travel south pacific islands

South Pacific's most idyllic islands for a tropical getaway

Sep 22, 2021 • 6 min read

Small thatched beach huts known as Samoan fales on one of the South Pacific island's most pristine beaches © zstockphotos/Getty Images

The South Pacific confounds even the savviest map buffs with its splatter of dots spread across the world's biggest ocean. What you can't tell from a map, or even most tourist brochures is that these palm-laden pinpricks are as diverse as the region is vast. While the postcards might look similar, Fiji and Tahiti are not interchangeable or even much alike when it comes to landscapes and culture.

As you move east across the Pacific from the Solomon Islands to Easter Island , the flora and fauna becomes less diverse. Islands to the east like New Caledonia and Fiji have land snakes and fruit bats, French Polynesia and Easter Island don't. Underwater you'll find more soft corals in the plankton-rich waters to the west but better visibility in the greater reaches of open water to the east.

South Pacific islands are culturally and geographically divided into Polynesia (from the Greek meaning 'many islands') and Melanesia (meaning 'black islands'). Polynesian islands include Samoa , Tonga , Cook Islands , French Polynesia and Easter Island while Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands are Melanesian. The colonial history of the islands has resulted in a modern-day patchwork of English- and French-speaking island groups (plus Spanish in the far eastern Easter Island).

Still confused? Here's the low-down on the main regions and their highlights.

Rarotonga & the Cook Islands

Best for beaches and hospitality Languages: English (official), Cook Islands Maori (Rarotongan)

The Cook Islands mix Polynesian blue water and hospitality with New Zealand (who administer the islands) savoir faire . On the lush, main isle of Rarotonga beach bum all day then experience an 'Island Night' Polynesian feast (pork cooked in an earthen oven, taro root and more) and a local dance performance.

Hop a plane to Aitutuaki atoll, with its low-lying coral islets curling around one of the world's most fantastic lagoons. When not diving, snorkelling or swimming in blue water, check out the atoll's ancient stone temples called marae .

Best for: friendly vibes and backpacker adventures Languages: English, iTaukei, Fiji Hindi

Fiji receives nearly the same amount of visitors (about 630,000 annually) as the rest of the South Pacific combined but it still feels wild and exotic. Scents of Indian curries waft from city roti shops while in villages Melanesian families invite you in for a bit of 'grog' ( kava , a slightly narcotic locally made beverage). Diving is another popular activity here and underwater you'll find seascapes of soft corals so dense they look like purple and white forests.

Viti Levu , the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands have the best beaches and most resorts. It's also easy to get off-the-beaten-path on islands like the lush, dive havens of Taveuni and Vanua Levu or the near-roadless traditional escape of Kadavu.

Tahiti & French Polynesia

Best for: luxury resorts and surfing Languages: French, Polynesian

With over 115 islands spanning five archipelagos, French Polynesia has it all from the legendary, luxe Bora Bora and its over-the-water-bungalows to uncountable forgotten islands perfect for Crusoe-wannabes looking for a basic beach bungalow. Wherever you go, you'll be kissed with a touch of French style.

Dive with plentiful reef sharks and manta rays in the Tuamotu Atolls ; ogle the world's fastest hip shaking at a Tahitian dance performance during the July Heiva Festival; hike to waterfalls and mountain ridges on Tahiti, Moorea , the Marquesas Islands and more; or watch professional surfers brave cavernous tubes at Teahupoo , Tahiti.

Best for: volcanoes and hiking Languages: (more than 100) Bislama (creole), English, French, others

If you want rumbling volcanoes, kava bars, shipwrecks to dive on and wild jungles to trek but still want your roads paved and your cheese French, Vanuatu is the place for you.

The main Island of Efate is home to the endearingly dusty capitol of Port Vila but the real action lies on the outer islands. Tanna is dominated by fiery and climbable Mt Yasur. Espiritu Santo has upscale resorts and a tough trek to the massive Millennium Cave filled with waterfalls and bats. Dive and snorkel WWII wrecks to coral gardens.

Samoa & American Samoa

Best for surfing and hiking Languages: English, Samoan (Polynesian), Samoan/English

The Samoan Islands are divided into two countries – Samoa, which is independent, and American Samoa , which - you guessed it – is an American territory. Both however remain very traditionally Polynesian. Although 'Upolu in Samoa has a few relatively upscale resorts, all the islands feel untouristy and much other accommodation is in the form of basic open beach huts called fale .

You'll find some of the South Pacific's best and most pristine beaches, lots of smiles, flower-filled villages and a pace of life that stands out as slow even in this region. There are few organized excursions but for independent types the opportunity for hiking, cultural connections, surfing and snorkelling are endless.

New Caledonia

Best for: food and water sports Language: French, 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

New Caledonia's massive Grande Terre is the third largest island in the Pacific (after Papua New Guinea and New Zealand) and is home to the second largest double barrier coral reef in the world (after Australia's Great Barrier Reef).

Beyond the diving, wind sports and sailing in the lagoon, the land supports a mix of Melanesian and French cultures that bring an elegant balance to hospitality, cuisine and accommodation ranging from beach bungalows to very posh resorts.

Outlying islands such as Île des Pins and Ouvéa offer more remote escapes with some of the Pacific's best beaches and heaps of delicious seafood.

Best for: swimming with humpback whales Language: English, Tongan

The Kingdom of Tonga is a country of traditional values and strong Christianity backed by endless blue bays, sparkling beaches and ancient stone temples.

The main island of Tongatapu is the seat of the monarchy but most visitors head quickly to the Vava'u Group . Here you'll find one of the best places on Earth to swim with or watch humpback whales. Sailboats flock around the Vava'u's many sheltered blue bays while plenty of scarcely discovered surfing waves are tucked along the coasts.

Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

Best for archaeology and wildlife Language: Spanish

Few places on the planet are as intriguing Easter Island 164 square kilometer island so far east, it's technically a part of Chile. Giant, sober-faced stone statues called moai dominate the landscape here whether they are full-standing or still only partially carved from rock; their mystery is an even larger presence.

Tour the island on foot, bike or horseback, find small white beaches and enjoy the lively Polynesian culture mixed with South American spice. Tourism is on the rise but the island remains personable and dedicated to eco-travel.

Solomon Islands

Best for: diving and eco-tourism Language: English, Melanesian pidgin, English, 120 indigenous languages

Arguably one of the wildest destinations in the South Pacific, the Solomon Islands host a traditional Melanesian culture and an ever-lingering WWII history. Guadalcanal , the capital island, is home to numerous historical war sites.

For relaxation head to the New Georgia Islands , particularly Marovo Lagoon for its fish-filled lagoon dotted with small islands. Beaches are few but the kayaking, diving and traditional culture make it a true adventure.

Remote South Pacific islands

Where to begin? Some places like Niue , Tuvalu , Kiribati and Wallis & Futuna have flight connections while others like Tokelau and Pitcairn Island can still only be reached by sea . If you're not booking that South Pacific adventure-of-a-lifetime this year, then what are you waiting for? 

You might also like: How to choose the best island for your Fiji vacation Natural spoils: why Kiribati is a nature lover's paradise Why Tanna Island in Vanuatu should be your next big adventure

This article was first published August 2019 and updated September 2021

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The South Pacific Islands: a first timer's guide

Roxanne de Bruyn

• Pacific Islands travel guide

With white, sandy beaches, turquoise lagoons and scattered palm trees, the Pacific Islands look like paradise. Dotted around the South Pacific, these islands are small and untouched.

A holiday in the Pacific Islands is all about relaxing, switching off from everyday life, and enjoying the simple pleasures of a tropical island - exotic fruit, warm weather, beautiful lagoons and fresh fish. These holidays are less about adventure or luxury and more about simply experiencing some of the most beautiful places in the world.

Many of the islands (with the notable exception of Fiji) are relatively underdeveloped, with few large hotel brands there. While the Pacific Islands have a strong tourism industry, it's mostly targeted at New Zealanders and Australians

• How to get there

Getting to the Pacific Islands is the most convenient from New Zealand. Flights to each island leave multiple times a week. There are also regular flights from Australia, Fiji has a weekly flight from LA, and the Cook Islands has a connection to Canada.

Travelling between the South Pacific Islands is more complicated than you would think, with routes changing frequently. Saying that, Tonga generally has good connections to Fiji and Samoa, and you can usually fly from French Polynesia to the other South Pacific Islands. It is best to check before you go.

• When to visit

The Pacific Islands have distinct wet and dry seasons. The dry season runs from April to October and is the most popular time to visit the islands. This is for two reasons: the weather is great, and it's winter in New Zealand and Australia, where many tourists come from.

