At sunrise, National Geographic Orion found herself cruising east toward Cook Island. It was an overcast morning and what could be seen at the distance was an immense body of water. The distance to covered was around 750 nautical miles. These moments at sea were a great opportunity to enjoy the facilities of our ship. A set of great presentations were given in the lounge and enjoyed by our guests during the morning. In the afternoon, we had the honor of enjoying the music performance of Kura Happ and her grandmother Tekura Ruaporo. At the end of the day, we had to conclude that the Pacific Ocean is a large body of water in which for centuries the Polynesians explored and populated remote islands for generations.
4/25/2024
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National Geographic Orion
Taveuni, Fiji
Bula and welcome to Fiji! It’s perfect to start our exploration of this country with the island of Taveuni. First, we were blessed with a picturesque sunrise while the full moon was setting on the other side of the sky. Good morning! After clearance, we jumped on the Zodiacs and disembarked on the island where the buses were waiting to take us to visit Waitabu Village. In the village, everyone was awaiting us, colorful and smiley, prepared for our arrival. To start with, the sacred kava ceremony was performed, after which music took over and kids performed fantastic traditional dances. After enjoying local refreshments, we moved to Bouma National Heritage Park where a beautiful path full of flowers led us to a sublime waterfall, where we swam and have fun. In the afternoon, we headed out in the Zodiacs to Waitabu Marine Park, a reserve promoted by locals to save their reef and resources. After 15 years of efforts and protections, the results are visible. Beautiful snorkelling completed our awesome first Fijian day.