New Zealand Cruise - from Papeete - 134862

Papeete is the capital of Tahiti. The island is a mixture of beautiful coves, white sandy beaches, tropical plants and French vanity.

Moorea, the pineapple island, was formed from the remains of an extinct volcano. The island has excellent tourist facilities and a large range of hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions. Moorea can be explored in just a few hours - a bike tour is highly recommended. Several diving schools also offer interesting underwater tours.

The volcanic island of Bora Bora is home to one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world, "the pearl of Polynesia". It is surrounded by several small islands. The region's airport is on one of these islands, the other has hotel resorts. There are also orchids growing in the wild, making this a wonderful area to take a long walk. Thanks to the lagoon, there is also a wide range of water sports on offer, such as sailing, glass-bottomed boat-trips, snorkelling, diving ... The main atttraction is the 100 metre-high mountain "Muto Toopua" with "Hiro's bell" - uniquely shaped basalt rocks that sound like a bell when struck.

The volcanic island of Bora Bora is home to one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world, "the pearl of Polynesia". It is surrounded by several small islands. The region's airport is on one of these islands, the other has hotel resorts. There are also orchids growing in the wild, making this a wonderful area to take a long walk. Thanks to the lagoon, there is also a wide range of water sports on offer, such as sailing, glass-bottomed boat-trips, snorkelling, diving ... The main atttraction is the 100 metre-high mountain "Muto Toopua" with "Hiro's bell" - uniquely shaped basalt rocks that sound like a bell when struck.

This is one of the main towns in the Kingdom of Tonga, with a population of approximately 21,383. The royal palace, situated at the waterside, which was built during the Victorian era, is particularly worth seeing. The royal tombs (Malaekula) can be found in the southern part of the business area. The picturesque covered market and the Tongan National Centre, where visitors can learn various handicrafts, are not to be missed. The bird park around 2 km off the main road, where staff endeavour to conserve the native birdlife - particularly red shining parrots - through a breeding programme, is also extremely interesting.

The "Bay of Islands" is one of the most beautiful areas in New Zealand and fascinates visitors with around 144 islands abundant with flora and fauna. The main attraction is Cape Brett with the huge natural arch, the "Hole in the Rock". This is a huge rock fragment in the sea with a whole in it so large that, when the sea is calm, ferries can sail through it. From the main town in the bay, Paihia, you can take a boat trip to the islands in the bay or to the northern tip of New Zealand. Other places in the bay worth visiting are: Waitangi with its Maori meeting house, Kerikeri with "Mission Kemp House", the whaling station "Russell" with the oldest preserved church on New Zealand and Kawakawamit with the Waiomio Caves and the Maori fort "Ruapekapeka Pa".

With a population in excess of 1 million, Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand. It lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Tasmanian See. It got its nickname the "City of Sails" on account of the "thousand ships" moored in its harbour. The city spans an 11 km wide sound of volcanic rocks and is a paradise for watersports fans. To the North of Auckland, Leigh Marine Reserve provides plenty of opportunity for every imaginable kind of underwater activity. The main cultural attraction is the Auckland Museum.

'The harbour town of Tauranga lies 200 km South-East of Auckland at the Bay of Plenty. It was built at the beginning of the 19th century on peninsulae connected by bridges. The bustling focal point of the town is the beach promenade with the Coronation Pier, from where pleasure boats and ferries set off for the neighbouring town of Mount Maunganui, which was built at the foot of a 232 metre high volcano, from where you can enjoy a fantastic view of white beaches and the harbour. Tauranga's greatest attraction is the Tauranga District Museum and Historic Village, where you can see 85 reconstructed and restored buildings from the time of Colonialism, including a Maori village, a pioneer settlement and military barracks dating from the territorial wars. 5 km to the East of Tauranga, Kiwifruit Country, a Disneyland-style funpark is also a great magnet for tourists.

Dunedin, the Gaelic name for the port city of Edinburgh, is famous for its historic buildings. The city's architecture is mainly Victorian, Edwardian and Flemish in style. The second-largest city on South Island with a population of roughly 120,000, was founded by the Scots in the mid-19th century. The city centre is at the "Octogon", an eight-sided town square surrounded by lots of cafés and museums. Sights include: the oldest university in New Zealand with a stylised clock tower, the Dominican Prioriat, the whisky distillery, and Otago Early Settler Museum.