The humidity is significantly reduced during the winter, and the cyclone season has passed. You are also more likely to see humpback whales between June and October. On the other hand, there'll be more visitors and prices will be a bit higher.

Travelling to the Pacific Islands during the low season is entirely possible. Just keep in mind that it'll probably rain during your stay, it will be hot and humid, and some activities may be closed, especially if you visit outside of the Christmas school holidays. It's also cyclone season, so there is the possibility of high winds and torrential rain, although generally, rainfall is light, and there are still long patches of sunshine.

Fiji is a popular family holiday destination with resorts, kids' clubs, and activities for all ages. Fiji is more developed than the other islands, and several brand-name resorts are here. These are mainly clustered on Denarau Island, a resort development on the Western side of Viti Levu, Fiji's main island - before booking, remember that there isn't a natural beach in Denarau.

Just a short boat ride from Denarau, you'll find the Mamanuca Islands, with beautiful beaches, excellent snorkelling and tall palm trees. There are several resorts on these islands, ranging from family-friendly with kids' clubs and childcare services to adult-only resorts for romantic getaways. The Cloud 9 surf breaks are easily accessible for a day trip - go for the surf or to relax in the on-water bar. Just keep in mind that food and accommodation in Fiji aren't cheap.

If you're interested in scuba diving in Fiji or want to experience Fiji without mass tourism, the stunning Yasawa Islands are a bit further from Viti Levu. The Yasawas are less convenient to visit, but there are regular local seaplane flights. Accommodation here is a bit more rustic, but the views are spectacular, and you can enjoy the untouched scenery. Backpackers are well catered for, and there are a couple of resorts if you want a touch more luxury.

• The Cook Islands

A territory of New Zealand, the Cook Islanders are just a couple of hours' flight from Auckland. Rarotonga, the largest island, is particularly popular with New Zealanders, and there are several small resorts on the island.

With calm lagoons, long beaches and friendly locals, Rarotonga is great for a family holiday. The island is small, but there are enough activities to keep you busy (and relaxed) for a week or two. You can also rent a house near the beach and self-cater during your stay.

Aitutaki, about an hour's flight from Rarotonga, is the perfect destination for a more secluded getaway. A favourite with honeymooners , Aitutaki is simply stunning. White sandy beaches are studded with palm trees, and the scenery is like a postcard come to life.

The island is tiny, and there are several resorts, mainly catering for couples. There are a few cheaper options, but they're much harder to track down.

In terms of activities, the lagoon cruise is a must, stopping at various deserted islands and including a fish lunch. One Foot Island is a favourite stop, with an old post office, shady trees and a small reef for snorkelling. Aitutaki is a remarkably beautiful place and is the perfect spot for relaxing on the beach with a cocktail and a good book.

Less developed than Fiji or the Cook Islands, your holiday in Tonga will likely include simple accommodation, friendly people and beautiful surroundings. There are several locally owned and run accommodation options, which are generally clean, simple and often absolute beachfront.

Tonga is a more affordable destination, but service isn't always up to international standards, so don't expect luxury service. However, the surroundings are stunning, people are helpful and welcoming, and it's easier to get a sense of the local culture than on some other Pacific islands.

• Introduction

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Author - Roxanne de Bruyn

Roxanne is the founder and editor of Faraway Worlds. She is a freelance writer and guidebook author and has written for several travel publications, including Lonely Planet and The Culture Trip. With a background in communications, she has studied ancient history, comparative religion and international development, and has a particular interest in sustainable tourism.

Originally from South Africa, Roxanne has travelled widely and loves learning the stories of the places she visits. She enjoys cooking, dance and yoga, and usually travels with her husband and young son. She is based in New Zealand.

Last Updated 9 January 2023

South Pacific Island Hopping – A Guide to Travelling In & Between French Polynesia, Samoa & The Cook Islands

For as long as I can remember I’ve been obsessed with the South Pacific . It’s not just the white sand beaches and turquoise water, but the culture and traditions that always intrigued me. I visited Fiji 10 years ago and loved it, so when Enrico and I were discussing which places we wanted to visit this year, the South Pacific was high on the list. I did some research into South Pacific island hopping and soon discovered it’s not quite as easy as I expected to travel from island to island, even when you’re travelling within the same country. There aren’t that many ferries, and often the only option is to take lots of flights. It’s totally worth it though (although I feel a little guilty about my carbon footprint this year). After two months of island hopping in the South Pacific, here are our top tips!

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. This means that if you click a link and purchase something I’ve recommended I may earn a small commission. This does not affect the price you pay but helps me to run this site. You can read my full affiliate disclosure here.

How to Island Hop in The South Pacific!

Before you start looking at which Pacific islands to visit, it’s worthwhile looking at the logistics of travel between them.

I had imagined that we would take ferries between lots of the South Pacific islands, but in reality, there are very few. There are cargo ships, which do sometimes take passengers, but the timetables change and they give priority to locals, plus you can’t book in advance. We really wanted to do this as it sounded like such an adventure (and it’s cheap). But in actuality, we only had two months, and you really need a lot of time to spare in case you can’t get on the boat when it arrives and need to wait for the next one, which could be in a few weeks’ time.

If you have a yacht and plenty of time, then you can sail between the islands, but we sadly do not have a yacht, (and we don’t know how to sail so couldn’t hire one.) Once I have more sailing experience this would definitely be something I’d like to try though! If you plan on sticking to one country, you could try a diving boat, such as a Fiji liveaboard , or there are also big cruise ships, but we wanted to have lots of time on the islands to explore so that wasn’t for us either.

You might be surprised to know that there aren’t direct flights between most of the countries in the South Pacific, meaning you have to fly into Auckland and then back out. This will have an impact on cost, route and time. After hours spent looking at flights I worked out which of the Pacific islands connect and this dictated our route.

For example –

Fiji is quite a good hub – you can fly from Fiji to Vanuatu and to Tonga, so it can make a good trio with those two destinations.

From the Cook Islands, there is a direct flight to Tahiti (French Polynesia), once a week and you can fly onto Easter Island or Hawaii from Tahiti.

Number 1 on our list was French Polynesia . I’ve always wanted to go there, so that was definitely going to be in our South Pacific itinerary, and with the link to the Cook Islands , we also added that to the route.

For the final island, we considered Tonga – we were going to be travelling during the whale migration, which has big appeal – but eventually decided on Samoa. Although this meant flying into Auckland and back out to get to Tahiti, we were both really keen to visit Samoa because from everything I’d read it still has the most traditional culture of the Pacific Islands. (Something we found to be true of the islands we visited).

For our next South Pacific Island adventure, we are hoping to visit Vanuatu, New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands, as there are direct flights between the three.

I have also travelled to Fiji twice, which you can read about here .

Getting Around in The South Pacific

Within your chosen countries, (ours being Samoa, French Polynesia and the Cook Islands), you then have to think about island hopping again, as they are all made up of a number of islands. This is also true of Fiji, Tonga, the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and so on.

Getting Around Samoa

Samoa is the easiest (and therefore cheapest) to travel to. There are two main islands which are connected by a car ferry. There are other small islands, but most don’t really have any tourist infrastructure and there is a lot to see on both Upolu and Savai’i, meaning you most likely won’t feel the need to see the others. The best way to get around the islands is by car, so I advise hiring one from the airport in Apia . There are buses, but they aren’t that frequent, and often stop far from the beaches and resorts.

Check out the ultimate Samoa itinerary

Getting Around French Polynesia

There are 118 islands in French Polynesia, also known as the Islands of Tahiti. We had two months to travel the South Pacific and that’s not enough to visit all of the islands in French Polynesia. Plus some of them you can’t even fly to. A big slice of your French Polynesian budget will go on flights. I totally recommend buying a flight pass from Air Tahiti . It’s a fixed price and each package includes a certain group/number of islands. We did the Bora Bora-Tuamotu Pass, even though we didn’t visit all of the French Polynesian islands available in our pass, it still worked out cheaper. If you don’t like flying in small planes you may wish to reconsider visiting French Polynesia – or look into cruise/sailing options. Otherwise, you can stick to Tahiti and Mo’orea which are connected by a ferry.

Read our two week French Polynesia itinerary here

Depending on which islands you’re visiting, it’s a good idea to hire a car , even if only for a day or two. Some of the islands are small enough to get around by bicycle (Rangiroa), and some you don’t really need one (Bora Bora).

Book a rental car in French Polynesia

Getting Around The Cook Islands

There are flights (and cargo ships) between the Cook Islands, which are fairly expensive considering how short some of the flights are. We decided to visit just two islands, Aitutaki and the main island of Rarotonga, in order to reduce the money spent on travel. In hindsight, I would have liked to have visited Aitu as well, but there is always next time!

