Fact: There are more than a thousand islands spread across an area of the Pacific Ocean that’s 10 times larger than the United States. Stretching from Hawaii to New Zealand and Easter Island and collectively known as the South Pacific (or Polynesian Triangle), this corner of the world has spawned innumerable screensavers, holiday fantasies and romantic honeymoon dreams. But as with so many alluring destination choices, it may be a bit daunting to select your preferred paradise. Enter our all-you-need-to- know guide to choosing the right island mate for you. Whether your ideal honeymoon itinerary includes totally kicking back on a remote strand of sparkling sand or imbibing at one of the chicest restaurants, you’ll discover it here. Bon voyage and welcome to paradise.
Photo courtesy of Cook Island Tourism Corporation
Cook Islands: Totally Off the Grid
A throwback to an age when travel was slow and savory rather than get-there-now, the Cook islands are for couples seeking the untainted and undiscovered south pacific. Located about halfway between Fiji and Tahiti, this english-speaking archipelago comprises two main islands — Rarotonga and Aitutaki —that could not be more different from each other. Beautiful Raro (as it is locally known) is dominated by a jagged volcanic peak that’s often wrapped in clouds, while Aitutaki is a classic coral atoll with a massive turquoise lagoon surrounded by a reef.
While other islands clamor for more tourism, the Cooks are content to let things evolve in a more natural way. There are no high-rise hotels, mega-resorts or any chains, for that matter. There’s zero tipping, a single golf course and nothing that could really be called a disco or music club. This is the place to relish the laid-back ambience and the freedom to walk on a beach where yours are the only footsteps.
Photo courtesy of Cook Island Tourism Corporation
Although you’ll no doubt spend most of your time on the beach or in the water, Raro does have other worthwhile distractions. Storytelling guides lead bicycle, horseback and walking trips along the ancient stone road that rings the island. Jungle walks and volcano climbs are another option. And check out Cook island’s traditional dance, the fastest, hottest, most sensual moves in the entire pacific. Browse for local handicrafts and foods at the Saturday morning Punanga Nui Street market, also don’t miss the rowdy Friday evening happy hour with live entertainment at Trader Jack’s waterfront saloon.
A seductive, swept-away vibe prevails at Manuia Beach Resort on the west side of Rarotonga. Set along the edge of the beach and amid tropical gardens, the resort’s 24 thatched- roof bungalows blend barefoot island amenities like outdoor showers and modern creature comforts like Ipod docks, wireless internet and comfy beds. Grab a mask, fins and snorkel and wade into the adjacent lagoon to spy all sorts of tropical fish. Manuia’s rustic restaurant with its ocean views and sandy floor specializes in super-fresh seafood (room rates start at about $330 a night; manuia.co.ck).
Hawaii: Cosmopolitan and Chic
As the largest city between Los Angeles and Sydney, Honolulu is the best place in the tropical Pacific for an urban island honeymoon. another reason to visit is Waikiki Beach — possibly the world’s most celebrated strand — which is smack dab in the middle of the Hawaiian capital with Diamond Head as its backdrop.
In addition to posh hotels, Honolulu offers a ton of activities. Learn how to surf at Waikiki — widely celebrated as one of the places where the sport was born. Explore ancient Hawaiian history at the Bishop museum and tour the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor. tour cool neighborhoods like Chinatown, the Arts District and Kaka’ako, shop at the high-end stores in Ala Moana and experience the celebrated eateries along King Street. Favorites include Chiang Mai’s luscious Thai food, Alan Wong’s award-winning Hawaiian cuisine and the Japanese fare at Imanas Tei.
Photo courtesy of Hawaii Tourism Authority
Hawaii’s smaller cities and towns are excellent complements to your tropical getaway. On the Big island, one of the last strongholds of royal Hawaii, Kona is renowned for its coffee. On the opposite coast, Hilo is the gateway to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the world’s most active lava flow. Old Hawaii lives on in Lahaina, the old whaling port on Maui’s west coast. Kehei, also on Maui, offers the state’s sunniest climate and loads of seaside bars, clubs and cafés.
