Which Pacific Islands?

[Sesquioxides]

Has anyone been to any Pacific Islands? Where did you go? What did you think? What was there to do? I’m working in East Asia atm and the flight would be shorter from here than to lots of other destinations. I’m weighing up where to go at Christmas.

Where exactly did you have in mind? I've been to Fiji, Tahiti, Moorea and Easter Island. Easter island is very unique and totally fabulous, the others more beach based holiday destinations, but beautiful All these are more easily accessible from Australia/New Zealand than Asia I think. Japan is obviously in the Pacific, but not really what I think of as a Pacific Island, but have been there too. Lots of the Americans in Japan were raving about Guam, but I haven't been.

I’ve been to Tahiti, Hawaii, and Fiji. Tahiti, Moorea specifically, was lovely but it’s quite pricey. Fiji not as nice.
We stopped over in the Cook Islands one time and from what I could see, it looks good too.

I’m just reading about Cook’s 3rd voyage, they all sound great! I can only recommend the Hawaiian chain.

I’ve been to quite a few: Fiji, Tonga. Samoa, Niue, Easter island, Rarotonga, Vanuatu and Hawaii (Maui, the big island, Oahu and Kauai). Love them all but it really depends on what you’re looking to do there and the kind of trip you enjoy.

It’s worth considering the weather too at Christmas. I’ve visited all of the above between March and October. Middle of the year is more reliably dry for most of the South Pacific (southern hemisphere winter)

Now I want to know how 😁😁😁. Are you based outside of the UK. Hawaii (&friends) is a looooongcway for us. S.pacific even further - but I dream!

Jealous. I’d love to see Easter island

Cook Islands (Rarotonga and Aitutaki) are the best!

I live in NZ and have been to the islands multiple times.

But Xmas is not the best time to go, unless you like very hot and humid

What is so good about them?

Thanks everyone! We can potentially have some flex on dates. Will go back to the drawing board on what time of year to visit, I think.

Ha, yes I live in NZ these days so it’s an easy hop to the islands from here. When you all can pop over to Europe easily, we go to Aus or the islands! And Hawaii is only an 8 or 9 hour flight too. (Living here, to me anything under a 12 hour flight feels really close!!)

And I went to Easter island as part of 4
month trip through South America.

I get jealous of my friends at home tripping all over Europe - we don’t get the same kind of cheap flight deals you can get

Ah I thought you must be. Perhaps a house swap to Europe one day and you can trade for all those short hopper flights!

I’m just reading about James Cook and fantasy s. Pacific travel is on my mind 😁

Authentic island vibe, because you mix with the locals (even if you stay in a resort).

The Cook Islands legislated that their land has to stay in the hands of Cook Islanders so, unlike Fiji, the locals have not been impoverished. In Fiji, there is a very stark contrast between being in the resort and out of it.

Also - Rarotonga is very compact and easy to get around. The snorkelling is amazing.

Although not in the Pacific, how about Okinawa as an alternative? It's about half way between Japan and Taiwan, so it's more East China Sea than the pacific.

There are a number of islands and you can stay on the main island or several of the smaller islands.

In December, temperature will be around the low 20s (rather cooler than the UK is at the moment).

Or just to the south of Okinawa (about 300km - 185 miles - south) there is the island of Miyakojima. Lovely beaches there.

"What was there to do?"

If you're into snorkelling, diving etc then these are great places to go. Depending on the person, you may think that low 20s isn't warm enough to be on the beach but, for me, that's the ideal temperature.

On the main island there are historic sites to visit and there is an absolutely huge aquarium - one of the biggest in the world.

There are also lots of very good restaurants all over the place.

Bora Bora is heaven.

We went to Tahiti, Bora Bora and Le Taha’a for our honeymoon. Le Taha’a was our favourite by far. Tahiti was lovely but more built up. It poured with rain the entire time we were in Bora Bora but Le Taha’a was pure perfection.

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I have been to French Polynesia, Moorea was my favourite.