It’s worth hiring a car on both Aitutaki and Rarotonga, however, the latter does have a bus service that loops the island. But the car gives you much more freedom to explore.

Book a rental car in the Cook Islands

Which Islands to Visit in the South Pacific?

Now you’ve decided which countries you’re going to, you’ll be wondering which islands to visit! I’ll be writing more detailed guides to each of the islands we visited, but here is a brief overview of the South Pacific islands we visited (in order).

Upolu, Samoa

The most populated island of Samoa, home to the international airport and the country’s capital city – Apia. There are lots of beautiful beaches, particularly along the south coast, where you will also find the famous To Sua Ocean Trench. You’ll find our top things to do in Upolu, Samoa here .

Savai’i, Samoa

Savai’i is much quieter and less populated than Upolu, but larger in size. It has stunning beaches and impressive lava fields along with blowholes and jungle. The ferry from Upolu takes 1 hour 15 minutes and it’s totally worth making the trip. Our favourite beach in the whole of Samoa was on this island at Falealupo.

Check out the perfect 10 day Samoa itinerary.

Tahiti, French Polynesia

Tahiti is the transport hub of French Polynesia, with the only international airport. Many flights to other French Polynesian islands also transit through here. It is a volcanic island so the beaches have black sand but have a different kind of beauty to the white sand beaches of the other tropical islands . There is excellent surfing on Tahiti and it’s also great for fishing. The capital city Pape’ete has a good market.

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

We considered not going to Bora Bora as I thought it would just be expensive hotels for honeymooners. How wrong I was. It is such a beautiful island (as you can imagine) and there are plenty of things to do. Great diving, hikes, boat trips… it ended up being one of my favourite islands. It only has one beach – Matira – but it’s a gorgeous one.

Read our two week French Polynesia itinerary

Huahine, French Polynesia

Huahine is actually two islands, joined by a small bridge. We stayed on the southern island at a lovely beach called Avea which is a short walk from a Marae (Polynesian ancient temple). Huahine has one of the highest concentrations of Marae in the whole of French Polynesia. The snorkelling is excellent here, best experienced on lagoon cruise which takes you to different locations around the islands, as well as to a pearl farm, ending with lunch on a motu – (a small sand/reef islet).

Taha’a, French Polynesia

Taha’a doesn’t have an airport, so you have to fly into neighbouring Raiatea, and take a boat to Taha’a. The island is famous for two things: vanilla and black pearls. We visited farms producing both during our stay, and there are quite a few options across the island. There is excellent snorkelling on Taha’a too, in particular at Motu Tautau off the west coast. This can only be reached by boat, or by foot for guests staying at Le Taha’a Island Resort and Spa , which we were lucky enough to stay at, as I was reviewing the hotel for The Telegraph .

Rangiroa, French Polynesia

If I had to pick a favourite island from our trip to the South Pacific, then it would most likely be Rangiroa. It’s an atoll with an enormous lagoon and it is stunning. It has some of the best dive sites in the world including the Tiputa Pass, where you can see a huge variety of sharks, fish, dolphins and rays. It’s an amazing dive . If you cross the atoll from the main town of Avatoru, you will reach the blue lagoon, which is possibly the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to. It’s just incredible. You can also see lots of little blacktip reef sharks here too. (Don’t worry they aren’t scary!). Rangiroa is also another big pearl producer and even has a school dedicated to all aspects of black pearls – the only one of its kind. Read our guide to Rangiroa .

Tikehau, French Polynesia

Another atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago along with Rangiroa, Tikeahau is a quieter island famous for pink coral beaches. There is a great chance of spotting Manta Rays in Tikehau’s lagoon, which visit the same spot each morning to be cleaned by wrasses. This is really the place to come to get away from it all.

Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Rarotonga is the international hub for the Cook Islands, with lots of accommodation – even hostels, and good restaurants and bars. I would say it’s the cheapest island we visited in the South Pacific (unless you’re only staying in beach fales – then Upolu/Savai’i probably wins). It has some beautiful white sand beaches and a couple of good hikes through the centre.

Read our 10 day Cook Islands itinerary.

Aitutaki, Cook Islands

Aitutaki is home to a magnificent blue lagoon, and for this reason alone it’s worth a visit. The water visibility is excellent and you’ve got a very good chance of spotting and swimming with Giant Trevally, which live in the lagoon. There are lots of little sand motu (islands), which can be visited by boat. It’s paradise. In fact, it’s on two of these motu that Shipwrecked is filmed!

South Pacific Trip Budget

Once we had decided on our route, we had to work out if we could actually afford to do it. I will be completely honest here – the South Pacific is one of the most expensive destinations in the world and everything is pricey – flights, food and accommodation.

As we were writing about the destinations we had some support from the Tourist Boards which helped a lot, but even so, we had to carefully evaluate if our budget would cover the trip, and if so, would we spend all of our money and have to go straight home afterwards (as we were planning to travel for another 3 months).

After some careful calculations, we ascertained that we could manage it, but we had to stick to a strict budget, choose cheap accommodation and cook for ourselves where possible.

In my opinion, the reason to visit the South Pacific is to experience the marine life and culture. So we wanted to spend as much of our budget on experiences as possible, and less on accommodation and food. If it’s your honeymoon you might have a different view, but really you can stay in nice hotels anywhere, what you can’t do is dive with sharks, snorkel with turtles and watch Polynesian dancing.

South Pacific Accommodation

Samoa accommodation.

The cheapest accommodation in Samoa is beach fales. These are huts with thatch roofs and open walls. They are basic with shared bathrooms, but they are amazing. You can hear the waves lapping on the beach while you sleep and it’s a very traditional Samoan experience. Often a night at a beach fale includes dinner and breakfast, which means you save on your food budget too. We stayed at beach fales for around 80 WST a night including breakfast and dinner (approx. £25). If you have a bit more money to spare there are some lovely places to stay, particularly on the south coast of Upolu.

French Polynesia Accommodation

Everyone dreams of an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora, but the reality is that they cost a lot. I mean a lot. (usually around £500 per night and up!!). So that wasn’t going to be an option for us on this trip. However, we found some great budget accommodation in French Polynesia. While still not super cheap, we stayed at B&Bs and guesthouses , many with kitchens where we could cook our own meals. This saved us a lot of money and we were still able to enjoy the incredible beaches and marine life a few steps away. We did stay at some more high-end places too, our favourites were Kia Ora in Rangiroa and family-run Relais Royal in Tikehau.

Find accommodation in Bora Bora , Tahiti and Rangiroa

Cook Islands Accommodation

The Cook Islands has more budget options than French Polynesia and there are a couple of hostels on Rarotonga if you’re up for staying in a dorm. We found a few good options including Rarotonga Backpackers and Club Raro Resort . These both had a kitchen which was great for cooking our own food.

Find accommodation in Rarotonga

On Aitutaki, there are also some nice budget options with kitchens – we loved Rino’s Motel which was right on the water. For a little luxury, Tamanu Beach is incredible. We could literally see the ocean from our bed!

Find accommodation in Aitutaki

Food in The South Pacific

There is delicious fruit and veg in the Pacific Islands, which you can buy from roadside stalls and the local markets. In most places, it’s best not to drink tap water, but lots of hotels filter their own water or you can travel with a filter water bottle to avoid buying too many plastic water bottles. We saved money by buying super noodles and instant soup before we travelled and eating these in our hotel (glamorous I know). This saved us a lot of money on food, and while it isn’t exactly nutritious it’s fine as long as you aren’t doing it for every meal.

Food in Samoa

As mentioned before, beach fales often include dinner and breakfast which helps the budget a lot. There is excellent fish, and a must-try dish is Oka – raw fish with lime juice and coconut cream. It’s delicious. There is coconut with everything – to drink, in desserts, in main courses. Another traditional dish is palusami – taro leaves filled with coconut cream. Yum. If you’re in Samoa on a Sunday, then many restaurants will be serving a tonai. A traditional Samoan Sunday lunch that includes all the regional specialities.

Food in French Polynesia

Being French, you can buy lots of French food in French Polynesia. It’s basically the dream – tropical beaches and French cheese and wine. We found some great options in the supermarket in Tahiti, but once you get out to the more remote French Polynesian islands you’ll find less variety for a higher price. There is really good fish here too, and there is a similar dish to Oka called Poisson Cru made from the same ingredients.

Food in The Cook Islands

The Cook Islands also have good fish including Mahi Mahi (our favourite). Their version of Oka/Poisson Cru is called Ika Mata. Coconut is a staple in Cook Islands’ food and the tree is known as the ‘tree of life’ as it is used for everything from food and drink, to building houses. Supermarkets are expensive, and if you want to eat out cheaply then there aren’t many options aside from burgers, of which there are a lot. A stand out on Rarotonga was The Mooring Fish Café for delicious fish sandwiches.

