Our small tender slipped into place on the back deck and was greeted by the sound of Tahitian drums, strumming ukuleles and a harmony of singing. It was a magical entrance to this exclusive floating hotel in the turquoise blue lagoon of Bora Bora. Some come to this tropical island to experience an overwater bungalow but here on this small ship Haumana cruise with only 12 cabins, my wife and I felt like we were having our own overwater experience.
Because the Bora Bora lagoon is protected by an outer reef, tides only fluctuate by about a foot and the water is calm. I glanced over at my wife, the sun was setting and the lights on the ship were a beacon of paradise on the water. I had promised my wife a special anniversary celebration but was unprepared for what soon followed. I could see that she too felt relaxed the moment we stepped onboard this Haumana cruise ship.
After climbing the stairs to the first deck, we were presented with a tray on which to place our flip-flops. On this ship, walking barefoot is the standard and a standard that did not take us long to get used to.
The Haumana cruise director had us check in at the small activities desk on the middle deck which was the level on which 10 of the 12 guest cabins are located. As we filled out a few forms, soft Polynesian music played over the ship’s speakers.
It was time for dinner and so after a walk around the ship’s three decks, we were escorted to the front of the main deck. Here we were greeted by a candlelit deck. It was a special anniversary dinner with a private space apart from the other 24 people on the ship. It was a magical evening. Hanging over Bora Bora’s Otemanu mountain was a full moon that drifted in and out of sight by the occasional cloud that drifted by. A gentle breeze cooled the warm air as we relaxed at a small table to the side of the Haumana cruise sun deck.
We were served a decadent three-course meal prepared by the ship’s chef Nicolas. He catered to Kirsten’s food allergies with ease and presented us with locally sourced foods that included edible flowers and vegetables. Each course that was presented to us was like a work of art, prepared like an artist showing off his creative talents. It was hard to dig into the three-course meal. I did not want to disrupt the beautiful creation each time it was presented to us.
Kirsten loved the lagoon fish that melted in her mouth and I was in heaven with the fresh pineapple chunks shaped like stars in a mix of vanilla ice cream obviously made with real Tahitian vanilla beans. It was a memorable evening on the Haumana cruise yacht, one that would never be forgotten.
The Haumana cruise ship was relaunched in 2017 and is an exclusive boating experience complete with water activities, expert guides and five-star dining. It is a unique experience for those wanting to get away from the crowds of typical cruise ships. For people wanting to meet the locals and immerse themselves in the culture of the islands, there is nothing like the Haumana cruise small ship experience. Trips are 3 nights in duration and cover the most beautiful lagoon corners of Bora Bora, Tahaa and Raiatea. On Mondays, the ship starts in Bora Bora for two days before going to Tahaa and ending in Raiatea on Thursday. On Thursday, the ship starts an identical reverse voyage that ends on Sunday.
It seemed like our time onboard quickly slipped away. As Kirsten and I stood on the back deck overlooking the boat that would take us to shore, we were each presented with a beautiful shell necklace and a Polynesian farewell kiss on each cheek. The staff all gathered on the back deck as our tender pulled away. They were all there to wave and bid us farewell. Our chef joined us on the trip to shore before sending us off. Even though our stay on the Haumana cruise was a short one, the experience made us feel like family and that we were leaving our new Polynesian home. We knew we would be welcome to return again to our Polynesian home one day.