The 10 Most Beautiful Pacific Islands

With more than 20,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean, visiting them all and then picking a favorite is not really an achievable aim. With some of the most beautiful sights on the planet residing on the Pacific Islands, being daunted by the sheer breadth of the islands could lead to you missing some truly awe-inspiring experiences.

Solomon Islands

Incredibly, the Solomon Islands are one of the best kept secrets in the Pacific Ocean. With more than 3,300 miles of breath-taking coastline and unique, indigenous flora and fauna casting a vibrant light of life over the terrain, the 347 islands in the group are well worth the difficult trip for tourists. The Solomon Islands have proved to be particularly popular with divers, who travel from around the World to experience the beautiful waters.

Highlight: the Mataniko Falls moonlighted as a hideout for Japanese soldiers during WWII but now serves as a beautiful landmark comprising of a double-side water fall sweeping into a cave full of stalagmites.

New Caledonia

The resurgence of New Caledonia from an area of extreme political strife to honeymoon paradise is remarkable. Capital city Noumea in particular is a welcoming tourism spot, welcoming visitors to its relaxing selection of restaurants, bars and activities. The French overseas territory has certainly adopted much of its mother country’s elegance.

Highlight: the Anse Vata beach in Noumea is a sprawling, stretching beach sure to satisfy divers, swimmers and sun-worshippers alike.

Tonga

If you are looking for a real taste of Polynesia, then Tonga is your best option. Having never been under the rule of foreign ownership, Tonga has retained all of its cultural and historical charm. The capital city Nuku’alofa is renowned for its fantastic range of amenities, beaches and whale watching opportunities.

Highlight: divers can enjoy the spectacular underwater caves along the coast.

Samoa

Stock photographs demonstrating the idyllic beauty of the South Pacific are often taken from the beautiful island of Samoa. The picture-perfect beaches defy belief even as you comb down them. With only one true metropolitan city on the island, it retains its unexplored charm. If there is anywhere in the World where you can escape the stresses of the office and everyday life, then it is Samoa.

Highlight: take in one of the idyllic beaches under a traditional Samoan fale – a small wicker structure.

Tahiti

The party centre of the Pacific Islands, Tahiti’s capital city Papeete is rich with diverse culture and activities for people of all ages to engage in. Almost everything you could wish for on a tropical paradise is available here from delicious cocktails to a bustling market.

Highlight: Bain Loti is a naturally formed swimming hole popular with tourists and locals alike.

Guam

If your ideal holiday in the Pacific Islands includes no roughing it, then Guam is the perfect Island for you. The edges have been polished and the island’s tourist board has gone to great lengths to ensure that every whim of the visitor is taken care of. Tumon Bay is a bustling metropolitan of hotels, restaurants and pubs.

Hightlight: the Y’Pao party beach is where all the revellers end up.

Fiji

What separates Fiji from many of the other islands in the Pacific is the accommodation of more thrifty travellers. The subtle gentrification of the country ensures that it retains a lot of its heritage and traditional charms whilst allowing tourist of all ages, the highlights of a Pacific Island holiday.

Highlight: thrill-seekers will enjoy the river rafting available on the island.

Palau

Perhaps the top diving destination outside of the Great Barrier Reef, Palau in the Micronesia is made up of hundreds of limestone formations. The Rock Islands resemble emerald shapes floating in a beautiful royal blue sea.

Highlight: the nearby Chuuk Islands contain a famous lagoon which is full of WWII shipwrecks and crashed fighter planes.

Vanuatu

For the more adventurous amongst you, Vanuatu or ‘the land that time forgot’ may be the perfect destination due to its uncorrupted nature. The locals on this island still retain all of their traditional village customs and living standards. Vanuatu is the only place in the World that contains an underwater post office.

Highlight: the bright blue hot springs found in the heart of the jungle are the perfect mix of luxury and exploration.

Papua New Guinea

Although most commonly associated with tribal cannibalism, the tourism trade in Papua New Guinea provides stunning views and incredible cultural experiences. With more than 800 indigenous languages split amongst the 600 islands, there are endless customs to enjoy.

Highlight: explore the historical significance of the islands including the discovery of human remains, 50,000 years in age.

