When we got up at 7.30 this morning, the Onward was slowly making her way towards the island of Mo’orea. Mo’orea is a roughly heart-shaped island only about 11 miles from Tahiti; in fact, we could just see the bulk of Tahiti rising in the distance.
Mo’orea, like Tahiti, forms part of the archipelago known as the Society Islands, and is only a fairly small island with a circumference of about 40 miles, easy to get around in a couple of hours. This is exactly what we were booked to do today, on a guided island tour.
We walked our usual nautical mile this morning, enjoying the balmy morning air. Then we went along to the Windows Café for a hearty breakfast to set us up for the day. They do a good Bircher Muesli on board, and I enjoyed a bowlful complete with a dollop of yoghurt on top, washed down with good strong coffee and a glass of cold water.
By the time we’d finished, the Onward had come to a stop and we could hear the sound of her anchor dropping. We would remain here, in Opunohu Bay, until tomorrow afternoon. 🙂
We returned to 6030 and collected our tour tickets as well as other essentials like sun cream, hand-gel, tissues, cash and our passports, as we’d been told that formal identity was needed for going ashore. Then we headed for the Cabaret Lounge to check in for our tour, and were called to disembark almost straight away.
Down we went to the pontoon on Deck 3, where we queued for a short while to embark the liberty boat. It took about 10 minutes to get across the bay and to moor up at the landing stage, from which we were shown to a row of buses, ours was number 13.
As we approached the coaches, some local ladies came up to us and offered us a white flower, gesturing to us to tuck it behind an ear, as the Polynesian women and girls tend to do. I immediately placed it behind by right ear. Now I looked the part! 🙂
A stocky guy with reddish hair and a clipboard, stood next to the bus and ticked our names off as we showed him our tickets. Once everyone was on board, the guy introduced himself as Blanc, our guide and driver for the tour. He was a bit of a comedian, and joked that he had only passed his driving test three days before, so he hoped he was going to manage some of the mountainous zig-zagging roads with hairpin bends. At least, we hoped he was joking! 🙂
He told us he was born and bred in Tahiti, but his light skin and reddish hair came from his European roots, particularly Switzerland. His name, Blanc, is French for ‘white’, as he did not have the darker-skinned colouring of a typical Tahitian.
As we set off along the rugged coastline, Blanc chattered incessantly, pointing out things of interest along the way. He told us that the locals in Mo’orea knew everybody else, more or less. He said that although the official language of the islands is French, Tahitian (Reo Tahiti) tends to be the primary language spoken in the Society Islands, and is widely used in daily life among Polynesian families and communities.
Our first stop was to a lookout point that had a fantastic view of both the Pacific Ocean and a couple of jagged, mountainous peaks, one of which, Mount Rotui, is the highest in Mo’orea at 2950 feet..
In fact, the landscape was very diverse. Anyone imagining the islands of the south Pacific would immediately think of white sandy beaches and coconut palms, and indeed there are many of these, but there are also mountains; don’t forget that this archipelago rose up out of the sea from volcanic eruptions. In addition, there are lush rainforests, which we would be visiting next.
We were only back on the coach for another 20 minutes or so, before we stopped at the roadside and crossed over into a gorgeous wooded area, the shade from which formed a welcome respite from the hot sun. There were many trees, quite close together; some of them had very large leaves.
Among the trees were lots of chickens pecking about, and I had to take a photo of a magnificent cockerel, with his stunning, iridescent plumage and his proud tail feathers.
As we crossed the road to reboard the coach, I saw that there was a stall selling fresh coconut water. I decided to buy some, and they prepared a coconut in front of me, cutting some holes in the top and inserting a drinking straw. I took it back on the coach with me to enjoy the cool, refreshing water.
Blanc then stood up at the front of the coach and explained (in rather too much detail, I thought!) how the field workers would go into the woods if they needed the loo. He held up some of the large leaves we had seen on the trees and told us that they were used instead of toilet paper, before being buried.
He then resumed his seat behind the wheel and we set off once again. We continued along the palm-fringed coastline, where we gazed at the Pacific and the little tourist fishing boats.
Our next visit was to a pearl shop, where they showed us some of the famous south seas pearls and explain how they were harvested.
Tahitian pearls are among the rarest and most coveted pearls in the world. They come from the black-lipped oyster (Pinctada margaritifera), which lives in the lagoons of French Polynesia. They are famed for their dark colours which range from charcoal, silver, and graphite to overtones of green, blue, pink, purple, and yellow. The rarest are true jet‑black pearls. Only Tahitian pearls are dark; any other types of dark pearls have been colour-treated. As black-lipped oysters are large (they can weigh up to 10lbs!) the pearls are also much larger than the average pearl.
We then browsed in the shop, looking at the pearl jewellery which, I’m afraid to say, was well out of our price range. One pendant that had a single large, perfect pearl about 20mm in diameter was priced at over $20,000! Needless to say, we didn’t buy anything.
Back on the coach we continued for another half hour or so, before once again we parked up to enjoy the landscape. French Polynesia hotels are famous for their “over-water bungalows” and Blanc took us to a place which was currently closed for refurbishment, but where these bungalows cost £1,500 per night. It certainly was a fabulous location, absolutely idyllic in its tropical splendour, but I couldn’t imagine ever spending 15 thousand quid for a 10-night holiday!!
Our next visit was to a museum that depicted Polynesian life, past and present. It was situated right next to the ocean and there were walkways where you could stand and admire the view. On arrival, we were each given a plastic beaker of a local rum punch which was cold, fruity and delicious.
