NEW CALENDAR 2021 NEW DATES AS OF MARCH 24TH, 2020 The island formation of Rurutu is not what one expects to see in the South Pacific. RurutuBasaltic and limestone cliffs dotted with caves where the islanders once lived, a JANUARY TUAMOTU, GAMBIER, PITCAIRN volcanic interior with a lush tropical jungle, white sand beaches and beautiful bays NEW VOYAGE N°01 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 05 JANUARY / 17 JANUARY TUESDAY / SUNDAY NEW 2021 create stunning visuals. Archeological digs have uncovered habitation sites, council NEW VOYAGE N°02 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 19 JANUARY / 31 JANUARY TUESDAY / SUNDAY platforms and marae temples in the village of Vitaria, showing man’s presence FEBRUARY around 900 A.D. Rurutu is known throughout Polynesia for the exceptionally fine NEW VOYAGE N°03 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 06 FEBRUARY / 18 FEBRUARY SATURDAY / THURSDAY quality of its woven products. From August to October each year, humpback whales TUAMOTU, GAMBIER, AUSTRALS, PITCAIRN can be seen and heard in Rurutu, where they come south to mate and give birth. SPECIAL VOYAGE DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 20 FEBRUARY / 04 MARCH SATURDAY / THURSDAY As Aranui 5 will be here in September, this should be a feast for your eyes and ears. MARCH Included activities : Taro fields and handicraft center visit. Island tour with stops at the NEW VOYAGE N°04 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 06 MARCH / 18 MARCH SATURDAY / THURSDAY different island viewpoints. Make the most of this tour to admire superb views of the sea VOYAGE N°05 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 20 MARCH / 01 APRIL SATURDAY / THURSDAY and limestone cliffs. APRIL Optional activities : Horseback riding on the island. VOYAGE N°06 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 08 APRIL / 20 APRIL THURSDAY / TUESDAY VOYAGE N°07 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 24 APRIL /06 MAY SATURDAY / THURSDAY MAY ISLV*, TUAMOTU VOYAGE N°08 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 08 MAY /19 MAY SATURDAY / MERCREDI VOYAGE N°09 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 22 MAY / 03 JUNE SATURDAY / THURSDAY JUNE VOYAGE N°10 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 10 JUNE / 22 JUNE THURSDAY / TUESDAY As you approach Rapa, only accessible by sea, the Captain may announce: “Wel- VOYAGE N°11 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 26 JUNE / 08 JULY SATURDAY / THURSDAY Rapacome to Rapa. Next stop Antartica.” As the southernmost inhabited island, this cres- cent shaped island — with a fjord-like coastline deeply indented by 12 bays —is JULY as remote as it gets in French Polynesia. Rapa-Iti —or “small Rapa”, as the island is VOYAGE N°12 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 15 JULY / 27 JULY THURSDAY / TUESDAY also called —has a strong cultural connection to Easter Island, known as Rapa-Nui AUGUST or big to the Polynesians. Legend tells of the settlement of Rapa-Nui by the people VOYAGE N°13 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 05 AUGUST / 17 AUGUST THURSDAY / TUESDAY of Rapa-Iti. Once home to fierce warriors who lived in fortified settlements built on VOYAGE N°14 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 21 AUGUST / 02 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY / THURSDAY terraces among volcanic peaks, the islanders now live by farming and fishing. SEPTEMBER Included activities : Visit ancient forts overlooking Rapa Bay and have lunch with the popu- COOK ISLANDS, AUSTRALS, TUAMOTU VOYAGE N°15 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 04 SEPTEMBER / 16 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY / THURSDAY lation. Taro Poipoi demonstration and the making of head crowns. VOYAGE N°16 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 18 SEPTEMBER / 30 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY / THURSDAY OCTOBER VOYAGE N°17 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 07 OCTOBER / 19 OCTOBER THURSDAY / TUESDAY Journey of discovery VOYAGE N°18 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 23 OCTOBER / 04 NOVEMBER SATURDAY / THURSDAY NOVEMBER VOYAGE N°19 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 06 NOVEMBER / 18 NOVEMBER SATURDAY / THURSDAY VOYAGE N°20 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 27 NOVEMBER / 09 DECEMBER SATURDAY / THURSDAY COOK•AUSTRAL•TUAMOTU Known as the “Bora Bora of the Austral Islands”, Raivavae’s white sand beaches, DECEMBER Raivavaelarge emerald lagoon and 28 motus encircling the lush green main island, FESTIVAL OF ARTS VOYAGE N°21 DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL 16 DECEMBER / 28 DECEMBER THURSDAY / TUESDAY have earned it this distinction. Giant stone tikis resembling those in the Marque- sas and on Easter Island, including an unusual smiling tiki, wood sculptures, an ISLV/ Leeward islands. No freight for the special trips. SPECIAL TRIPS open air marae temple and Polynesian canoes are some of the archaeological Embark on a journey like no other elements you will discover during a circle island tour. If you wish to relax on one of the motus and swim in the crystal clear lagoon, an excursion by speed boat For more than 30 years, Aranui has been offering adventure travelers one of the most is