Booking in Advance

I strongly recommend you book your flights and accommodation in advance whilst South Pacific island hopping. The flights will only become more expensive, and even if you have the Air Tahiti Island pass, the flights do get sold out. With accommodation, you can be a little bit more relaxed depending on the location. If you’ve booked your flights for French Polynesia then it also makes sense to have your accommodation booked. We booked everything at least a few months ahead of time. In Samoa and the Cook Islands, you can be a little more flexible. In particular in Samoa, because you don’t need to book the ferry, though it is recommended if you’re travelling peak season, and some of the beach fales don’t take bookings, and many don’t have websites.

The South Pacific was easily the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to. The beaches are on another level and the marine life was incredible. We had the most amazing time exploring Samoa, French Polynesia and the Cook Islands and each has something different to offer. I would recommend all three. We are also keen to return and explore some of the other Pacific islands, so at some point, another South Pacific island hopping trip will be on the agenda!

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Such a dream trip. OMG!!!

It really was! Wish I could do it all over again!

Great article! Came across it whilst starting to plan a South Pacific island hopping extravaganza for my husband and myself. Lots of useful information, thanks!

Thank you! I’m glad it was useful 🙂 I hope you have a great trip, it’s such a beautiful part of the world.

H guys The best review/ blog I have ever read. It’s my ambition to go in this part of the world, is more expensive that say London to eat out

Thank you 🙂 If you eat at hotels then it can be pretty expensive – probably more than London. However, if you eat at local places then you can find some cheap options.

In 2001 and 2002 I got a flight from England to New Zealand with stops at French Polynesia and the Cook Islands on the way there. Plus on my way home I stopped in Samoa. I missed out on seeing Tonga. I am keen to see more of the islands. I went to Hawaii and Fiji in 1993. I have been back to Hawaii once since then.

That sounds like a great trip. I’m also really keen to visit Tonga. We are hoping to travel to Vanuatu once the borders open. Hawaii is so beautiful – I went there for my 30th!

Wow just loved this. Best I have seen. Always wanted to go there for a few months. Maybe maybe

Thank you. I highly recommend it – such a beautiful part of the world.

Thanks for sharing your voyage. It was so beautiful. I am hoping I can travel to at least a few of these paradise islands.

Thank you. I hope you can too!

Some great ways explain how they can identify the right travel agent for tourism to avoid future problems. Along with this, there are reasons presented why it is necessary. I guess this can be helpful.

Hi, planning a world trip with a difference!! But on my itinerary are the pacific islands. Excellent blog. Really enjoyed it. Just wondering if you can specify how you travelled from island to island? Are there any boats rather than flying in and out of NZ? These are the islands I wish to visit: Tonga, Fiji, Somoa, Cook and Tahiti flying in NZ or Aus

Thank you! I have included a section on getting around and between the islands here: https://www.alovelyplanet.com/south-pacific-island-hopping/#How_to_Island_Hop_in_The_South_Pacific . They all vary. Skyscanner is a pretty handy tool when looking at flights – I use the ‘everywhere’ destination option to see what direct flights are available from each destination. For example, from Fiji there are direct flights to Samoa and Tonga, so you could organise to do those together. You may still have to do one or two connections via NZ. Hope you have a great trip – it sounds amazing!

Hello! Thanks for the great post. I’m curious what was your budget? You didn’t mention it.

Thanks! Kiera

Hi Kiera, our budget varied depending on the location. It was easy to eat cheaply in the Cook Islands and accommodation is more affordable than say Bora Bora. So it really depended on where we were. We aimed for accommodation around $100-200 USD per night with a few luxury stays here and there. Plus we were also hosted at a few places. Sorry that’s not the most helpful I know. The more remote the island the harder it is to find groceries etc and generally the more costly things are.

Hi, I loved your post! Could you give an estimate of what you could spend in a two week trip? Approximate?

Thank you!! Idoua

Glad you liked it 🙂 It really depends on what level of accommodation you stay in and how many islands/places to visit. The luxury resorts are expensive, but there are reasonable guest houses and cheap places to eat/food from the supermarket. So it’s really hard to give an estimate. Sorry – I hope that helps!

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A Guide to the Islands of the South Pacific

The South Pacific is big place - incredibly vast and blue, covering 11 million square miles stretching from the top of Australia to the Hawaiian Islands. Celebrated by artists and writers, from Paul Gauguin to James Michener, these thousands of tiny coral and volcanic-stone dots are home to fascinating peoples and cultures. Some islands - such as Tahiti and Fiji - are well known, while others not so much. You get a gold star if you've even heard of Aitutaki or Yap.

Tourism infrastructure varies by destination, with some islands linked by daily non-stop flights from Los Angeles and others reachable only by a hodgepodge of connections. Most are welcoming to tourists, some with five-star resorts and a roster of water-based activities, while others feature rustic accommodations and cultures that are a bit more unfamiliar with western ways. Divers flock here not only for the abundance of fish species but also for the pristine coral reefs.

While collectively called the South Pacific, these islands are divided into three regions: Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia, each with its own cultural traditions, language variations, and culinary specialties.

This easternmost South Pacific region, which includes Hawaii, counts idyllic Tahiti and mysterious Easter Island among its treasures. Its ocean-going settlers, originally from Southeast Asia, are renowned for their navigation, having survived arduous journeys in dugout canoes as early as 1500 B.C.

French Polynesia (Tahiti)

Comprised of 118 islands, the most celebrated of which is Bora Bora , Tahiti is an independent nation with ties to France. With well- developed tourism on a dozen islands, Tahiti has been luring travelers for five decades with overwater bungalows, French-influenced cuisine, and exotic culture.

The Cook Islands

Lesser-known than neighboring Tahiti, these 15 islands, named for English explorer Captain James Cook and run as a self-governing nation with ties to New Zealand, are home to 19,000 people renowned for their drumming and dancing. Tourists generally visit the main island of Rarotonga and small lagoon-caressed Aitutaki.

This group of nine islands was the first in the Pacific to gain independence from western occupation. Upolu is the main island and tourism hub, but life here is still governed by Fa'a Samoa (The Samoan Way), where family and elders are respected and its 362 villages are presided over by 18,000 matai (chiefs).

American Samoa

Marketed as "Where America's sunsets," this U.S. territory, with its singsong capital Pago Pago (on main island Tutuila), consists of five volcanic islands totaling just 76 square miles and a population of 65,000. Its tropical rainforests and marine sanctuaries are superb.

This island kingdom straddles the western side of the International Dateline (Tongans are first to greet the new day) and consists of 176 islands, 52 inhabited. The present king, His Majesty King George Tupou V, has ruled his nation's 102,000 people since 2006, residing in the capital, Nuku'alofa, on the main island Tongatapu.

Easter Island (Rapa Nui)

Settled by the Polynesians about 1,500 years ago and discovered by the Dutch (on Easter Sunday in 1722, hence the name), this remote 63-square-mile island is home to about 5,000 people and 800 moai , giant stone statues. Owned by Chile, the island offers rugged beauty and a blend of cultures.

These islands, located west of Polynesia and south of Micronesia - among them Fiji and Papua New Guinea - are known for their many ceremonial rituals and customs, elaborate body tattoos and wood-carving techniques.

Consisting of 333 islands, this welcoming nation of about 85,000 people - all of whom love to shout their exuberant greeting, " Bula !" every chance they get - is known for its luxurious private-island resorts and superb diving. The main island, Viti Levu, home to the international airport at Nadi, is the hub from which tourists fan out to Vanua Levu and resorts in the pristine Yasawa and Mamanuca islands.

This republic of about 221,000 people is three hours by air from Australia. Its 83 islands are mostly mountainous and are home to several active volcanoes. Vanuatans speak 113 languages, but all celebrate life with a series of rituals and events, making it a fascinating spot to visit. The capital is Port Vila on Efate island.

Papua New Guinea

Adventure-seekers typically have this nation wedged between Australia and Southeast Asia on their must-see list. Covering 182,700 square miles (the eastern half of New Guinea Island and 600 other islands) and home to 5.5 million people (who speak 800 languages - although English is official), it is a prime spot for bird watching and expedition trekking. The capital is Port Moresby.

This northernmost sub-region is comprised of thousands of small (hence the term micro) islands. Best known is the U.S. territory of Guam, but other isles such as Palau and Yap have hidden pleasures (such as incredible dive sites) and eccentric oddities (such as giant stones used as currency).

This 212-square-mile island (Micronesia's largest with 175,000 people) may be a U.S. territory, but its unique Chamorro culture and language is a blend of 300 years of Spanish, Micronesian, Asian and western influences. As Continental Airlines' South Pacific hub, Guam has excellent airlift and is the region's melting pot.