Designer boutique hotels abound in Honolulu, especially in and around Waikiki Beach. The Modern Honolulu is such a luxury hideaway overlooking Ala Wai yacht harbor. Sleek, white minimalism is the primary design vibe, and all of the rooms have private furnished terraces with beach or city views. and both sandals or stilettos are the dress code of choice. Kick back by the rooftop sunset pool or unwind with a lomi lomi massage in the hotel spa. Masaharu Morimoto, the original Iron Chef, helms the hotel’s eponymous restaurant (room rates start at $280 a night; themodernhonolulu.com).
Photo courtesy of The Modern Honolulu
Fiji: Adventure Bound
The largest island group in the South Pacific in terms of both population and land area, Fiji is an eclectic destination with resorts and activities that appeal to just about every vacation taste. But Fiji excels at outdoor adventure pursuits.
Photo courtesy of Yasawa Island Resort & Spa
It’s the site of one of the globe’s legendary surfing breaks, in particular the Mamanuca islands in the northwest where spots like Cloudbreak and Restaurants attract some of the world’s best boardsmen. The surf is great year-round, but the big waves (20 feet) are more prevalent from April to October. That’s not the only way to get your adrenalin flowing in Fiji — there’s rafting the whitewater rivers through rainforest that’s been there for a million years, dune buggy rides along a jungle track to an isolated waterfall and diving with sharks. You can also learn how to wakeboard, explore limestone caverns and swoosh through the jungle on the longest zipline in the South Pacific. Then swim the Blue Lagoon of movie fame and while away the hours at a deserted island beach. And if you’re really brave, try joining a rugby match with some of the locals.
Fiji’s accommodation options run the gamut from surf camps and scuba resorts to private island resorts and sprawling golf resorts. Viti Levu, the main island, boasts more than 80 hotels. For the true Fijian experience it’s best to stay on one of the smaller outer islands. Yasawa Island Resort & Spa shares its seahorse-shaped island with a couple of local villages but no other hotels. The family-run resort features 18 thatched bures (villas) set around an infinity pool or scattered along a palm-fringed beach. The spacious honeymoon bure, with its own plunge pool, sundeck and two-person hammock, is perfectly perched at the very end of the beach. From fresh lobster to mango panna cotta, the food is superb, especially when you consider the remoteness of the location (room rates start at $800 a night and are all inclusive; yasawa.com).
Photo courtesy of Yasawa Island Resort & Spa
Easter Island: Cultural Expeditions
Polynesia meets South America on this mysterious island, known across the globe for its giant stone heads and mysterious history. Most of the 5,000 islanders are of Polynesian ancestry, but they speak Spanish because the island has long been part of Chile. The only way to reach Easter (or Rapa Nui, its ancient name) is to fly from either Santiago or Papeete, which means a multiple-leg honeymoon that includes Chile or Tahiti.
More than 800 moai (stone heads) are scattered around the volcanic isle. Symbolic of both the Polynesian culture and the incredible heights that prehistoric civilizations were able to reach without the aid of modern technology, these structures are the hallmark attraction of the island. However, not even the most gifted archeologist can say for certain how the giant statues were erected, what their exact purpose was or why bygone islanders just decided one day to stop making them.
Photo courtesy of Explora Rapa Nui
Rapa Nui is small enough that you can rent a car and explore the archeological sites on your own via the two-lane paved road that circles the island. Most are located inside a national park with trails that lead to the major moai sites as well as black and white sand beaches, volcanic lakes and stupendous cliffs overlooking the sea.
With more than 90 percent of Rapa Nui set aside as a national park, almost everyone lives in laid-back Hanga Roa, the island’s tiny capital. The town centers around a busy fishing harbor and a daily farmer’s market along Avenida Atamu Tekena. Almost all of the island’s hotels, restaurants and craft shops are located in Hanga Roa.
Photo courtesy of Explora Rapa Nui
The best place to stay is Explora Lodge, the only hotel inside the national park. The resort offers a variety of half and full day adventure excursions lead by local guides. The sleek, modern design is straight out of Architectural Digest, and the guest rooms are rustic-chic with large picture windows looking out onto the romantic island landscape. There’s also a swimming pool and small spa (room rates start at $1,458 a night and are all inclusive; explora.com).