Images: Shutterstock

Contributed by Mike Kindon, iDirector at Cruise1st.sg. A Luxury Travel Blog

Follow us on Twitter:@TraveloreReport

  

The 10 Most Beautiful Pacific Islands

With more than 20,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean, visiting them all and then picking a favorite is not really an achievable aim. With some of the most beautiful sights on the planet residing on the Pacific Islands, being daunted by the sheer breadth of the islands could lead to you missing some truly awe-inspiring experiences.

Solomon Islands

Incredibly, the Solomon Islands are one of the best kept secrets in the Pacific Ocean. With more than 3,300 miles of breath-taking coastline and unique, indigenous flora and fauna casting a vibrant light of life over the terrain, the 347 islands in the group are well worth the difficult trip for tourists. The Solomon Islands have proved to be particularly popular with divers, who travel from around the World to experience the beautiful waters.

Highlight: the Mataniko Falls moonlighted as a hideout for Japanese soldiers during WWII but now serves as a beautiful landmark comprising of a double-side water fall sweeping into a cave full of stalagmites.

New Caledonia

The resurgence of New Caledonia from an area of extreme political strife to honeymoon paradise is remarkable. Capital city Noumea in particular is a welcoming tourism spot, welcoming visitors to its relaxing selection of restaurants, bars and activities. The French overseas territory has certainly adopted much of its mother country’s elegance.

Highlight: the Anse Vata beach in Noumea is a sprawling, stretching beach sure to satisfy divers, swimmers and sun-worshipers alike.

Tonga

If you are looking for a real taste of Polynesia, then Tonga is your best option. Having never been under the rule of foreign ownership, Tonga has retained all of its cultural and historical charm. The capital city Nuku’alofa is renowned for its fantastic range of amenities, beaches and whale watching opportunities.

Highlight: divers can enjoy the spectacular underwater caves along the coast.

Samoa

Stock photographs demonstrating the idyllic beauty of the South Pacific are often taken from the beautiful island of Samoa. The picture-perfect beaches defy belief even as you comb down them. With only one true metropolitan city on the island, it retains its unexplored charm. If there is anywhere in the World where you can escape the stresses of the office and everyday life, then it is Samoa.

Hightlight: take in one of the idyllic beaches under a traditional Samoan fale – a small wicker structure.

Tahiti

The party centre of the Pacific Islands, Tahiti’s capital city Papeete is rich with diverse culture and activities for people of all ages to engage in. Almost everything you could wish for on a tropical paradise is available here from delicious cocktails to a bustling market.

Highlight: Bain Loti is a naturally formed swimming hole popular with tourists and locals alike.

Guam

If your ideal holiday in the Pacific Islands includes no roughing it, then Guam is the perfect Island for you. The edges have been polished and the island’s tourist board has gone to great lengths to ensure that every whim of the visitor is taken care of. Tumon Bay is a bustling metropolitan of hotels, restaurants and pubs.

Hightlight: the Y’Pao party beach is where all the revellers end up.

Fiji

What separates Fiji from many of the other islands in the Pacific is the accommodation of more thrifty travellers. The subtle gentrification of the country ensures that it retains a lot of its heritage and traditional charms whilst allowing tourist of all ages, the highlights of a Pacific Island holiday.

Highlight: thrill-seekers will enjoy the river rafting available on the island.

Palau

Perhaps the top diving destination outside of the Great Barrier Reef, Palau in the Micronesia is made up of hundreds of limestone formations. The Rock Islands resemble emerald shapes floating in a beautiful royal blue sea.

Highlight: the nearby Chuuk Islands contain a famous lagoon which is full of WWII shipwrecks and crashed fighter planes.

Vanuatu

For the more adventurous amongst you, Vanuatu or ‘the land that time forgot’ may be the perfect destination due to its uncorrupted nature. The locals on this island still retain all of their traditional village customs and living standards. Vanuatu is the only place in the World that contains an underwater post office.

Highlight: the bright blue hot springs found in the heart of the jungle are the perfect mix of luxury and exploration.

Papua New Guinea

Although most commonly associated with tribal cannibalism, the tourism trade in Papua New Guinea provides stunning views and incredible cultural experiences. With more than 800 indigenous languages split amongst the 600 islands, there are endless customs to enjoy.