Well-known to divers, who claim its waters are some of the planet's best, this 190-square-mile republic (made up of 340 islands, nine of them inhabited) was featured a few years ago on " Survivor."  Independent since 1994 and home to 20,000 sociable people (two-thirds of whom live in and around the capital Koror), Palau also offers stunning forests, waterfalls, and amazing beaches.

One of four Federated States of Micronesia, Yap is steeped in ancient traditions - most notably its stone money discs and its raucous dancing. Its 11,200 people are shy but welcoming and its diving is excellent (giant manta rays are abundant).

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South Pacific Tours & Vacations

There is so much more to the South Pacific than cruise ships and resorts.

These remote islands – and there’s a lot of them – are bursting with ancient cultures, fascinating festivals and wallpaper-worthy scenery. But our South Pacific tours aren’t your typical beach holiday. While there’ll be plenty of time to kick back on the sand and swim in bright blue lagoons, we’ll also get you trekking up volcanoes in  Vanuatu , splashing around in Fiji ’s dreamiest waterfalls, experiencing traditional village life in New Caledonia  or hiking the historic Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea . These are Intrepid adventures, so you’ll discover the real South Pacific while supporting local communities along the way. Isn’t that what traveling’s all about?

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South pacific travel faqs, do i need a covid-19 vaccine to join an intrepid trip.

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travelers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

What’s the weather like in the South Pacific?

The South Pacific islands have a tropical climate with only two seasons: a wet season from November to April and a dry season from May to October.

The weather is hot all year round, though it's hotter and stickier in the wet season and tropical cyclones and typhoons can occur.

The dry season sees clearer skies and cooler temperatures, though daytime highs rarely dip below the low 60s (F).

The water temperatures don't fluctuate much, with average temperatures lingering between a pleasant 81°F and 84°F.

When is the best time to visit the South Pacific?

The most popular time to visit the South Pacific is in the dry season from May to October when skies are clear and humidity is low.

However, these months also see the biggest influx of tourists so expect busier beaches and higher prices for things like accommodation.

The wet season is the quietest time in the South Pacific and if you don't mind hotter, stickier and wetter weather, it can be a great time to enjoy the islands in their most idyllic state.

What do I pack for the South Pacific?

The South Pacific region experiences tropical weather, so packing sandals, sunscreen and plenty of swimwear is a must. Because of the high temperatures and often humid conditions (depending on the time of year), packing lightweight, breathable clothing (think linen or cotton) is also a good idea. You might also want to consider packing comfortable walking shoes for exploring the islands and insect repellant for those pesky tropical bugs. 

What is the internet access like in the South Pacific?

While the South Pacific is largely remote as a region (the only way to get there from neighboring countries is to fly), it's fairly connected with great internet access across Samoa, the Cook Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Fiji. However, there are some exceptions as each island boasts lush tropical rainforests that can interfere with your mobile coverage. Having said that, if you stick to the populated areas, most hotels and restaurants should have wifi for you to connect to. 

Do I need to purchase travel insurance before traveling?

Absolutely. All passengers traveling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

Are Intrepid trips accessible for travelers with disabilities?

We are committed to making travel widely  accessible , regardless of ability or disability. We do our best to help you see the world, regardless of physical or mental limitations. 

We are always happy to talk to travelers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them toward the most suitable itinerary for their needs and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.

9 Ways To Island Hop the South Pacific on a Budget

By: Author Avichai Ben Tzur

Posted on Last updated: July 3, 2022

Editor's Note: Yes, it's possible to experience the South Pacific on a budget. I didn't know this until I arrived in French Polynesia en route to New Zealand at the start of my 'round the world trip. That was ten years ago, and I still wish I'd spent more time there. In this guest post, Avichai Ben Tzur shares his tips for getting the most value for your money.

The South Pacific Islands conjure images of a tropical paradise, where azure waters meet white sand beaches and time slowly ticks.

In reality, the islands are not far from this stereotypical image, but they offer a wealth of experiences far beyond fancy beaches.

From the Solomon Islands to New Caledonia, the Pitcairn Islands, Papua New Guinea and Easter Island, these island groups and volcanic islands offer turqoise water, coral reefs, sea turtles, humpback whales, boat trips, beautiful tropical beaches, water sports, scuba diving—anything you can dream of.

The last specks of land to be colonized by humans due to their isolation, it's no surprise that budget travelers are often put off by the challenges of exploring this remote location.

But a wise person once said that the most beautiful places in the world are also the hardest to reach, and in the case of the beautiful beaches of these remote archipelagos of the Pacific Ocean, this overused proverb is spot on.

However, if you find the right tour operators and follow the right planning process, you can make a round trip to this part of the world for a great price.

I spent over six months traveling between these amazing islands, and, in this post, I'll share with you nine ways to island-hop in this popular destination on a budget.

Table of Contents

1. Set the Right Expectations

2. travel off-season, 3. pick the right islands, 4. hitch a ride on a cargo ship, 5. take advantage of air passes, 6. eat, sleep and get around like a local, 7. volunteer, 8. take advantage of dive passes, 9. the power of large numbers.

The first thing to remember when pondering an island-hopping journey to the South Pacific is to set the right expectations (with yourself).

This will not be the same as a backpacking trip to Southeast Asia .

But what you'll lack regarding dirt-cheap accommodations and backpacker perks (fruit shakes, massages, and the likes), you'll compensate for by having to share the dream islands with so few others, connecting with exotic and rarely visited cultures, and so much more!

This isn't an ordinary trip, and it's not for the average traveler.

Seasons in the South Pacific are split into two: a wet season from November to March (a.k.a “summer”) and a dry season from April to October (“winter”).

Traveling during the off-season wetter months is an excellent way to save on costs and is worth it if you plan to spend an extended amount of time in the region instead of just a few days.

That's because it doesn't always rain. Though some islands get more rain than others, there is still plenty of sunshine.

There is, however, one caveat. The wet season is also the South Pacific cyclone season, and, though rare, you don't want to experience one.

The secret is to move eastward towards French Polynesia, which historically experiences far fewer violent storms.

When it comes to budget travel in the South Pacific, choosing the right mix of islands can make or break your vacation, not to mention your bank account.

But with an abundance of islands to choose from , the real challenge is knowing where to place your bets. You shouldn't just go for the main island, but don't pick remote islands or small islands unthinkingly either. Make sure to do your research or hire a travel agent.

Your most expensive line items will be the travel between the islands, accommodation, getting around the islands, and moving from one island-nation to the next one.

Therefore, it's wise to focus on islands connected by ferries, islands with hostel-style accommodations or even campgrounds (make sure they offer cooking facilities), and more populated islands where buses and other forms of public transport exist and island-nations connected by at least one or two short direct flights.

Budget-friendly South Pacific islands include the Yasawa group in Fiji, Efate Island in Vanuatu, Savaii and Upolu in (Western) Samoa, Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, Tahiti and Moorea in French Polynesia (plus a couple more in this magical destination).

It's not exactly free, but if you are flexible with your time and up for an adventure, you can get to some islands by traveling the “old way” – on the high seas!

Pretty much all inhabited islands in the South Pacific are serviced by cargo ships that carry much-needed food, freight, fuel, and everything else that's needed for survival.

When these ships don't make the scheduled trip for whatever reason, islanders must change their habits and “wait it out” until the next boat arrives.

Some cargo ships have reserved spaces for travelers (mostly locals) and, for a fraction of the cost of air travel, you can travel to islands such as Bora Bora or even to ones that are remote even by South Pacific standards.

The trick is to be very flexible with your time, inquire with the locals, pay a visit to the port, and have luck on your side.

If hitching a ride on a cargo ship isn't for you or if the islands you wish to visit within a specific nation aren't connected by ferry, leveraging air passes is your next best option for reducing the cost of island hopping.

Most RTW tickets can include one South Pacific stop, usually in Fiji, the Cook Islands, or Tahiti.

Also, some travel agents can purchase an air pass on flights connecting various countries and territories.

When it comes to domestic flights, Air Vanuatu offers several air passes for exploring the islands of Vanuatu, and Air Tahiti provides exceptional value in their multitude of air passes for exploring the 65 inhabited islands of French Polynesia.

In the latter case, you can fly to six islands (including Bora Bora) for about $350!

And here's another tip for traveling the South Pacific on a budget. If you can keep your checked luggage to no more than 10kg, you'll avoid baggage fees on every domestic flight.

This is a no brainer for budget travelers in any destination. Still, in the South Pacific, it's a rule of thumb that carries with it immense savings because nearly everything – from gasoline to cheese – must be imported.

In the food department, eat whatever is in season (fruit, vegetables, and fish).

When you feel like eating out – dine where locals eat, supplement imported meat for locally raised chicken, and you get the point.

