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Best of the Pacific
Holiday guide

Best of the Pacific

Our blue backyard consists of 10,000 islands spread across the world’s largest ocean, so there’s no better place in the world to book a flop-and-drop and, if you choose, never leave it.

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To Sua Ocean Trench, Samoa’s iconic swimming hole on Upolu island.

25 incredible South Pacific experiences you won’t find anywhere else

We don’t have to go far to escape to destinations completely unlike our own, that offer unique experiences we can’t get on the other side of the equator.

  • by Craig Tansley
The best accommodation for every type of budget

The best accommodation for every type of budget

From honeymooners to families, romantic escapes to luxury lovers and budget travellers, we name the best places to stay across the South Pacific.

  • by Craig Tansley
The ultimate Fiji holiday guide for families

The ultimate Fiji holiday guide for families

Whether you’re a first-timer or return visitor, travelling with teens or enduring the terrible twos, Fiji has a family holiday experience everyone will love.

  • by Shaney Hudson
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The water park at Plantation Island.

Planning to use one of Fiji’s famous resort kids’ clubs? What you need to know

No one does a family holiday quite like Fiji. There are big resorts and small ones, but for children (and parents) the kids’ club is king.

  • by Shaney Hudson
Espiritu Santo still feels like a secret.

Close to Australia, but Pacific paradise still feels like a secret

Off- the-beaten-track places are harder to find than ever, particularly when you can fly straight there, but Espiritu Santo is one of them.

  • by Craig Tansley
Palm-tree perfection … Taha’a, French Polynesia.

Best lagoon in the Pacific? We’ve found a winner

Better than Moorea, or Bora Bora, or Aitutaki. But you won’t believe this patch of French Polynesia is real until you’ve seen it for yourself.

  • by Brian Johnston
Arriving in Rarotonga feels like stepping into a living postcard.

A short(ish) flight away, this place is like stepping into a postcard

There’s plenty to do when visiting the Cook Islands, or you can choose to do nothing at all.

  • by Tatyana Leonov
Taha’a is surrounded by a string of small islands known as motu.

There’s more to this paradise than just overwater bungalows

All the tourists in French Polynesia head to Bora Bora, which means the other islands can feel like your own private escape.

  • by Emily McAuliffe
Aitutaki Lagoon Private Island Resort: walk from your room to a deserted white-sand beach surrounded by turquoise.

Here’s what the ultimate island resort looks like

Nowhere does resorts better than the Asia-Pacific. From food to pools to wildlife, here are the best of the best.

  • by Craig Tansley
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Santa Isobel islands in the Solomon Islands.

In an age where we’ve discovered it all, this paradise shouldn’t exist

Papatura Retreat in the Solomon Islands isn’t for everyone. But for 82-year-old Pete Blanche and his wife Marg, it was love at first sight.

  • by Craig Tansley
A Tongan delicacy.

This is the best dish you’ll find in the Pacific, by far

You’ll find variations of ota ika across the Pacific but it’s a classic dish in Tonga.

  • by Ben Groundwater
Castaway Island sits on one of 20 islands of the Mamanucas.

Fiji has 333 islands. Here’s how to find the perfect one

Many visitors won’t go beyond Viti Levu (the main island tourists fly into), but the perfect island for every kind of traveller awaits.

  • by Craig Tansley
This 12-person private island lets you disappear

This 12-person private island lets you disappear

The only way to get to Wakaya Island is on board a 60-minute propeller plane transfer from Nadi Airport, which makes for a hell of an entrance.

  • by Craig Tansley
12 of the best places to stay in Fiji

12 of the best places to stay in Fiji

From hostels and bures on quiet beaches to private island retreats, Fiji has somewhere to stay for every traveller and every budget.

  • by Craig Tansley
Ban on big ships makes paradise even better

Ban on big ships makes paradise even better

Smaller cruise ships, fewer visitors, more places to stay. Tahiti and the magic of Bora Bora are back, with a new emphasis on sustainability.

  • by Julie Miller
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Six of the best French Polynesian Islands

Six of the best French Polynesian Islands

It’s not just perfect beaches, with adventure tours taking you to lava tubes, rappelling down waterfalls and four-wheel driving.

  • by Brian Johnston
How to choose the right South Pacific island for you

How to choose the right South Pacific island for you

Sun, sea and sand calling? From family vacations to those with a zest for adventure, we reveal which country is the perfect destination for you.

  • by Craig Tansley
A guide to 12 top restaurants and bars in Fiji

A guide to 12 top restaurants and bars in Fiji

With nearly 40 per cent of its population made up of those of Indian heritage, Fiji has one of the most diverse of all South Pacific cuisines.

  • by Craig Tansley
Dunedin’s Tunnel Beach, New Zealand.

The new bucket list for the Pacific and Australasia

The nations of Oceania are a captivating blend of pristine nature, cultural heritage and vibrant cities that even the most hardworking traveller will never exhaust.

  • by Julietta Jameson

Original URL: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/traveller/inspiration/best-of-the-pacific-20230314-p5cryw.html