available. A beach barbecue featuring local dishes will be served for lunch. unique cruises in the world throughout the South Pacific. You will quickly discover Included activities : Tour around the island of Raivavae and typical local lunch with the though that a trip with the Aranui is not just a cruise. It is an experience, or better yet, population. Discovery of local handicrafts. Optional activities : Island bike tour / Hike to the top of Mount Hiro / Motu pool excursion. a journey through time. Follow in the footsteps of the ancient Polynesians and their SA Compagnie Polynésienne de Transport Maritime heritage by exploring these three archipelagos. BP 220 Papeete • 98713 Tahiti • Polynésie française • Tél (689) 40 42 62 42 • Fax (689) 40 43 48 89 • [email protected] • www.aranui.com TheL’île island de of LesAutrefois membres de Ilesl’Empire britannique, les îlesCook Cook sont aujourd’hui TheOnce part of the CookBritish Empire, and now Islandsa self-governing country in free RapaRapa un associationétat autonome with enNew libre Zealand, association the Cook avec Islands la Nouvelle-Zélande have maintained qui their ont Po- Partir pour un voyage authentique à la découverte des Set sail on an authentic journey to discover islands of conservélynesian leur identity. identité From polynésienne. the various Les island différents dialects, dialectes all originating insulaires, from tous the theîles South du Pacifique Pacific Sud…... Embarking Embarquer aboard à bord Aranui de l’Aranui, is an originairesold Maori de (Maohi l’ancienne in Tahitian) langue language,maorie (maohi to the en arts tahitien), and crafts, les arts dancing et l’ar- and c’est vivre une émotion inoubliable. A commencer par la IslandÎle de ofRapa. Rapa. tisanat,performing la danse arts, et lesthe arts traditional du spectacle, culture ainsi and que customs la culture have et remained les coutumes strong. unforgettable experience, starting with the introduction traditionnellesLess affected sont by developmenttoujours très présents.and tourism Moins unlike touchées some parof itsle neighborsdévelop- in ofrencontre «little Rapa», de la an « petite island Rapa at the », l’îleends du of bout the duearth. monde pementthe South et le Pacific,tourisme the que Cook certains Islands de haveses voisins been describeddu Pacifique as Sud,Hawaii les over îles 60 Cookyears ont ago. été comparées This idyllic aux group îles ofHawaï 15 islands,d’il y a plus divided de 60 between ans. Cet the archipel Northern idylliqueand Southern de 15 îles, Cook réparties Islands, entre was lesnamed îles Cookin honor du Nordof Captain et les IlesJames Cook Cook, Située au milieu de l’océan Pacifique, Rapa Iti est l’île habitée la plus isolée et la plus sudiste MapCarte of deRapa. Rapa. du whoSud, visited a été nomméin the late en 18thl’honneur Century. du capitaine James Cook, qui explora ème Locateddes Australes. in the Lamiddle forme ofparticulière the Pacific de l’îleOcean, et son Rapa éloignement Iti is the ne mostpermettent isolated pas deand s’y les îles à la fin du XVIII siècle. southernmostrendre par avion inhabited : seuls lesisland navires of ythe ont Australaccès. Islands. The particular shape of the itinerary island and its remoteness does not allow one to get there by plane: only ships have Un itinéraire L’île abrite une population de 507 personnes décrite comme « les personnes les plus CROISIÈRE DE 13 JOURS / 12 NUITS access. The island is home to a population of 507, described as «the happiest CRUISE 13 DAYS / 12 NIGHTS peopleheureuses in the au world”.monde ». ItLes is plusso isolatedisolées aussi, that authe point inhabitants que les habitants speak reoparlent rapa, le reo a lanrapa,- Unique langue différente des autres îles australes. guage that is different from the rest of the Austral Islands. Several characteristics A Unique distinguish Rapa from the other islands of French Polynesia. As a matter of fact, it DU 4 AU 16 SEPTEMBRE 2021 | Embarquement à Papeete entre 07h00 et 09h00 Plusieurs caractéristiques distinguent Rapa des îles de la Polynésie française. En effet, elle FROM 4 TO 16 SEPTEMBER 2021 | Boarding in Papeete between 07:00 and 09:00 registers the lowest temperature of the 5 archipelagos: a low of up to 8 ° C during connaît la température la plus basse des 5 archipels : une fraîcheur pouvant descendre the dry season (July-August, with records as cold as 4 ° C). Thanks to this climate, jusqu’à 8°C lors de la saison sèche (juillet-août principalement, avec des records à JOUR 1 DEPART SAMEDI 4 JOUR 8 RAPA (AUSTRALES) SAMEDI 11 Autre paradis insulaire du Pacifique Sud, Aitutaki a tout pour plaire : de ma- you will find a delicious flora, unique in Polynesia: apple and pear trees, necta- DAY 1 DEPART SATURDAY 4 DAY 8 RAPA (AUSTRAL) SATURDAY 11 AitutakiAnother island paradise in the South Pacific, Aitutaki has it all: gorgeous 4°C). Grâce à ce climat, vous y trouverez une flore délicieuse, unique en Polynésie : des gnifiquesAitutaki plages de sable blanc et un lagon turquoise magnifique entouré de rines ... An orchard worthy of the Garden of Eden! white sand beaches and a stunning turquoise lagoon surrounded by motus on pommiers, des poiriers, des nectarines… Un verger digne du jardin d’Eden ! Papeete – Tahiti (voir page précédente) motu sur la barrière de corail. Bien que l’île soit considérée comme un atoll, (See previous page) the barrier reef.