|
Two Weeks Aboard the Aranui |
 |
|
“I’ve traveled to over 100 countries and flown 100,000 miles or more a year for the past decade. I’ve been railroading during the Malaysian monsoon season, and I’ve even been highjacked at Uzi machine gun point in Haiti. But no travel trip to date equals the two weeks I just spent aboard a freighter sailing through the Marquesas in French Polynesia. I always wondered if there were still any of those old tramp steamers plying the trade routes of the world to out-of-the way places without airports or roads like I read about in my misspent youth. Was there such a trip still available, or had I waited too long? The Aranui, meaning “The Great Highway” in Maori, operates under the French flag, and her crew are all Polynesian, primarily Marquesans. It serves as the primary transportation and supply link to the Marquesas Islands located north of Tahiti. This working freighter is the lifeline for these faraway islands. It accommodates about 200 passengers of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities while delivering cargo to some of the most remote islands on earth. Many passengers are islanders returning home by deck passage. While it is a very livable vessel, the experience is not for travelers looking for glamour or glitz. You go along for the ride to watch the tattooed crew sling sacks of copra (dried coconuts) and oil drums by day, and strum ukuleles on the port deck by night. The Aranui offers an authentic taste of Polynesian life at sea and the rare opportunity to visit these islands like a native. Despite no advertising budget, the Aranui is booked up long in advance due to the glowing write-ups it receives in the international press. It has been featured in South Seas documentaries as well as motion pictures, including Warren Beatty’s 1994 film ‘Love Affair’ and in the PBS travelogue ‘In Search of Paradise’.
|
|
After two days sightseeing in Tahiti, we boarded this wonderful and colorful freighter. For the next three days, except for a stop at the Takapoto atoll, we sailed through the calm waters of the South Pacific to the Marquesas islands nearly a thousand sea miles north of Papeete, Tahiti. Our first port of call was Ua Pou where our initial view was clouds wreathing the peak of Oave. This volcano rises 4,000 feet above the sea and dominates the skyline as we explore the little village of Hakahau and eat a Marquesan lunch of breadfruit, rock lobster and native delicacies like raw fish marinated in lime juice and coconut milk. Next we hiked through the town to a lookout and visited the local grammar school on the way back down. The next port of call was Taiohae on Nuku Hiva, the administrative center of the Marquesas, where we were taken on a Land Rover jaunt through the mountains. This is the only island with any air connection from a tiny airport which is a one-hour, bone-jarring jeep ride through the mountains to the only spot flat enough for a small airstrip. The airport gets its fuel from the Aranui. Oil drums are ferried to shore in our ship’s small whale boats which later return to ferry us ashore as well. Approaching this island from downwind, the air is thick with fragrant scent of tiare and frangipani. It was here that a young Herman Melville, of New Bedford, MA, deserted his whaling ship, and fled to the Taipivai Valley. His stay with the cannibal Taipi tribe was the basis for his famous novel Typee, which was his misspelling of Taiohae. |
 |
The next day we arrived on Hiva Oa and explored Atuona, the second largest village in the Marquesas where Paul Gauguin lived and painted until his death in 1903. A short hike uphill leads to Gauguin’s grave which is next to that of Jacques Brel, the Belgium songwriter, who also lived on this island. Later the same day we set sail for the tiny village of Vaitahu, in Tahuata, where Spanish explorers first landed in 1595. Two centuries later came the missionary to whom the generous local chief gave his wife with instructions that he treats her as his own wife. The missionary fled the next day. |
By our eighth day we reached the lushest and most remote island, Fatu Hiva, which is formed from two extinct volcanoes. Our next stop was Omoa where Herman Melville also spent enough time to get the idea for his novel Omoo which was his phonetic spelling of the native word for this island. The next day the Aranui returned to the opposite side of Hiva Oa where we visited the most important archaeological site for tiki, statues representing ancestors. The only other place these tiki exist is on Easter Island. |
| Our next island, Ua Huka, has 2,000 wild horses. The locals round up one only when they need it. We were provided with wooden saddles and spent the day crossing this island’s mountains, including a stop at a horticultural institution. On our return voyage to Tahiti, we spent two full days at sea before reaching one of the world’s largest atolls, Rangiroa, where we took the whaleboats to a picnic on a golden beach and also swam and snorkeled. |  |
|
It would be difficult for even as wide-eyed an enthusiast as myself to exaggerate the joys of this exotic voyage. The local guides aboard were brilliant and insightful while the crew made us feel like friends and neighbors. This is FRENCH Polynesia, so the food has a French Provincial influence. Every meal is a delight, running the gamut from haute cuisine to local Marquesan dishes. All were superb.
