10 reasons why is the Aranui the only tiki cruise every tiki freaks needs to do in their lifetime :

Let's precise first that the Aranui is a mixed cruise-fret freighter boat that takes you for 15 days in the marquesas islands.

1. Because Douglas Nason said so on his dedicated "Night of the tiki" book on the boat library (next to the dedicated "Book of Tiki").

2. Because you'll be able to find tikis everyday on all the islands, on real tiki temples but also on the villages,

and you'll meet the highest tiki in french Polynesia in Hiva Oa.

3. Because you'll buy all kind of tikis on wood, stone, tapa, necklaces...

4. Because the Marquesas flag as a tiki on it

5. Because you'll drink Mai Tais, Hinano's Beer and the new : "Tabu, the tiki lager beer" (with a tiki on the bottle, taste like Corona) at the bar from Yoyo, the coolest bartender :

Or even in the islands, like here, in Taipivai valley (where Herman Melville brought the idea of writing Taipi) :

6. Because you'll want to buy the local ukulele in Ua Huka, made especially for you (ordered from the boat desk) :

7. Because you'll see where Paul Gauguin lived his last years and died.

8. Because you'll be tempted by having a tatoo by Felix Fii, the first who re-tatooed the marquesans and who tatooed Douglas Nason

9. Because you'll see mountain that looks like giant tikis in Fatu Hiva (where Thor Heyerdhal stayed for a year before doing the Kon Tiki) :

10. And because the marquesas islands are simply the most beautiful places in the world, still intact from tourism invasion.

Great photos Virani !

Very cool.. thanks for the tour..

I've got 10 reasons why you should shut up.

Nah - just kidding. Little jealousy there.

WOW.

Great shots. Great tour - looking forward to hearing the rattle of that uke, braddah.

Congrats on a great tour.

More pictures, wow man, can you send me the details for that,maybe that is what our trip next year will be, very cool.

WOW! Thanks for sharing the pics! Please show more! :D

I have always wanted to go to the Marquesas Islands, now I want to go even more!

zoikes! good thing you took a ship ~ looks like you needed all that cargo space for souvineers!!

was the ship much of a cruise-type experience?

outstanding pictures..thanks for letting us glimpse into your travels! more pix please!

Virani,

Excellent (and far flung) tiki hunt!
Thank you for sharing your glorious photos.

The tiki in Hiva Oa is one of the oldest original tikis, as I understand.

For your next vacation planning, check out : http://aranui.com/
You won't be disappointed. The cruise is not a "love boat" kind off, with huge swimming pools, cocktails party and everything. No, you're living with the tatooed sailors, you can eat your dinner without your shirt. I played the uke on the deck, while drinking beers with some guys, the ambiance is really nice.
The price is expensive, but there's a dormitory (not so romantic but priceless), and as you're only sleeping in your cabin, who cares if you're not alone in it...
They sometimes have special discount prices, as the boat doesn't seems to be full.
I really had a fantastic time on the boat, and an even better outside while visiting the islands.
Christiki295, this tiki is from the 17th century. On the same site was her wife (this tiki is supposed to be a king), and a female tiki dying while giving birth along with a tiki that looks like a man and several smaller ones with petroglyphes...the tribe who made those tikis had to live their island after a war and you can find smaller tikis of the same type in another island.
More pictures ??? There you go :

Some kids i asked to do warriors for me...

us in front of the Ua Pou island map

The female dying while giving birth

Merci pour ces photos Virani,
It seems like you really had a good time.
So did you come back with a tatoo?
Tikifrog

Thanks for the pictures. Your trip looked like it was so much fun that I just went and ordered the brochure from the Aranui website and am already planning to take a trip next year.

I always wanted to do the cruise but its a must now. The new ship is suppose to be very nice. Did you see any of Erhard Lux's are on the ship? He did most of the paintings on the boat but I am not sure if they are done yet. Also, did you meet a French women who was the activities director?

On 2004-06-21 13:29, Pacific Andy wrote:
I always wanted to do the cruise but its a must now. The new ship is suppose to be very nice. Did you see any of Erhard Lux's are on the ship? He did most of the paintings on the boat but I am not sure if they are done yet. Also, did you meet a French women who was the activities director?

I don't think there were any Lux Paintings...but I don't know his art very well...
For the french woman, do you think of Sylvie, a guide ??
i don't know who you're thinking of.

Awesome!

All true! How about an 11th reason:
If the author of the Book of Tiki would be the lecturer on the ship!

I did this trip as a lecturer in 2002, and I want to do it again, wouldn't it be grand if we could rally a group of Tiki Centralites together? Spring of 2005 perhaps?

James Teitelbaum wants to do this trip too, we would be a great team!

On 2004-06-21 17:13, bigbrotiki wrote:

I did this trip as a lecturer in 2002, and I want to do it again, wouldn't it be grand if we could rally a group of Tiki Centralites together? Spring of 2005 perhaps?

This trip has been my dream trip, but it would take me at least to Spring 2006 to save enough money to afford it. 2005 is too soon.

On 2004-06-21 17:13, bigbrotiki wrote:
All true! How about an 11th reason:
If the author of the Book of Tiki would be the lecturer on the ship!

I did this trip as a lecturer in 2002, and I want to do it again, wouldn't it be grand if we could rally a group of Tiki Centralites together? Spring of 2005 perhaps?

James Teitelbaum wants to do this trip too, we would be a great team!

I am in - just pick any date after April 30!!

[ Edited by: Tiki Newbie on 2004-06-21 17:55 ]

good job! Love da Marq style tikis!!!

Virani:

How many days is the trip and does it include a stay on Moorea? Also, is it cruise type cuisine and did you ever get tired of being confined on the boat?

Thanks.

On 2004-06-25 19:20, christiki295 wrote:
Virani:

How many days is the trip and does it include a stay on Moorea? Also, is it cruise type cuisine and did you ever get tired of being confined on the boat?

Thanks.

You can choose : 2 weeks including 2 days on sea and 2 days in the Tuamotu (lagoon and fantastic beach) or you can take the plane to Nuku Hiva and only do the Marquesas on one week and return by plane to Tahiti, wich is a good solution if you're not sure you're going to like the life on sea.
The chef is french and combine nice local fish with french cuisine. The food is really good and the wine (red and white) is included.
And really, life on the boat is nice and during the marquesas, you're on board only at nights as the boat is living from one island to another during your sleep so you don't get bored off the sea life.
You only have 2 full sea days (if you're staying the 2 weeks).
And no, it doesn't include a day in Moorea, but as it's a 7 minute flight (or 30 minutes boat) from Tahiti, you can combined it with the cruise (what i did).
Moorea is really the suburb of Tahiti (lots of people working in Papeete and living in Moorea). And the plane ticket is like 15 dollars.
And Moorea is nothing compared to what i saw in the Marquesas, really.

Virani thanks for posting this. I had read the info a couple of years ago and decided it was out of my price range. Now I've decided I can't live without it. I just received my brochure from the Aranue III folks and am saving for this as a gift to me for my 40th b-day. Merci beaucoup pour l'inspriration des reves.