrived in Pitcairn on January 17, 1790, the crew found that Pitcairn was an inaccessible and uninhabited place, with a hot climate and fertile land. After taking possession of the island and carrying everything with difficulty to the top of the hill called, rightly, the Hill of Difficulty, the Bounty is pulled on the shore and the mutineers set it on fire so that no trace of the ship is visible from the sea. A village is built on the lower plateau, located above Bounty Bay, where the Adamstown village. Although he only lived in this isolated sanctuary for a few years, Fletcher Christian is considered the founder and first ruler of modern-day Pitcairn Island.

Inhabited by only about fifty people, Pitcairn is one of the most isolated islands in the world. During the tour, passengers will be able to immerse themselves in the history and culture of the island, walking in the footsteps of the settlers of the Bounty, from their disembarkation at Bounty Bay to their installation in Adamstown; they will be able to meet descendants of the mutineers at the curiosity market, visit the tomb of the last surviving mutineer, John Adams, discover the Polynesian civilization of yesteryear and see objects that were on board the Bounty at the museum

Land of pristine lagoons perfect for black pearl cultivation, visit a pearl farm, go sightseeing and enjoy a barbecue on the beach. Aukena is a land of virgin lagoons, perfect for the cultivation of black pearls; it is home to idyllic beaches and the first stone-built church in French Polynesia - Saint-Raphaël Church was built in 1839. A barbecue will be organized on a white sand beach.

Take advantage of this day at sea to relax by the boat's swimming pool, to participate in one of our conferences or activities organized by our guides.

Hikueru was once a large pearl oyster nature reserve but the 1903 cyclone wreaked havoc which Jack London recounted in detail in "South Sea Tales". Today, the population depends on the production of copra. After a tasting of local fruits, passengers will visit the village and a church built in coral. The legends of the island will be explained to them by the locals. A barbecue on the beach will be organized for lunch and then you will have time to swim and snorkel.

Take advantage of this day at sea to relax by the boat's swimming pool, to participate in one of our conferences or activities organized by our guides.

This is the end of our journey. It's time to say Nānā! (goodbye) to your travel companions, the Polynesian staff and the Aranui guides.