Sonia on the Paul Gauguin sailing from Papeete to the Tuamotus and Society Islands

# 1 benefit of traveling solo:

I believe that traveling solo gets you out of your comfort zone and allows you to meet new people and forge new friendships.

You may disagree and say, “You meet new people even when you’re traveling with your partner,” but here’s the difference:

When you’re with your partner, you have someone next to you during meals, cocktails and excursions. In a way, it’s your “security blanket” and you don’t make as much effort to get to know other people as you would traveling solo.

Some solo travelers may feel uncomfortable being by themselves, however, a small ship (330 passengers) is ideal to get to know other passengers and crew members. After a couple of days you feel like you “belong” to a large family.

On my recent solo trip to French Polynesia, I met other solo travelers and several couples, and was able to have all my meals and evening cocktails with different people so I never felt alone or out of place.

Excursions also enabled me to meet other travelers while on my snorkeling trips, or cultural trips on various islands.

You even get to know the entertainers, “Les Gauguins and Les Gauguines,” on the Paul Gauguin ship

Air Tahiti Nui Flights are direct from Los Angeles to Tahiti

I did not realize how “close” this beautiful part of the world, French Polynesia is from Los Angeles. Only 7.5 to 8 hours of flight time, and as far as the time difference, it’s only 2 hours behind California time zone. So no jet lag for me, compared to Paris which is 9 hours ahead of LA.

Everything ran smoothly, and we landed at the Papeete airport at 5:30 a.m. Greeted by Polynesian musicians at the airport, I quickly found the Paul Gauguin representative who took me and a small group of other passengers to the Intercontinental hotel.

I was unsure of what to do when I landed in Papeete so I took the pre and post tour package which included a day room, transfers to the ship and a meal at the hotel. I tried to rest for 30 minutes but couldn’t fall asleep, so I decided to swim in the infinity pool followed by fresh pineapple, mango, papaya and French cheeses and bread for breakfast.

Swimming pool at the Intercontinental Hotel in Papeete, Tahiti.

At 1 p.m. we were on a guided tour organized by Paul Gauguin to a very modern museum with ancient canoes and wood carvings followed by a visit to a sacred site still used today made of lava stones.

Modern museum with wood carvings in Papeete

Around 3:30 p.m., the bus took us to the Paul Gauguin ship and registration was quick and easy. You just had to show your passport and your Covid (free) health form.

My room was on Deck 4, and so convenient for the excursion office and reception open 24/7 . The Marina was at the end of my corridor and I collected my snorkel and fins right after confirming all my excursions.

Dinner on the first evening was with Linda, a solo traveler, Loic, the French guest lecturer from Brittany with a topic entitled “Paradoxical Paradise,” and Chuck, another solo traveler from Ventura, California.

I was exhausted from the night flight from LA, so went to bed early on my first evening.

Fakarava Island

We sailed to Fakarava island and I was happy to relax on the first day so I had breakfast and later, swam 50 “short” laps in the pool.

A free excursion was offered to those who wanted to snorkel at a local beach on the island. A tender took us to a pier where we waited for a bus to take us to a beach for snorkeling. The water was warm but the coral and fish were not so abundant at this location. I was a little disappointed but that changed on the following day when I had the most beautiful snorkeling excursion.

In the evening, we had the singles cocktail reception with about 21 solo travelers, mostly women, but with a mix of French and English speakers. Fortunately I speak French, having lived in Paris for 15 years, so I could also mingle with French guests. Every announcement and lecture on the ship is offered in both languages.

Beautiful calm weather during the 10 days in January – February 2024

January 26, 2024

I ordered my coffee between 6-6:30 in my room and today was my first snorkeling excursion. We were taken by tender to our boat and had two guides to follow; one in front and another guide watching us from behind. I saw many black-tip shark and colorful fish. Parrot fish and many more, (wish I knew the names of all these colorful fish) even a giant eel hiding in a tunnel. The visibility was incredible and fortunately, the coral is unspoiled in this part of the world.

I joined my new friends, Sylvia and Dave and danced to Bruno Mars on the pool deck during cocktail hour with Mariechu, a talented singer and the musicians of the Sound Waves band.

My solo traveler friend Chuck had booked one of the two restaurants requiring a reservation for dinner at the French restaurant, La Veranda. The food was excellent, foie gras, fresh fish and French cheeses. The evening ended with the band playing at Salon 5, and Mariechu singing Whitney Houston and many other hits. Sylvia and I danced and had a fun evening on the ship.

My next blog post will cover the black pearls visit as well as the blue-eyed eels. I hope you enjoy!

Any comments are welcome.

A few months ago, when I was having a difficult time dealing with the stress of mental illness with my son, I decided to book a trip. This is what I tend to do when I’m fed up, and need a break.

I have always been fascinated by the Paul Gauguin ship to Tahiti, Bora Bora and the Society islands of French Polynesia, so why not find out more about the ship.

I was curious if they offered “no single supplement” fares and was surprised to hear that they do offer cabins for solo singles travelling. Here is a recent list of their trips with no single supplement. I started my research watching You Tube videos describing the Paul Gauguin ship and the islands I’ll be visiting during my 10-day cruise.

The ship only has 330 guests and 209 crew members. It has 165 staterooms and suites and a spa and 3 restaurants. What I am looking forward to is the exclusivity, the all inclusive program, all drinks and tips are included and only the excursions are extra.

What’s included on the Paul Gauguin cruise?

All shipboard meals, in your choice of venues
Complimentary 24-hour room service
Complimentary beverages, including select wines and spirits, beers, soft drinks, bottled water, and hot beverages served throughout the ship
In-room refrigerator replenished daily with soft drinks, beer, and bottled water
All shipboard entertainment, including our troupe of Polynesian performers and live music in the evenings
Presentations by onboard experts, and select sailings feature guest hosts
Onboard gratuities for room stewards, dining and bar staff
Watersports, including complimentary kayaking and paddleboarding from our marina or destination beaches
Complimentary snorkel gear for use throughout the cruise
Use of our secluded, white-sand beach in Bora Bora*
A day on our private islet, Motu Mahana, off the coast of Taha’a, featuring snorkeling, watersports, a barbecue, full bar service, and Polynesian hospitality (on select voyages)
Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the ship

Video explaining what to expect on a Paul Gaugain Cruise

So this morning I landed in Papeete, Tahiti, and this afternoon, I board the Paul Gauguin and will update you on my impressions. I hope you follow my adventure on this gorgeous ship.

Māuruuru, (Thank you.) Let me know what you’d like to find out in the comments section below.