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Day 1: Monday, September 29, 2025: Lautoka, Fiji Today, we'll arrive in Lautoka, Fiji's second-biggest settlement. The sun-soaked shores of the "Sugar City" are the doorway to a world of blissful beaches and turquoise seascapes, while its dense jungle lures the adventurous deep into its embrace. Legend says the city took its name after two chiefs faced each other in a duel. A spear pierced one of the chiefs, leading to the shout of 'lau-toka!' or 'spear hit!' Those who have chosen the door-to-door package will be met at the airport by our chauffeur for a private transfer to the luxurous Silver Cloud cruiseship. As we board our home-away-from-home for the next 12 days we will have time to settle in before we meet our group at one of the elegant restaurants for our Welcome Dinner where we will toast the upcoming adventures that await us. Day 2: Tuesday, September 30, 2025: Leleuvia Island, Fiji Today we explore Leleuvia, a small low-lying island southeast of Ovalau with a length of barely 500 meters. This lush, green island hosts a small resort and an easily accessible reef with many colorful reef fish 10 meters off of its western beach. The rich beauty of the island includes an extensive forest of tamanu (Alexandrian laurel), lantern trees, fish-poison trees and beach gardenia. There are also large clusters of beach hibiscus, beach heliotrope and Pacific rosewood where Sacred Kingfishers, Orange-breasted Honeyeaters, and Pacific Swallows have been recorded. Today's water activities with the Silversea Expedition team will depend on the weather and the sea condition of the day, but possible options include swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, zodiac cruising or glass bottom boat cruising as we enjoy this beautiful location. Day 3: Wednesday, October 1, 2025: Fulanga, Fiji As part of the Southern Lau Group, Fulanga is one of Fiji’s easternmost islands with a large central lagoon. The crescent-shaped island is famous for its numerous islands, mushroom-shaped islets in the calm lagoon and many sandy beaches. Some 400 residents live in three small villages, and old-style houses made of corrugated iron are predominant with limited solar power for the odd refrigerator and television set. Traditional crafts are still practiced by the weavers and carvers who produce pandanus mats and wooden bowls for kava ceremonies that are highly sought after and valued, not only on Fulanga. Our adventure today is an easy walk on sandy beach to visit the small community and its people and with some luck, spot the landbirds of the region like the Crimson shinning parrot, the Red shinning parrot the colorful collared lory. Day 4: Thursday, October 2, 2025: Uoleva Island, Tonga Uoleva is one of those classic postcard images of a south sea island: clean white sand beaches, abundant coconut palms, and clear blue shallow waters with the visible shapes of coral bommies and reefs. The island is mainly used by locals from the adjacent island of Lifuka for coconut growing, pigeon snaring, and pig grazing. It was at Lifuka that Captain Cook named Tonga the 'friendly islands’ after a welcome feast. Little did he know that the feast was part of a plan to slaughter him and his crew that did not quite happen. The name 'friendly' stuck though and is very appropriate today. Today's activities are dependant on weather and the sea condition, but possibilities include beachcombing, swimming, snorkelling and exploring the island. The warm, clear waters promote coral growth which supports animal life like feather stars, fan worms, sponges and sea squirts. Fish of many shapes, colors and habits will provide us with unlimited opportunities to watch their behavior. Some dart in and out of corals while others sit on the bottom waiting for food to pass by. Many fish gather in schools to search the reef for algae to feed on, while other schools swirl in the water column nabbing passing plankton. Day 5: Friday, October 3, 2025: Neiafu, Vava'u Group, Tonga Today, we'll arrive in Neiafu, the second largest municipality in the 169-island archipelago of Tonga. The city is situated next to a deep-water harbor (Port of Refuge) on the south coast of Vava’u. The waters of this region are known for their clarity and beauty, and the area attracts many humpback whales between June and November, so we'll keep a keen watch to see if we can spot any of these gentle giants. Our outing today will take us to a vanilla plantation, where we will observe either beans being harvested, beans being dried or flowers being pollinated, depending on the season. We will learn the story of Vanilla and Heilala Vanilla, an important source of income for the island. After our plantation visit, we will head to Talihau to take part in a cultural demonstration to learn firsthand the art of tapa making, see locally made handicrafts, and also watch a dance show, while enjoying a local fruit refreshment before returning to the ship. Day 6: Saturday, October 4, 2025: Niuatoputapu, Tonga Also referred to as Keppel Island, Niuatoputapu (meaning “Very Sacred Coconut” in the local language) is one of the northernmost islands of Tonga. The highest point of the island is a hill just 515 feet high, the eroded remnant of a large volcano that erupted approximately 3 million years ago. The island consists of three primary villages with a total population of just over 900 inhabitants. The original Niuatoputapu language has been extinct for centuries, and