On the transportation front, use buses when you can (it's quite the experience in Samoa), hitch a ride with locals, and rent a bicycle to get around parts of the island (or choose accommodations that offer free use of bikes).

When it comes to lodging, the beach fales of Samoa offer budget travelers the chance to sleep on the beach for a low price (plus two meals).

At the same time, homestay programs in American Samoa are a great way to meet locals in authentic villages for just a few dollars per day.

Whether it's helping on a sailboat, caring for children, or working in the outdoors, you might be surprised to find out that there's a way to stay on the tropical islands of the South Pacific for absolutely free!

Volunteering is not only an excellent way to save on travel costs, but it also has a positive impact on the community and guarantees interaction with locals.

Websites such as WWOOF and especially Workaway can help unlock valuable opportunities that can turn the trip of a lifetime into the experience of a lifetime.

Destinations such as Fiji, French Polynesia, and the Cook Islands are a scuba diving paradise, with turquoise waters full of manta rays and other magical wildlife .

But like when you go through a can of BBQ-flavored Pringles, one is not enough. That's when dive passes come in handy.

In some destinations, scuba dive centers with multiple locations or even an association of local dive shops may offer a bundle of dives for a deep discount.

This not only helps reduce diving costs but also means you get to dive in completely different environments and islands.

For example, In French Polynesia, you can buy a dive pass that is valid on at least six islands!

If you're the kind of traveler that feels a constant desire to explore and cannot miss out on a visit to an ancient temple, secret beach, or whatever – you probably know that this (healthy) desire comes with a price tag.

In the South Pacific islands, this feeling is further amplified by the fear of never seeing this paradise again, or at least not for a very long time.

If you're that kind of person, teaming up with like-minded travelers is always a good idea.

Dedicated Facebook Groups can help you partner with other travelers who are either in the planning stages or already on one of the islands seeking travel mates.

The most significant benefit to teaming up is the vast reduction in the cost of renting a vehicle, which immediately unlocks the opportunity of exploring the remotest sections of the islands.

And if you get along, you can also save on accommodations when they're priced on a per-room basis.

Avichai Ben Tzur publishes in-depth guides for independent travelers on his website – XDAYSINY.COM . In 2015, he left a comfortable job at Google to voyage across the remote South Pacific Islands and has yet to return to the “real world.”

Planning a trip? Go Backpacking recommends:

• G Adventures for small group tours.
• Hostelworld for booking hostels.

DAVID BLATT

Monday 14th of August 2017

I can certainly recommend the cargo steamer for travel between the islands in French Polynesia. Arriving at islands such as Bora Bora, Huahine, Moorea etc... from the ground upwards as the spectacular vistas come slowly into view, is something else. Be prepared to rough it on deck, but it makes it all worth while.

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Best pacific islands to visit.

You may have to trek a bit to reach the thousands of islands that comprise the South Pacific, but the journey is well worth the effort. In this vast area, you'll discover unspoiled beaches, impressive historical sites and a laid-back atmosphere ideal for a relaxing getaway. But with so many islands within Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia to choose from, deciding which remote paradise to prioritize may be a challenge – that's where we come in. To determine the best Pacific Islands, U.S. News considered user votes and expert opinions, plus factors like diversity of attractions, accessibility and affordability. Use these recommendations to plan your next vacation, and cast your vote below to have a say in next year's list.

Cook Islands

Solomon islands.

For a dreamy vacation set amid turquoise waters, lush jungle and extensive coral reefs, book your ticket to Palau. This tiny country in the western Pacific Ocean is known for its premier scuba diving sites and incredible scenery. Get a taste of local culture in Koror, Palau's capital, where you'll find an assortment of craft shops, restaurants, bars and small museums. Other must-do activities include swimming with thousands of non-stinging jellyfish, kayaking Nikko Bay and taking a boat or flight tour of the breathtaking Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Head to one of Fiji's 330-plus islands if you appreciate cultural activities and attractions as much as you enjoy spending time outdoors. In Suva, Fiji's capital city, you can participate in a traditional kava ceremony (which involves drinking yaqona, a root-based drink with mild sedative properties), watch a firewalking festival at Mariamma Temple and explore the Fiji Museum. Meanwhile, Fiji's smaller destinations – including the Yasawa Islands and Taveuni – feature incredible coral gardens, stunning rainforests and some of the world's best beaches . When you tire of sunbathing, snorkeling and hiking, retreat to a rustic bungalow, a trendy boutique hotel or a luxe five-star resort.

One of the smallest countries in the world, Tuvalu is comprised of nine low-lying islands featuring unspoiled white sand beaches, abundant marine life and a laid-back atmosphere. Most of your days here will be spent snorkeling, scuba diving or simply lounging on the beach. However, remember to save time for visiting the Tuvalu Post, which is home to a wide collection of rare decades-old stamps, and checking out the destination's World War II wreckage sites. Despite its beauty, Tuvalu is off many travelers' radars, meaning you won't have to fight hordes of tourists for a spot on the sand.

Newlyweds who want to see a lesser-known side of French Polynesia should consider honeymooning on Moorea. This awe-inspiring island features the same kind of striking natural wonders and romantic accommodations couples will find on Bora Bora, but with a more relaxed atmosphere and lower price tags. What's more, Moorea only sits 10 miles away from Tahiti, making it easy to reach from French Polynesia's main international airport or by ferry. Once travelers arrive on the island, they'll discover eight towering mountains and two beautiful bays, plus several noteworthy attractions, including the Moorea Dolphin Center and Temae Beach.

This string of more than 80 volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean is a picture-perfect getaway that is well off the beaten path. Port Vila, the country's capital located on the island of Efate, is where you'll find many of Vanuatu's tourism facilities, including a selection of restaurants, shops and accommodations. Top activities in Vanuatu include hiking to the summit of Mount Yasur (an active volcano), swimming in the Blue Lagoon and snorkeling Mystery Island's crystal-clear waters.

Despite its small size, this group of 15 islands midway between New Zealand and Hawaii offers something for everyone. Popular activities range from snorkeling excursions and hikes to waterfalls to village tours. The striking white sand beaches on Rarotonga and Aitutaki also can't be missed. After exploring, savor local staples like ika mata (marinated raw fish) and poke (a pudding-like dish made with tropical fruit) at a market. Meanwhile, make sure to attend an island night celebration, which combines traditional dancing with an umukai (a feast prepared in an underground oven). Because the Cook Islands are associated with New Zealand, visitors can easily fly here from Auckland.

This French Polynesian island is the perfect place to go if you're looking to reconnect with nature, dial up the romance and pamper yourself while on vacation. In Bora Bora, you'll find overwater bungalows and luxurious spas made for honeymooners , plus a beautiful turquoise lagoon and lush Mount Otemanu to explore. For an overview of the island and an adrenaline rush, sign up for a four-wheel-drive excursion or a boat tour that includes a shark and stingray feeding. Then, head to Matira Beach or your resort's private stretch of sand to relax as you watch the sun set.

Tahiti's international airport and variety of big-city amenities (think: diverse restaurants, exciting cultural events and abundant five-star resorts) make it a natural choice for a South Pacific vacation. But don't let the French Polynesian island's hustle and bustle fool you: Tahiti also boasts plenty of rushing waterfalls, towering mountains and pristine beaches to set the scene for your relaxing island getaway. Start your visit by checking out the markets, boutiques and nightlife venues in Papeete (Tahiti's capital city) before escaping to one of the island's jaw-dropping natural wonders. Can't-miss spots include Fautaua Waterfall, the Water Gardens of Vaipahi and Papenoo Beach.

Home to about 170 islands, Tonga is known as the last Polynesian monarchy. Tonga vacationers can spend time relaxing on crowd-free beaches, touring the Mapu'a 'a Vaca blowholes and enjoying a traditional Tongan feast. For a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience, don't miss an opportunity to swim with Tonga's graceful humpback whales, an activity that is possible between July and October. Other adventurous travelers will want to go for a dip in the 'Anahulu Cave, an underground freshwater pool surrounded by ancient stalactites and stalagmites.

Water lovers, eco-tourists and culture hounds will all love visiting tranquil Samoa. Here, you'll find breathtaking natural wonders like the To Sua ocean trench (a giant swimming hole), the Alofaaga Blowholes and the Sopoaga and Papapapaitai waterfalls. Additionally, Samoa offers an array of cultural attractions, including the Samoa Cultural Village (with traditional tattooing and tapa cloth-making demonstrations) and the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum. Once you've gotten your fill of sightseeing, head to a local market for fresh produce or seafood before retiring to a fale (a rustic beachfront accommodation) for the night.

