In this episode, we talk about “where to go next” in French Polynesia when you want something truly remote: the Marquesas Islands and the Austral Islands—discussed onboard the Aranui 5 with guide Steven Tahhiva. To plan your next Tahiti trip with the right routing and timing, visit Far and Away Adventures.com and https://farandawayadventures.com.

Steven shares the kind of perspective you only get after decades at sea. He has worked 21 years with the Aranui company, starting in dishwashing and moving through restaurant service, kitchen, bar, and reception before joining the guide team in 2010. That range helps him explain what different travelers are really looking for—comfort, safety, and connection—and how the Aranui’s small-ship environment makes it easier to feel grounded even when you’re traveling far from the usual tourist paths. Norm reflects on returning to the ship over many years and why the experience can feel like coming home, especially when crew members remember guests and families.

We explore the “choice” many adventurous Tahiti travelers face: the Marquesas versus the Australs. In the Marquesas, Steven points to Nuku Hiva for its variety and Fatu Hiva for its dramatic landscape and hiking—places where the terrain and the culture feel powerful and distinct. Norm recalls long hikes and iconic viewpoints like Virgin’s Bay. In the Austral Islands, we talk about places like Rurutu and Rapa and why these islands can feel even more remote—smaller communities, different topography, and summit views that leave you speechless.

The episode also highlights what makes the Aranui’s guiding culture special: multilingual support (French, English, and German), and a Polynesian approach to hospitality rooted in sharing. Steven tells a moving story about a passenger who stayed behind on Nuku Hiva with his family to experience daily life, returning emotional and grateful—an example of travel becoming connection. We also touch on Aranoa (discussed in the episode as coming in 2027) and what a smaller ship focused on the Australs could offer. If you’re deciding where to go next, Far and Away Adventures can help you match your priorities—culture, hiking, remoteness, and comfort—to the right itinerary and the right extensions.