the residents now speak Tongan. This island is beginning to recover from a 2009 tsunami triggered by a 8.3 magnitude earthquake. Niuatoputapu is surrounded by a large reef and boasts beautiful white beaches and clear turquoise waters perfect for indulging yourself. Day 7: Sunday, October 5, 2025: Date Line, International Waters Today, we will gain a day as we cross the date line (theoretically the 180-degree line of longitude) from the Eastern to the Western Hemisphere. Seafaring guests will find themselves in the unusual situation of actually gaining a day and prolonging their holiday, at no extra cost! By crossing the (fictitious) line that dissects the planet exactly in half from Greenwich, we will travel over time zones and find ourselves with an extra day on board. The phenomenon was used by Jules Verne in his novel Around the World in 80 Days when his hero Phileas Fogg finds out he had returned home a full day earlier than calculated having always traveled towards the east. As some countries have decided to change to different time zones than allotted based on longitude, this phenomenon is not strictly linked to the 180-degree line of longitude any longer. Day 8: Sunday, October 5, 2025: Day at Sea Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side. Throughout the day, we'll be able to indulge in gourmet dining experiences, as we savor delectable cuisine prepared by world-class chefs and paired with exquisite wines. Day 9: Monday, October 6, 2025: Aitutaki, Cook Islands Aitutaki's deep blue lagoon is considered to be one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world. Part volcanic and part atoll, the island's geographical structure makes this lagoon extremely unique in the region. We will arrive to a welcome ceremony and step on the special welcome stone. Then, we'll take a leisurely cruise across the lagoon, visiting sand bars where we can stand in 2 feet of water and hand-feed schools of colorful tropical fish, or see giant clams up close. We'll visit one of many motus (islets), where the red-tailed tropic birds (tavake) nest. We'll snorkel off of Honeymoon Island and again at One Foot Island for some beautiful underwater viewing and to enjoy a BBQ picnic lunch. After lunch, we'll take time to walk around the island perhaps getting our passports stamped at the One Foot Island Post Office. We can also go swimming or just relax on the white sand beach, admiring the turquoise lagoon. In the evening we'll meet again for a spectacular meal in one of the Silver Cloud's gourmet restaurants, as we talk about our adventures of the day. Day 10: Tuesday, October 7, 2025: Palmerston Island, Cook Islands The low-lying atoll of Palmerston in the Cook Islands is one of the most remote destinations in the world. It is one of a small grouping of coral atoll islets connected by a coral reef and encircling a beautiful lagoon. The Cook Islands are named after Captain James Cook, who named them all but only ever set foot on Palmerston, in 1774. The island was named after Lord Palmerston of the British Admiralty. The island's original, ancient name was Avarau, meaning "200 harbors." We will enjoy a day of cultural exchange and relaxation on Palmerston. Members of the community are known to greet visitors and guide small boats and Zodiacs into the lagoon through a maze of coral reef to reach the only inhabited islet, commonly called “Home”. Once ashore, the whole community generally turns out to meet visitors as it is a rare occurrence. It also includes a performance of local school children. After the performance, we'll tour the island and enjoy a guided walking tour, as well as free time to swim, snorkel, explore the island, shop local handicrafts or just relax on the beach.In the lagoon’s waters we can find colorful reef-fish, sea cucumbers, rays, and sea turtles. Overhead there is birdlife including tropicbirds, boobies, noddies, frigatebirds and terns. Day 11: Tuesday, October 8, 2025: Day at Sea, International Waters Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side. Day 12: Thursday, October 9, 2025: Bora Bora (Society Islands) Today, we'll arrive in Bora Bora. If you have ever dreamt up your ideal island holiday, we suspect it goes something like this: Soapy blue seas? Check. Sparkling white beaches? Check. Thatched wooden huts, gently sloping palm trees and kaleidoscopic marine life? Check, check and check. And yet, even by ticking every box, first time viewing of Bora Bora still begs belief. No superlatives can adequately describe the spectacular beauty of the island's emerald-green hills and tranquil sapphire-blue lagoons. On today's excursion, we'll take a leisurely, fun ride on the open-air "Le Truck," a colorful truck that will take us on a scenic tour of Bora Bora to enjoy the sights of coconut groves and tiny villages hugging the shoreline, as we learn about the history, traditions and culture of the Tahitians. We'll discover the villages of Farepiti, Faanui and Anau with their mysterious "Marae," as well as scenic lookout points with spectacular vistas of the lagoon and distant islands, old WWII remnants and popular Matira Beach. Day 13, Friday, October 10, 2025: Papeete (Tahiti), French Polyneisa Sadly, today we say goodbye to French Polynesia and its islands fringed with gorgeous beaches and turquoise water. Depending on your scheduled departure time, you may have time to explore Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia.
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