Thanks to its abundance of untouched natural wonders and lack of traditional accommodations, the Solomon Islands are an ideal destination for eco-tourists. Visitors can explore dense jungles, surf uncrowded waves and even climb a dormant volcano. The country was also a battle site during World War II, so history buffs can find historic relics like abandoned tanks and amphibious vehicles scattered throughout the islands. But perhaps the most unique sights are those found in the islands' surrounding waters. Divers from around the world flock here to see the Solomon Islands' sunken WWII seaplanes, submarines and oil tankers.

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American Samoa

New Caledonia

Easter Island

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How to Plan a Budget Trip to the South Pacific

Spoiler: it was an enormous pain in the ass. 

But so, so worth it.

I thought it would be easy. I had a month to spare in-between leaving New Zealand and arriving in Mexico, so spending that time island hopping my way across the South Pacific made perfect sense. It was the region I’d most wanted to explore back when I first made the decision to travel, and, well, y’know, these places could be underwater sometime in the near future, thanks to climate change.

Little did I know, this trip would end up being the trickiest I’ve ever had to plan.

I’ve been receiving an increasing number of emails from people wanting to know exactly how I plan trips, and especially how I plan trips to expensive places on a budget. The South Pacific seems like a good place to start because the planning process was complicated, time-consuming, and made me want to cry. If you’re planning a trip to the South Pacific, hopefully this post will eliminate some of the stress.

Or not, because it really is that frustrating.

But either way, here’s how I did it!

Step One: Start By Deciding Where You Want to Go

The South Pacific countries aren’t as well-known or visited as many other places around the world, so this step will likely involve a fair bit of research. There are a dozen-odd countries spread out across the ocean in the South Pacific, with some of them offering hundreds of islands to visit within them.

Take French Polynesia: Did you know the islands of this nation are spread out over an area of ocean the same size as Europe?  There’s the Society Islands that comprise a dozen islands. There’s the Tuamotos, a string of 80 atolls stretching roughly over the size of Western Europe. The Marquesas, one of the most remote island groups in the world, 900 miles and a 3.5 hour flight from Tahiti. The Gambier Islands, which consist of 14 volcanic islands inside a large lagoon. And the Austral Islands, quiet land masses with a few guesthouses and the most authentic Polynesian culture.

You could spend a decade exploring French Polynesia and still end up seeing very little of it.

Making the decision about where to go, then, can be overwhelming.

To start, I recommend finding an enormous map of the region online, and then start to eliminate the places you can’t justify visiting, using the following criteria:

Do I Need a Visa to Visit?

I wasn’t going to have a huge amount of time to apply for a visa on this trip. I would be travelling reasonably quickly around Australia and New Zealand and it was over the holiday season, too, so embassies would be closed. Anywhere in the South Pacific that therefore had a complicated entry process was immediately knocked off my list in favour of an easier trip. In the case of the South Pacific, here are my results (with a U.K. passport):

Crossing off the list:

• Nauru (reports suggest this is one of the hardest visas in the world to obtain, so that’s a no)

In the clear:

• American Samoa (30 days on arrival);
• Cook Islands (31 days on arrival)
• Fiji (4 months on arrival);
• French Polynesia  (30 days on arrival);
• Kiribati (30 days on arrival);
• Marshall Islands (90 days on arrival);
• Micronesia (30 days on arrival);
• New Caledonia (90 days on arrival);
• Palau (30 days on arrival);
• Samoa (60 days on arrival);
• Solomon Islands (90 days on arrival) ;
• Tonga (31 days on arrival);
• Tuvalu (30 days on arrival);
• Vanuatu (30 days on arrival);

That didn’t help much with eliminating countries, but did prove to show me just how fortunate I am to have a British passport. North Americans, Europeans, and Antipodeans also won’t have many problems with obtaining visas for the South Pacific.

Can I Visit on a Budget?

I’m a budget traveller the vast majority of the time, and I specifically wanted this trip to be all about proving that luxury destinations can be done on the cheap. My next step, then, was to eliminate any countries that could only offer me expensive hotels and resorts. Given that you’re reading a guide about how to visit the South Pacific on a budget, I suspect you’re aiming to do exactly the same.

I usually start this research stage by googling, “[country name] on a budget” to see if any travel writers have visited before me and have any helpful advice to share. You can see my budget guides for the Cook Islands , Bora Bora , and Tonga  as starting points for your research if any of those places appeal to you.

If nothing much comes up there, I next head to  WikiTravel to see what’s written about the country and how much you should budget for a trip there. There’s usually a few sections to give you a good estimate of how much you can expect to spend on accommodation, transportation, and food.

Finally, I take matters into my own hands and start searching for affordable accommodation options online. To find cheap places to stay, I go to HostelWorld and search for the country name to see if there are any hostels listed. If nothing comes up there, I open Booking , search for the specific country, and sort the hotel results by price.

I start with accommodation options first, because that’s the easiest and fastest way to see if budget travel is a possibility — if there are no cheap hotels, I can’t visit inexpensively.

For my South Pacific trip, I found the following places to be tough to visit on a budget, so eliminated them from my list:

• American Samoa has no hostels listed online and my Booking search didn’t bring up anything for less than $110 a night, so that’s off the cards.
• Marshall Islands : I could only find one accommodation option in the entire country for under $100 a night, and it didn’t sound very nice, so that’s them out of the picture.
• Micronesia has no hostels, and just one hotel. It wasn’t under $100 a night, so that eliminated it from my search.
• Tuvalu has one guesthouse listed, and while it receives great reviews, I’m a little concerned about travelling to somewhere that only has one option for accommodation so I’ll be eliminating that, too.

Here’s where I have left: Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu.

Now it’s time to try to get these 10 down to a more manageable list.

Are They Nice, Though?

The next criteria I use to see if I want to visit somewhere is to check that the places actually look nice. As a Brit who assumed every South Pacific island was stunningly beautiful, for example, I was shocked when, back in 2011, I stumbled upon a photo of Nauru .

Spoiler: it’s not pretty .

It’s also home to some pretty horrific examples of human rights abuse, so it definitely isn’t an island you should be setting sail for.

I think it’s important to research which island you’ll be visiting. There might be some incredible islands in a particular South Pacific country, but if the only affordable accommodation is in the capital on an ugly island, you’re not going to have the dream trip you’ve been imagining.

Fortunately, all of the islands I had left on my list were gorgeous, so this didn’t help me eliminate anywhere else. In fact, all it did was make me want to go to a dozen islands in every single country over the space of a month.

Are They Easy to Get To?

Finally, it’s time to start checking out the logistics. Palau is way up near the Philippines, for example, which makes it expensive to get to and hard to include in a sensible itinerary. Kiribati is also fairly expensive to reach from New Zealand, as is the Solomon Islands. Everywhere else on my list is reasonably easy to get to and between (famous last words), so they’ll stay on the list of possibles.

After all of this elimination, I’ve ended up with Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu as destinations I could potentially visit on this trip.

With a full month in the region, I decided I’d most likely try to visit three different countries over that time, so I definitely have some further eliminating to do.

It’s time to form a route!

Step Two: How to Find Cheap Flights in the South Pacific

This was the worst thing ever.

I spent well over 100 hours looking at flights and trying to form a route that made sense for my trip.

And just when I thought I found the perfect route? Something would screw it all up. Usually the discovery that it would cost $2,000 and 48 hours to get from my final island destination to Mexico, where I needed to be next.

The South Pacific is a popular destination for honeymooners and round-the-world-trippers, but it’s pretty under-visited by independent travellers — most likely because it’s a pain in the ass to get from place to place. But it’s also most likely a pain in the ass to get from place to place because not many travellers are trying to do exactly that.

What that means is that it’s hard to find direct flights from one island country to another. You’ll frequently find that to get from Samoa to Vanuatu, you’ll have to fly from Samoa back to New Zealand and then onwards to Vanuatu because so few people are actually island-hopping around the Pacific. Sometimes you’ll discover that the cheapest and easiest way to get from Vanuatu to the Cook Islands is via a 48-hour journey with a layover in China.

Yes, really.

Flights are rarely direct, and if you do happen to find a direct flight, you’ll most likely discover that it only runs once a week and doesn’t in any way fit into your itinerary.

This is what it’s like to plan a trip to multiple countries in the South Pacific.

So, let’s take a look at my specific trip and I’ll run you through how I decided where to go.

I’ll be leaving from New Zealand, so my first step is to head to Skyscanner and search for one-way flights from Auckland to [country name] over the week I’m planning to fly out. I want to see which country is cheapest to fly to from New Zealand.

It turns out that the most inexpensive flight from Auckland is to Tonga for $239. Other affordable starting destinations are Samoa ($255), Fiji ($273), the Cook Islands ($293), and Vanuatu ($321). Kiribati and French Polynesia are out of the question at $600 and $800 respectively.

