A Deep Dive into the Crystal-Clear Waters of Tahiti

French Polynesia is one of those places that stays with you long after you leave. On the VBT | Country Walkers 8-day Tahiti Discovery Tour Cruise with Bora Bora & Moorea, you'll unpack only once... and spend seven nights aboard a nimble Windstar sailing yacht. Mo'orea, Bora Bora, Raiatea, Huahine, Taha'a: each island has its own character, and your local Tahitian Trip Leader knows them all. “When planning this tour, I really sought out the very best of Tahiti,” says VBT | Country Walkers Trip Designer Katerina Bacevicius. “On this adventure, we'll visit the best places to snorkel, the highest-quality vanilla plantations, and the most exquisite pearl farms. We're also spending time with local people and making connections—because the people of Tahiti are extremely welcoming!” Along the way, you'll learn to prepare authentic Tahitian cuisine during a cooking class, snorkel with reef sharks and manta rays, and dive for your own pearl at a working pearl farm. This is French Polynesia up close — not from a deck chair, but from the water, the market, and the table.

Sharks, Rays, and Turtles: Experience the Reef Up Close

Beneath the surface of French Polynesia's lagoons, a different world opens up. The water is so clear you can easily see reef sharks gliding along the sandy floor thirty feet below. Blacktips are curious but calm; they move with a kind of unhurried confidence that quickly puts you at ease. Manta rays are something else entirely—wide and seemingly weightless, they rise toward you and then bank away in slow, silent arcs. “I'm excited for our guests to experience the crystal-clear waters of Bora Bora,” says Katerina. “We're going to snorkel with blacktip reef sharks, manta rays, stingrays, and tropical fishes.” Among the coral reefs, parrotfish graze in clouds of turquoise and rose, and schools of surgeonfish swim in orderly formations around you. “You can go snorkeling almost every day,” says Katerina. “There are many opportunities to see all types of fascinating marine wildlife—including sea turtles.” For those with a turtle-shaped notch in their hearts, a visit to a local sea turtle rescue center puts you right in the middle of active conservation work. “I'm excited for our guests to visit a local sea turtle clinic where they care for injured sea turtles,” Katerina explains. “After our visit, we have the opportunity to swim in the ocean with wild sea turtles.”

Fresh from the Garden, Fresh from the Lagoon

French Polynesian cooking starts with fruit picked fresh from the tree that morning, and fish lifted from the lagoon hours before it reaches your plate. On the island of Mo'orea, you'll get to experience this firsthand—joining a local host in her tropical garden to harvest fresh herbs and fruits before cooking a traditional meal together. “Our host for this cooking class is a really wonderful person,” says Katerina. “It’s such a special experience to visit her home and harvest fruit from her beautiful garden.” Mangoes here are softer and sweeter than anything you'll find at home—deep orange at the center, dripping at the edges. Papayas, passionfruit, pineapple, and starfruit show up at breakfast, at lunch, in sauces and salsas alongside the day's catch. That catch might be mahi-mahi, grilled simply and served with coconut milk and lime. It might be tuna, sliced raw into poisson cru—the islands' iconic dish of fish marinated in citrus and creamy coconut milk. “The food in French Polynesian is really fresh,” says Katerina. “In addition to the tropical fruits and fresh seafood, there’s also a decidedly French influence—so fresh baguettes and creamy cheeses are always available.”

Tahiti is Best When Experienced by Yacht

If there’s one thing we’ve learned over a lifetime of travel, it’s the genuine hassle-free joy of arriving at your destination, unpacking once, and settling in for the journey—and on our delightful Windstar yacht, you’ll do exactly that. “I’m so excited for our guests to experience the luxury of our Windstar sailing yacht,” says Katerina. “With room for just 148 people, this yacht provides a more intimate sailing experience than a big cruise ship—plus it’s small enough to slip into small harbors the bigger ships can’t reach.” Guests on the VBT | Country Walkers adventure can enjoy all the amenities of their Windstar yacht, while also enjoying a full program of included activities Windstar doesn’t offer. “We’ve carefully curated an incredible program—including the best snorkeling spots, scenic viewpoints, and cultural activities for our guests,” says Katerina. “It’s all included in the cost—so our guests don’t have to worry about arranging extra excursions like you would on a normal cruise.” With the VBT | Country Walkers Tahiti Discovery Tour Cruise with Bora Bora & Moorea, everything is included for you—so you can relax and let the adventure unfold.