We flew nonstop from Boston on American Airlines, and hooked up with a new local Tahitian carrier, Air Tahiti Nui, which offers one trip daily from L.A. to Papeete, Tahiti, an eight-hour flight over the Pacific. We flew nearly halfway around the earth with only a 1/2 hour layover in L.A. Oh, I forgot to mention! The French serve endless bottles of wine at both lunch and dinner, all included in the fare which starts at $2,079 for a dorm to $5,445 for the best deluxe suites which even includes bathtub and a balcony. We settled for a standard A cabin at $3,675. The prices are per person, double occupancy and include 3 meals with wine, guided excursions, picnic and meals on shore”. |
 |
 Voyage and Vessel Details |
|
The custom-built Aranui 3 of CPTM (Compagnie Polynesienne de Transport Maritime), a specially-designed cargo liner built with passenger comfort in mind, offers tasteful, spacious accommodations, sweeping decks, an outdoor swimming pool, and gym as well as facilities for ocean swimming, fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving. |
|
The lush, jagged volcanic islands of the Marquesas are French Polynesia’s most spectacular island chain - yet few tourists have experienced them. You can learn about their beauty, welcoming people, and their mysterious stone tikis by reading the adventures of Paul Gaugin, Herman Melville, Jack London, Robert Lewis Stevenson and Thor Heyerdahl. Even today, the best way to explore these enchanting islands continues to be by freighter. While the Aranui makes two stops in the Tuamotu Islands and 15 in the Marquesas, your days on land will be filled with adventure. Led by well-trained guides, you can hike to ancient archeological sites, swim, snorkel, scuba dive and go horseback riding. You’ll also visit charming villages where visitors are rare but very welcome. |
|
|
|
Thanks largely to the passengers of the Aranui, Marquesan artists are reviving the traditional crafts. Talented craftspeople will open their home studios to you and display their intricately carved wooden bowls, war clubs and tapa, a traditional bark cloth. |
|
|
| You’ll probably spend many evenings socializing with your fellow adventurers from all around the world at the open deck bar. The spirited Polynesian crew will treat you like a welcomed guest and proudly introduce you to their rich culture. Almost every night, they sing and strum hypnotic Polynesian rhythms on their ukuleles while teaching you to move your hips to the hypnotic beat of the tamure. |
 A few picturesque photos from a “very successfull voyage”, courtesy of Mr. Greg Bathon and his wife Heidi. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hidden amidst the bamboo and vanilla vines are undiscovered archeological treasures. The area is dotted with stone tiki gods and sacred ritual sites (me’ae) and immense stone platforms (paepae) where the Taipi built their houses. Enigmatic petroglyphs of birds, sacred turtles and fish are carved on huge boulders. The Aranui’s two whaleboats will sail down the river to return you to the Aranui, which is anchored in the bay. |
|
|
 |
| You’ll also enjoy another lavish Marquesan lunch, at Hoa Nui restaurant. On the island of Tahuata, the air is thick with the fragrant scents of tiare, frangipani and history. In the tiny village of Vaitahu, Spanish explorers had landed in 1595 and opened fire on a crowd of the curious islanders, killing about 200. When the first missionaries came in 1797, the generous local chief left his wife with the missionary John Harris, and left instructions that he treat her as his own wife. Harris fled the next day. Tahuata also is the site of the first French settlement in the Marquesas in 1842. The huge church, built by the Vatican, is decorated with beautiful Marquesan carvings. On a nearby beach, you’ll be able to swim, snorkel and picnic. |
|
Fatu Hiva is also well-known for its hand-painted pareus (sarongs) and monoi, a perfumed coconut oil scented with tiare blossoms and sandalwood. Skilled wood-carvers will invite you into their home studios. The grandchildren of former chief, Willie Grellet, have opened their home to Aranui passengers and proudly show his rare collection of ancient Marquesan woodcarvings. You’ll sail into the Bay of Virgins, which is one of the world’s most beautiful bays. The more athletic passengers may choose to make the trip by foot. |
|
|
On this ten-mile hike you’ll have unforgettable views of towering cliffs and majestic waterfalls. All Aranui passengers will rendezvous for a swim in the secluded jungle river pool right out of a set for a South Pacific movie.
