Another tender transfer to the beautiful Isle of Pines!
It’s easy to see why Isle of Pines is commonly referred to as the jewel of the pacific. Its beauty is simply breathtaking.
Captain James Cook was the first European to discover Isle of Pines in 1774 on his second voyage to New Zealand. He gave the island its name after seeing the tall native pines for which it is famous. Cook never set foot on the island, but noted it was inhabited because he saw smoke. The 1840’s saw the arrival of missionaries – Protestant then Catholic, as well as traders looking for precious sandalwood. In 1872 the island became a penal colony for 3000 French convicts. Today, nearly 140 years later, the island is less populated than previously and remains extremely protected by the tribal system.
Tour details: Join your local guide to explore island’s most notable sites and discover rich heritage of Isle of Pines and its people. As we tour around the island, your guide will share a legend of Queen Hortense, the inspiration for kanak people. You will be taken through an elaborate storyline as we visit Vao Village and Grand Chief’s council, or stop at a lookout point to see Brush Island and the sea stack called “Queen Hortense’s clogs”, or visit St.Maurice Bay where christian monument stands side by side with mystical kanak totems. For the final magic of the story, discover hidden in the forest sacred Oumagne grotto, a giant limestone cave adorned with gigantic stalactites and stalagmites which served as a refuge to the young queen Hortense during a difficult time of tribal conflicts.
Linforth Family 