Highlight: explore the historical significance of the islands including the discovery of human remains, 50,000 years in age.

Images: Shutterstock

Follow us on Twitter: @TraveloreReport

Contributed by Mike Kindon , a Director at Cruise1st.sg. www.aluxurytravelblog.com

AdventureSmith Explorations With Coral Princess Cruises Offers Distinctive Australia/South Pacific Programs

 
Small ship cruise expert AdventureSmith Explorationshttp://www.adventuresmithexplorations.com announces that its clients may now request to sail the fragile eco-system of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in one of two cruising vessels purpose-built for this destination.
 
Through a new booking/promotional relationship with Coral Princess Cruises, these Australian owned, registered and Aussie- and New Zealand-staffed small ships bring the spirit of “Down Under” onto open waters.
 
Coral Princess and Coral Princess II are 35-meter, twin-hulled catamarans accommodating 50 and 46 guests respectively, built with strict environmental regulations for cruising the Great Barrier Reef. They can anchor directly over the edge of the Reef, thus allowing snorkeling to take place directly from the ship’s snorkel deck. (On bigger ships guests use tenders to transport guests to the snorkelling area as the ships must anchor away from the Reef.)
 
A sister ship, the 72-guest Oceanic Discoverer, is the most recently launched ship of its type operating in Australian waters today, purpose-built for this part of the world. Its shallow draft of just three meters means it can go into waters larger ships cannot access. (In Papua, New Guinea, for example this ship can go some 60 nautical miles up the Sepik River to the remote villages of Bien and Angoram. Other ships draw significantly more water and are not able to access the mouth of the river, meaning their exploration on zodiacs is limited.) Guests in this region are often drawn to witness the underwater world through a special glass-bottom tender that can be employed from this vessel.
 
On Australian itineraries, as Australian owned, flagged and operated ships, this fleet does not need, as do foreign vessels, to visit an international port as part of a voyage. This translates to more time exploring home territory.
 
Barrier Reef cruises operate January to December and Northern Australia / Kimberly cruises go from May to October. AdventureSmith Explorations announces the following small ship cruise programs with some departures offering special booking discounts:
 
Coral Princess will ply Australia’s coastal waters in October 2014 under the care of a 12-member crew. Cape York & Arnhem Land is a 12-day exploration combining “the Top End” of Australia, Great Barrier Reef, Cape York Peninsula, Arnhem Land and the Cobourg Peninsula. The per-person double rate is from $7,390. From May through October, The Kimberley - Cruising to the Australian Outback is an 11-day experience exploring the heartland of Australia’s northernmost unspoiled outback. The per person double rate is from $7,390.
 
Coral Princess II operates year-round on the Great Barrier Reef. Departures are from $1,596 per person double for four days. On four-, five- and eight-day Great Barrier Reef Cruises the second traveler can save 50 percent on the most comprehensive Great Barrier Reef itinerary available if booked during the month of May 2014.
 
Oceanic Discoverer in October exploresCape York & Arnhem Land for 12 days starting at $8,990 per person double.
 
This ship conducts two additional itineraries: 11- and 13-day Papua New Guinea explorations from $8,990 per person double for 11 days in November. Also in November is a 14-day Islands of the South Pacific cruise from $11,390 per person double. On these two itineraries guestssave 25 percent and there is no single supplement if booked by May 31, 2014.
 
A January New Zealand - Aotearoa - The Natural Elements 9- or 13-day cruise can be obtained at a 25 percent savings or no single supplement if booked by May 31, 2014. The per person double rate is from $5,990. The cruise explores the east coast of both the North and South Islands aboard Oceanic Discoverer.
 
On all three ships, modern Australian dining is a standout feature of the Coral Princess experience, with talented chefs making use of only the freshest of locally sourced produce in their sumptuous menus.
 
Founded in 2003, AdventureSmith Explorations is based in Tahoe City, CA, along the northern shore of Lake Tahoe. In 2012, owner Todd Smith joined the ranks of Conde Nast Traveler's prestigious 14th Annual Travel Specialists List as the world’s expert on small ship expeditions. A distinction he received again in 2013. For information, availability and 2014 reservations, Phone: 800-728-2875 toll-free or visit www.adventuresmithexplorations.com.