We wandered around the museum’s pleasant grounds, which had gorgeous flowerbeds containing shrubs with large, colourful flowers, including the famous Tahitian frangipani. It is considered a symbol of immortality because its cut branches can survive for a long time before it needs to be replanted. In addition, the flowers that the ladies wear (such as those we had been given at the start of this tour) have an additional meaning; if worn behind the right ear, it lets potential suitors know you are single, while wearing it behind the left ear signifies that the lady is married. I hurriedly removed mine from my right ear and placed it behind my left. 🙂
We spent some time looking at paintings of Polynesian life by local artists, as well as a carved wooden Tiki. In Polynesian culture, Tiki are powerful wooden or stone carvings representing ancestors, creators, or gods, serving as sacred vessels for protection, fertility, and spiritual connection. They symbolize the link between spirits, nature, and humanity, often used to ward off evil spirits, mark sacred boundaries, and bring good fortune. We remembered seeing them everywhere on our visit to Hawaii in 2019.
The museum was the last stop on this very interesting half-day tour and, after using the restrooms, we made our way back to the coach, Blanc greeting us all effusively. It only took about half an hour to arrive back at the port (you couldn’t really call it a ‘cruise terminal’) where we alighted from the coach, thanked Blanc and gave him a tip, and made our way back along to the tender landing stage, to join the queue for the next boat. Soon we spotted the familiar sight of the orange liberty boat making its way towards us, and in no time at all we were on board and speeding back to the Onward.
After dumping our bags in our cabin, we decided we could do with a swim to freshen up a bit. We therefore changed into our swimming things and made our way to the pool deck, where we each procured a sun lounger in the shade before heading for the pool. As my bare feet made contact with the roasting hot deck, I yelped and put my flip-flops back on, leaving them practically at the top of the ladder down into the pool. The water was not as cold as it had been the first time, and we really enjoyed our swim. We spent about 20 minutes in there before getting out; at the top of the steps I put my flip-flops back on, and we headed for our sun lounger where massive, fluffy pool towels awaited us. Wrapping one around myself, I signalled to a passing barman to bring us a freezing cold Heineken each. 🙂
We stayed out at the pool deck for quite some time, eventually moving from our sun lounger to a table by the bar, once we’d dried off a bit. We could see deck hands going around and removing and stacking sun loungers and chairs, clearing the decks in preparation for the spectacular Azamara White Night.
Around 4.00pm, we decided to go back to 6030 and get showered and changed, ready for White Night. These are deck parties that are held once each cruise on all four of Azamara’s ships. The whole deck area is decorated in white bunting, the tables all have white tablecloths and napkins, and all staff and passengers dress entirely in white. Tonight the Onward would remain at anchor in Opunohu Bay, and a group of traditional Polynesian musicians, singers and dancers had been brought on board for our entertainment tonight. There would be no dinner in the Discovery Restaurant or Windows Café, instead we would partake of a lavish barbecue under the tropical stars.
White Night was due to start at 6.00pm, but we were ready and out on the deck at half past five in order to bagsy a good table. Trevor didn’t have any white trousers, but he wore a pale blue pair with a crisp white shirt. I wore a pair of white skinny jeans, a white lace long-sleeved top and a white wig! They wanted white, so they were getting white! As we made our way towards our table, lots of people commented on my ‘hair’. 🙂
We had a great table on the jogging track, from which we could look down at the band and the dance floor. We each ordered a beer from a passing barman and, as the tables filled up, a pleasant couple asked if they could join us. As we were sitting there, a lady approached our table looking a little disgruntled, and asked if we’d seen her handbag which she had left on our table. We told her that no bag had been left here; we had been at this table from the start and no-one else had been sitting here. The lady told us she had arrived with her friend and this was definitely her table! When we suggested that perhaps her table was round the other side, she was adamant that she was at the correct table. It was only when she saw her friend waving from the table diagonally opposite that she realised she was indeed meant to be at the other side, and she hurriedly left, red-faced. 🙂
At 6.00pm exactly, the music started up with a definite Polynesian vibe as we sat and enjoyed our drinks and watched the sun go down, creating the most spectacular sky over the mountains and, especially, the ship’s funnel. This was simply wonderful and, once again, we marvelled at the fact that we were here in this beautiful place.
Soon we saw people starting to queue for the barbecue, so we realised the food was now being served. We decided to wait until the queue went down a bit, so we sat and chatted and people-watched before making our way down to where the food was being grilled over hot coals, the sizzling, appetising smell making us feel hungry. I loaded up my plate with pork, lamb chops, chicken pieces and king prawns and lots of fresh salad vegetables. I was very restrained and didn’t go back either for second helpings or for dessert. 🙂
Once everyone had eaten and the queue had gone, the beat of the music changed and the dancers came on, both male and female, wearing colourful outfits and head-dresses. The dancers moved fast and rhythmically, the men jumping and stamping their feet and the ladies shaking their booty like you wouldn’t believe. This was fantastic!
We thoroughly enjoyed the show, and the performers received an enthusiastic send off of cheering and loud applause. Then the lighting on the deck changed to a muted blue as disco music blasted out; it looked amazing seeing everyone dressed in white, dancing to their hearts’ content. 🙂
The White Night After Party continued from 10.00pm in the Living Room, with resident musicians Musiq4Soul playing their session before the Silent Disco at half-ten. We sat and enjoyed a couple of whiskies and ginger before returning to 6030 around 11.00pm, after a really great day.
It was nice and quiet in our cabin as the Onward was at anchor, so we settled down in our big comfortable bed and slept very well.