The first time I sailed the m/s Paul Gauguin myself, I added a short land stay in Bora Bora at the end, and I have recommended doing some version of it ever since. A cruise gives you a wonderful moving view of French Polynesia, but it keeps you on the water; a few nights on land let the place slow down around you. Bora Bora rewards that kind of lingering. In this piece I will explain when a land extension makes sense, how to fit it around the sailing, and the trade-offs to weigh before you commit.
Why pair a cruise with a land stay
A Paul Gauguin sailing is built around motion: you wake up somewhere new, spend the day ashore or in the water, and move on. That is a fine way to see a lot, but Bora Bora is the kind of island you want to settle into rather than sample. A few nights in an overwater or beachfront room let you swim the lagoon on your own clock, eat dinner without a departure time, and watch the light change on the mountain. The cruise shows you the region; the land stay lets one piece of it sink in.
Before or after the cruise?
I usually suggest the land stay after the cruise rather than before. By the end of the sailing you have your bearings, you know which parts of French Polynesia spoke to you, and you can relax into the stay without the cruise still ahead of you on your mind. That said, a pre-cruise night or two can be useful as a buffer against flight delays and jet lag, especially for guests flying in from North America. Either way, leave a comfortable gap around the ship's embarkation and disembarkation.
Practical things to confirm
Resort availability in Bora Bora is tight, particularly in the drier months from roughly May to October, so the land portion is worth arranging well ahead. Transfers between the airport motu, your resort, and the ship take some planning, since almost everything moves by boat. Prices and room categories shift constantly, so I won't quote figures here; get current rates confirmed when you book. We can line the land stay up with your sailing so the dates and transfers actually connect.
Frequently asked questions
Should the Bora Bora stay come before or after the cruise?
I lean toward after, so you can fully unwind once the sailing is done. A night before can still help as a buffer for flights and jet lag.
How many nights in Bora Bora are worth it?
Three or four nights is a comfortable range in my experience. It's enough to settle in without the stay starting to feel idle.
Is a land stay hard to coordinate with the cruise?
Not if it's planned ahead. The main things are leaving buffer days around the ship and arranging the boat transfers, which we can handle for you.
Planning a Paul Gauguin voyage? Tell us your dates and what you're dreaming of and we'll map it out for you.