From Valparaíso to Papeete · South America & Antarctica · 18 nights
Launched in 2023, Scenic Eclipse II is Scenic’s second discovery yacht, bringing an almost identical design with some key enhancements.
Scenic’s second ocean ship builds on the technological advances
of the original Scenic Eclipse, and features a new sun deck pool
and a larger submarine. As on board Scenic Eclipse, you can expect
spacious suites, a fantastic range of dining options, and an
indulgent spa.
Characterful, colourful and a little chaotic, the port city of Valparaíso enjoys a somewhat awkward setting, scattered across 45 vertiginous hills. Thanks to this difficult topography the city streets are punctuated by steep staircases and funicular elevators, and energetic explorers will be rewarded with wonderful views of the pastel hued buildings that hug the slopes. Valparaíso's most famous former resident was the great Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, and you can visit one of his former residences, La Sebastiana, which now houses a small museum.
Situated 400 miles off the coast of mainland Chile, Robinson Crusoe Island is part of the Juan Fernández archipelago, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. The sailor Alexander Selkirk was marooned here from 1704 to 1709, and his story is thought to have inspired Daniel Defoe’s famous novel.
The enigmatic moai statues of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) remain one of the world’s most intriguing archaeological mysteries. Descendants of the Polynesian settlers who carved them still live here, though these days the island belongs to Chile, despite being separated from the mainland by over 2,000 miles of Pacific Ocean.
The remote South Pacific island of Pitcairn was settled by a party of British sailors and Tahitians following the famous mutiny on the HMS Bounty in 1789, and their descendants still live on the island. The tiny capital, Adamstown, has a population of around 50 people.
The Fakarava atoll surrounds a deep lagoon in the west of the Tuamotu island group, scarcely populated and home to a host of rare wildlife. The entire atoll has been declared a UNESCO biosphere reserve, and the shallow coastal waters make for excellent snorkelling.
Papeete is the capital of French Polynesia, situated on the northwest coast of Tahiti. The port is not the most magical spot, so we advise venturing forth to luxuriate in the turquoise lagoons, relax on the white sand beaches fringed with palm trees, and explore the rugged mountain peaks.