|
|
|
|
Afterwards, have lunch at the Yvonne’s Restaurant, one of the best restaurants in the Marquesas where the specialty is pig baked in an underground oven. You’ll meet the owner-chef, Yvonne, who also happens to be the town’s energetic mayor. |
  |
|
|
|
Voy. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 |
2007 Schedule February 5 - February 17 February 24 - March 10 March 17 - March 31 April 7 - April 21 April 28 - May 12 May 19 - June 2 June 9 - June 23 June 30 - July 14 July 21 - August 4 August 11 - August 25 September 1 - September 15 September 22 - October 6 October 13 - October 27 November 3 - November 17 November 24 - December 8 December 14 - December 29 |
|
A PROMOTIONAL SPECIAL 15% discount is offered on all bookings, except those in class C accommodations, on voyage # 7, and a SENIOR CITIZENS SPECIAL 15% discount is offered to senior citizens aged 60 and over on voyage #11. GETTING THERE Air Tahiti Nui (airtahitinui.com, 877-824-4846) the airline of French Polynesia, flies direct from Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Tokyo Sydney and Auckland. Check also Air France and Qantas. For lodging, two conveniently located and reasonably priced hotels are the Hotel Mandarine (hotelmandarin.com) located in the center of Papeete near the wharf, and the Sofitel (sofitel.com) located on Maeva Beach near the airport. For the rates and deck plan, please see the following 2 PDF pages (169 KB) ... 
|
| We are most grateful for the support, including comments such as the following, which we have been receiving from our valued customers and club members as well as from the steamship lines and media over the years: |
|
|
||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
| Maris Membership |
|
Become a member of our Cruise and Freighter Travel Club, or give a gift membership. Get a snapshot of the situation existing in the industry today, including answers to the more commonly-asked questions supported with passenger comments. Published monthly, Maris Freighter Cruises' 16-page magazine (5.75" x 8.50") also features news, schedules and firsthand stories with details on specific voyages. It's a well-illustrated, up to date guide which you'll enjoy reading at home at your convenience. Take advantage of the knowledgeable advice that comes from our vast experience. Find the ship and voyage that's perfect for you and, for each roundtrip freighter cruise, you'll receive Maris discount bonus of $100, or higher discounts when available. |
Simply click on the short, secure Google or VeriSign Checkout form, call in, or mail your check. Your first copy of the magazine will be shipped with our next regular mailing at the beginning of the month.
|
||||||||||||||||
of Westport, CT
Cruise & Freighter Travel Club Int'l (Since 1958)
www.freightercruises.com
1 800 99-Maris (-62747) & 1 203 222-1500 (-9191 fax)
|
Maris USA 1320 State Route 9 Champlain, NY 12919, USA (For USA mail) |
Maris Int'l 2700 Rufus Rockhead 313 Montreal, QC H3J 2Z7, Canada (For Canadian & Int'l mail) |
Office hours: 9am - 5pm
New York-Montreal time, Monday through Friday
________________________
Copyright © Maris