Tahiti: Picture Perfect Ideal
Imagine a tropical paradise and chances are it’ll be pretty close to the reality that is Tahiti. Here, coconut palms sway over white sands, lagoons boast innumerable shades of blue, coral gardens teem with a gazillion kinds of marine life and cloud-capped volcanoes seem to shoot straight up from the ocean. Hideaways boast rooms that hang out over the water, with windows in the floor so you can watch the fish.
Photo courtesy of La Taha'a Island Resort & Spa
Tahiti is both a large island and a pseudonym for the society islands, that dreamy part of French Polynesia that also includes the legendary Bora Bora, Moorea, three other large islands and endless islets called motus. these are the isles — and the culture — that prompted Fletcher Christian to risk all by organizing the infamous mutiny on the Bounty. They are the landfalls that enchanted Impressionist painter Paul Gauguin. And it’s the place where Marlon Brando fell in love and lived for some time. A French accent adds to their allure, especially in Papeete, the bustling capital city on Tahiti island, which is lined with sidewalk cafés offering freshly baked baguettes and vanilla crème brûlée.
Most visitors spend a day in Papeete and then wing off to one of the other isles. Moorea and Bora Bora are like super-models — you can’t help gazing upon them, wondering how nature could create something so visually perfect. These two also boast the lion’s share of resorts. But all of the islands have something special. Taha’a is a veritable floating garden known for its fragrant vanilla plantations and offshore pearl farms. One of the cradles of polynesian civilization, Huahine is famed for its ancient coral-rock ruins. And giant Raiatea is ripe for hiking and horseback riding through a jungle-shrouded landscape.
Tahiti pioneered the over-water bungalow, and more than 20 resorts on five different islands offer such accommodations. Among the most stunning are those at Le Taha’a Private Island & Spa for the simple reason that the view from your private balcony includes Bora Bora across the channel. That’s not all that makes this one of the best hotels in Tahiti. Sink into a guided snorkel tour through the adjacent coral gardens, an adventure that culminates with a fresh sashimi and ceviche lunch on a sand bar. Hop a helicopter over to Bora Bora for the day or book a Polynesian spa ritual for two (room rates start at $746 a night; lethahaa.com.
Marquesas: Sail Away
This far-flung huddle of islets is one of the most remote parts of the South Pacific. It's also one of the wildest, featuring volcanic islands with black sand beaches, towering waterfalls and a rainforest that seems to stretch forever. Imagine Jurassic Park with beaches and sans the dinosaurs and you'll have a pretty clear picture of the Marquesan vibe.
For more than a century, Western travelers have journeyed to the Marquesas to drop out, get away and disappear into the jungle. This is where Gauguin came to live and paint when Tahiti got too crowded (and puritanical), and where the Belgian superstar singer Jacques Brel settled when he tired of the limelight in Europe. The archipelago is still far off the grid and sparsely populated, making it an ideal place for lovers who not only cherish their privacy but also seek an authentic experience.
The Marquesas also offer plenty of adventure. You can snorkel with manta rays and scuba dive with hammerhead sharks in the deep bays around the islands. Hike the lush Hakaui Valley and swim around a cool jungle pool at the bottom of Ahuii Falls, one of the world's highest waterfalls, which plunges 1,148 feet (about the height of the Empire State Building). Visit the Paul Gaugin Cultural Center to see a reproduction of the "House of Pleasure" he built in the Marquesas.
There are only two ways to reach the Marquesas: daily flights from Papeete (Tahiti) to Nuku Hiva and Hiva Oa or via a steam ship that makes the two-week passage from Papeete each month. The accommodations are equally limited to modest bed & breakfast inns or two small resorts. Keikahanui Pearl Lounge overlooks a wide bay on the south side of Nuku Hiva Island. Enjoy the view while lounging in the resort's infinity pool or descend 50 steps to a private black sand beach. Fashioned from wood, thatch and other local materials, the 20 bungalows blend ancient Polynesian motifs with a comfy bed and sundeck (room rates start at $300 a night; pearlodge.com).
