CONTACTCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
?The South Pacific isn?t all about bungalows and screensaver-worthy snaps of Bora Bora. Gay-friendly Tahiti, anchor of the Society Islands, offers a rugged, tropical buffet of stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking; hiking, biking, and mountaineering up dormant volcanoes; archaeological spoils; indigenous lore; and five-star spas. But increasingly, it also offers crowds.
Sure, congestion is relative when you consider Tahiti gets as many visitors in a year as Hawaii gets in a week. But it?s becoming harder to find a Gauguin-esque escape -- that is, until you travel 850 miles northeast to the Marquesas, a low-maintenance throwback to French Polynesia?s tiki-lacquered prime. Coincidentally, it?s also where the French painter is buried.
As the most remote island group on the planet, part of the adventure is getting there: While flights from Tahiti are available, many visitors take the two-week cruise aboard the Aranui 3 (from $3,675), a cargo vessel that practically pumps life into the six inhabited islands, arriving three days after disembarkation. A swimming pool, three sundecks, a gym, and a campy tiki-themed bar-lounge with live music by the (often gay) staff helps stave off cabin fever. It?s like any inter-island cruise, with mostly overnight port stops, but with Aranui, you can immerse yourself in the culture of the Marquesan people (pop. 8,000), like that of the rae rae, male-born children raised as female, a well-respected tradition dating back to pre-colonial Polynesia.
Don?t expect to find a scene, gay or otherwise? or a Starbucks? or a fax machine. It?s still the Marquesas it was 50 years ago, and the allure is the thrill of experiencing a destination that doesn?t receive heavy foot traffic. Travelers can trace the footsteps of Herman Melville, who jumped a whaling ship in 1842 and was held prisoner by the Taipa tribe in Nuku Hiva island, inspiring his novel, Typee. Visitors can also hike the trails and swim the same seas as Belgian singer Jacques Brel, who lived and worked in the island of Hiva Oa. Looking for a permanent souvenir? Tribal tattooing is said to have originated in the Marquesas thousands of years ago.
>BEST BEACH On the bay of Hiva Oa, Puama?u Beach is one of the most photogenic, with sublime sands and calm waters.
Sure, congestion is relative when you consider Tahiti gets as many visitors in a year as Hawaii gets in a week. But it?s becoming harder to find a Gauguin-esque escape -- that is, until you travel 850 miles northeast to the Marquesas, a low-maintenance throwback to French Polynesia?s tiki-lacquered prime. Coincidentally, it?s also where the French painter is buried.
As the most remote island group on the planet, part of the adventure is getting there: While flights from Tahiti are available, many visitors take the two-week cruise aboard the Aranui 3 (from $3,675), a cargo vessel that practically pumps life into the six inhabited islands, arriving three days after disembarkation. A swimming pool, three sundecks, a gym, and a campy tiki-themed bar-lounge with live music by the (often gay) staff helps stave off cabin fever. It?s like any inter-island cruise, with mostly overnight port stops, but with Aranui, you can immerse yourself in the culture of the Marquesan people (pop. 8,000), like that of the rae rae, male-born children raised as female, a well-respected tradition dating back to pre-colonial Polynesia.
Don?t expect to find a scene, gay or otherwise? or a Starbucks? or a fax machine. It?s still the Marquesas it was 50 years ago, and the allure is the thrill of experiencing a destination that doesn?t receive heavy foot traffic. Travelers can trace the footsteps of Herman Melville, who jumped a whaling ship in 1842 and was held prisoner by the Taipa tribe in Nuku Hiva island, inspiring his novel, Typee. Visitors can also hike the trails and swim the same seas as Belgian singer Jacques Brel, who lived and worked in the island of Hiva Oa. Looking for a permanent souvenir? Tribal tattooing is said to have originated in the Marquesas thousands of years ago.
>BEST BEACH On the bay of Hiva Oa, Puama?u Beach is one of the most photogenic, with sublime sands and calm waters.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Ron Amato Retrospective: 75 Gorgeous Images of Queer Men
March 07 2021 12:00 AM
UPDATED: Here Are the Final 27 Surviving Lesbian Bars In the U.S.
October 12 2022 5:15 PM
Just in Time for Pride – The 15 Gayest Cities in the World in 2023
April 12 2023 6:47 PM
Turkish Oil Wrestling: Male Bonding at the Kirkpinar Festival
December 20 2022 2:20 PM
The 13 Least Visited National Parks
January 07 2023 5:00 AM
OnlyFans Star Reno Gold on His New Boyfriend and Travel Show
December 16 2022 3:10 PM
Here are the Best Gay Sex and Male Nudity Scenes in 2022
April 19 2023 5:23 PM
Get Soaked! with These 35+ Steamy Pool Pics From This Year’s White Party
May 25 2023 9:29 AM
12 Years of Intimate Photos of Same Man - Taken by His Partner
August 29 2022 4:00 AM
Slovakian Jocks With Nothing to Hide
September 28 2021 3:00 PM
Outtraveler: Featured Video
Latest Stories
Pattie Gonia storms Capitol Hill for the environment
April 22 2024 8:23 AM
The world's top 10 queer and trans-friendly cities
April 19 2024 2:52 PM
Carrie Underwood solidifies herself as a can't-miss entertainer in Las Vegas
April 17 2024 4:31 PM
Lisa Rinna calls Donald Trump a 'dictator' and begs Americans to vote for Joe Biden
April 17 2024 5:00 AM
Asia O’Hara slaps Ricky Cornish during funny bit on stage at ‘Drag Race Live’
April 16 2024 6:00 PM
Grindr simplifies global hookups
April 16 2024 10:47 AM
Brian Falduto gives Dolly Parton classic a welcome gay twist
April 16 2024 9:09 AM
These are the 10 most challenged books of 2023
April 13 2024 10:06 AM
Local itineraries to explore San Francisco on a budget
April 12 2024 1:54 PM
From job loss to chocolate triumph: Gay man's journey from U.S. to Spain
April 11 2024 11:45 AM
Uncover Dublin's hidden LGBTQ+ gems
April 10 2024 4:56 PM
Ötzi, the world's sexiest world traveler mummy, reveals a thirsty secret
April 09 2024 5:13 PM
Discover endless fun at The Pride Store: Games & electronics for all ages
April 09 2024 4:25 PM
Unlocking a new level of beauty with Dr Botanicals' ethical skincare line
April 08 2024 3:39 PM
Unleash your wild side with The Pride Store’s beginner’s guide to kink
April 08 2024 3:35 PM
Today's eclipse forecast: prime viewing weather ahead
April 08 2024 9:55 AM
Celebrate 40 days of Pride on West Hollywood’s 40th anniversary
April 05 2024 4:27 PM
Rare pre-Stonewall ‘Gay Cookbook’ on sale in NYC this weekend!
April 05 2024 3:40 PM
Ugandan LGBTQ+ activist stabbed, left for dead, escapes to Canada
April 05 2024 7:00 AM
Adult entertainment icons Derek Kage & Cody Silver lead fight for free speech
April 03 2024 3:06 PM