Seven Seas Mariner - February 16, 2025

Easter Island is over 2,000 miles from either Tahiti or Chile, making it one of the most isolated places on Earth. A triangle of volcanic rock in the South Pacific, it is best known for the giant stone monoliths that dot the coastline. Easter Island has long been the subject of curiosity and speculation. Discover what remains of this culture today, and what lessons we can learn from its legacy.

Easter Island is over 2,000 miles from either Tahiti or Chile, making it one of the most isolated places on Earth. A triangle of volcanic rock in the South Pacific, it is best known for the giant stone monoliths that dot the coastline. Easter Island has long been the subject of curiosity and speculation. Discover what remains of this culture today, and what lessons we can learn from its legacy.

Less visited than the other Society Islands, Huahine maintains more of the traditional pace of life. There are ancient fares (temples) to explore, vanilla plantations to view or drives into the hinterlands in 4-wheel-drive-vans. The coral reefs offshore are excellent for snorkeling.

Raiatea is the second largest island of French Polynesia after Tahiti. A tour of the island will reveal lush green valleys, numerous waterfalls, pineapple and vanilla plantations. Discover fascinating underwater scenery within Raiatea's deep lagoon which is rich with fish, and surrounded by mountains.

The largest of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, Tahiti held a magical attraction for artist Paul Gauguin and writer Robert Louis Stevenson. To understand why, simply listen to the winds whistling through casuarina trees on a secluded black-sand beach, or stroll through beautiful botanical gardens and marvel at island flora.

Here, you'll find the real South Seas' experience -- a casual, barefoot existence amidst white sand beaches and multi-hued lagoons surrounded by jagged mountains and volcanic spires that reach into the clouds, while below, valleys are blanketed with the colors that one only finds when tropical climates and rich, volcanic soils meet.

The largest of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, Tahiti held a magical attraction for artist Paul Gauguin and writer Robert Louis Stevenson. To understand why, simply listen to the winds whistling through casuarina trees on a secluded black-sand beach, or stroll through beautiful botanical gardens and marvel at island flora.