Tonga sounds amazing, so I settle with that for my first destination. Next, on Skyscanner , I search for all flights from within Tonga to all flights within [every country remaining on my list].

Tonga to the French Polynesia involves a 28 hour layover in Auckland and costs $600. Tonga to Kiribati involves a 37 hour layover in Fiji and costs $900. But Samoa is just $200. Bingo!

Then it’s time to look at flights from Samoa to every country in the South Pacific, using Skyscanner once more.

There are no flights from Samoa to the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, or Kiribati. But you can get to Vanuatu for just $185.

That’s my three flights sorted! I’ll go to Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu, and then… oh, damn it . To get to Mexico involves 50 hours of flying and $1600.

Hmmm. 

I try again. This time I plan to fly to Vanuatu first. From there, the cheapest place to fly to is Samoa for $279. The only affordable flights from Samoa are to French Polynesia. From French Polynesia, the only affordable place I can get to is the Cook Islands, but that flight runs only once a week and doesn’t tie in with my travel plans. And then , it’s just as expensive and time-consuming to get from the Cook Islands to Mexico as it is from Vanuatu.

It was at this point that I thought about giving up and just going to Fiji for a month. 

I tried again. Auckland to Fiji. Fiji to Kiribati. Kiribati to… I can fly to both Tonga and Vanuatu from Kiribati, but both flights only leave once a week, take 27 hours, and involve a layover back in Fiji.

I spent an entire week wrestling with Skyscanner until I found two options that weren’t crazy expensive and worked for my dates:

New Zealand – Tonga – Samoa – Vanuatu – Fiji – Mexico New Zealand – The Cook Islands – French Polynesia – Fiji – Mexico

It was then time to figure out which itinerary would work best for me, and I did that by looking at specific accommodation options for each place.

Step Three: Finding Cheap Accommodation in the South Pacific

The last thing I want to happen is for me to book my flights and find out all the accommodation I’d looked at isn’t available any more.

That’s happened to me way more frequently than I’d like to admit.

So, my next step is to open up Booking  and enter in my specific travel dates to see what’s available in my potential destinations. I want to check that I won’t find myself in a situation where all of the cheap accommodation is fully-booked, leaving me to pay out for a luxury hotel instead.

I work quickly here, because I have also managed to book all of my accommodation for a place before and then found the cheap flights I had been planning to take have disappeared.

All of this means you can’t spend weeks or even days dithering over your options. Book everything as soon as you’ve made your decision.

In this situation, this didn’t help me make a decision. Every place I looked at had available accommodation for my stay that had great reviews and was within my budget of $30-70 a night.

Step Four: Where Interests Me the Most

This had to be my deciding factor.

Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu: they all looked amazing , but I struggled to find as much information about them online as I could the other destinations. They didn’t look as beautiful, and they sounded trickier to travel around.

Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Fiji: Fiji is popular with backpackers who often island hop around the Yasawa Islands, which I’d always wanted to do, the Cook Islands is often a stopover on round-the-world trips, and French Polynesia has Bora Bora and I knew a guide about visiting it on the cheap would do well. Not only did these islands look more beautiful, but I knew that writing about them here would be more beneficial to you guys, too.

My decision had been made.

Step Five: Buy Travel Insurance

If you’ve read any other posts on Never Ending Footsteps, you’ll know that I’m a great believer in travelling with travel insurance. I’ve seen far too many Go Fund Me campaigns from destitute backpackers that are unexpectedly stranded in a foreign country after a scooter accident/being attacked/breaking a leg with no way of getting home or paying for their healthcare. These costs can quickly land you with a six-figure bill to pay at the end of it.

In short, if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel.

Travel insurance  will cover you if your flight is cancelled and you need to book a new one, if your luggage gets lost and you need to replace your belongings, if you suddenly get struck down by appendicitis and have to be hospitalised, or discover a family member has died and you need to get home immediately. If you fall seriously ill, your insurance will cover the costs to fly you home to receive medical treatment.

I use  SafetyWing  as my travel insurance provider, and recommend them for trips to the South Pacific. Firstly, they’re one of the few companies out there who will actually cover you if you contract COVID-19. On top of that, they provide worldwide coverage, don’t require you to have a return ticket, and even allow you to buy coverage after you’ve left home. If you’re on a long-term trip, you can pay monthly instead of up-front, and can cancel at any time. Finally, they’re more affordable than the competition, and have a clear, easy-to-understand pricing structure, which is always appreciated.

With SafetyWing, you’ll pay  $1.50 a day  for travel insurance.

Would I Have Done Anything Differently?

Overall, I believe I made the right decision and I rank my time in the South Pacific as one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. You’ve seen the photos in this post: I spent an entire month in paradise!

My one concern about this trip was that the destinations I’d chosen might be too touristy and busy, and therefore expensive, but I didn’t find that to be the case at all. The great thing about the budget travel scene in these countries is that most of the luxury travellers hide away in their resorts all day, leaving the islands free for the budget travellers to play on. Even on Bora Bora, I was surprised by how quiet the island was.

The only thing I didn’t plan for on this trip (and should have done) was travel burnout. Three days on Rarotonga ; four days on Aitutaki ; one day on Rarotonga; one day on Tahiti; three days on Maupiti ; three days on Raiatea ; three days on Huahine ; three days on Bora Bora .

I found it tough to slow down in the South Pacific when there were so many thousands of beautiful islands to see and I had such a short amount of time in which to visit as many as possible.

I should have aimed for two countries over the space of a month, rather than three. When I returned to the South Pacific for two weeks a couple of years later, I decided to spend the entire fortnight in Tonga and it gave me a greater insight into the country.

That’s something I’ll be taking on board at the end of 2023, because I’ll be heading back to the South Pacific once more! Part of me wants to return to the Cook Islands and French Polynesia to check out some of the lesser-visited islands; another part of me wants to return to Fiji and spend an entire month island-hopping; and another part of me is desperate to check out some new countries and head to Samoa and Vanuatu.

I can’t tell you where I’ll be going yet, but I can tell you that, man, I’m not looking forward to the planning process.

And that’s how you plan an island hopping adventure in the South Pacific! What’s the trickiest trip you’ve ever had to plan?

Related Articles on Travel in French Polynesia 🇵🇫 What’s it Like to Travel in French Polynesia? 🏖 How to Travel Bora Bora on a Budget: It’s Possible! 🛫 Flying in French Polynesia is Spectacular ⛰ Meet Maupiti: the Bora Bora of 50 Years Ago 🙈 Stranded and Afraid in Maupiti 🏝 How Not to Travel Raiatea 💗 Huahine Travel Guide: My Favourite Island in the South Pacific

Related Articles on the Cook Islands 🇨🇰 What’s it Like to Travel in the Cook Islands? 💰 How to Travel the Cook Islands on a Budget (2023): It’s Possible! 🏝 You Have to Take a Lagoon Cruise in Aitutaki

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Lauren Juliff

Lauren Juliff is a published author and travel expert who founded Never Ending Footsteps in 2011. She has spent over 12 years travelling the world, sharing in-depth advice from more than 100 countries across six continents. Lauren's travel advice has been featured in publications like the BBC, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Cosmopolitan, and her work is read by 200,000 readers each month. Her travel memoir can be found in bookstores across the planet.

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84 comments.

Lauren! Your photos are stunning! And thank you so much for the breakout information!

Thank you so much, RJ! :-)

Wow! Thank you for sharing how much work goes into planning a budget trip! I’m so sick of people telling me “just go online and you’ll find deals.” These islands look incredible!

Yeah, that definitely works in some parts of the world, but not in all of them. And especially not in the South Pacific!

I vote for Samoa and Tonga! To be candid, I loved all your South Pacific posts so much, I don’t care where you go, I just want to see the pictures!

And yeah, Nauru doesn’t look as gorgeous as the rest. I had no idea, either!

Ah, thank you! It’s not hard to take nice photos in such a beautiful part of the world.

Nauru is such an ugly looking place. When I first saw a photo I was so shocked, because I just thought everywhere in the South Pacific would be magical.

The South Pacific has always been the region I wanted to visit the most!

Yeah, supposedly Nauru was that beautiful, but then the entire island was destroyed when they mined for phosphate in the 70s. This old New York Times article about the island is worth a read: http://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/10/world/a-pacific-island-nation-is-stripped-of-everything.html

Thank you for your hugely helpful post. It’s such a tragic story, to read about Nauru. Heartbreaking.

Very similar to how I plan. I just did a 6.5 week trip island hopping in the Caribbean and airbnb was was a massive part of finding cheap accommodation. We went to three islands – Barbados, Guadeloupe and Dominica – and two weeks on each was a good amount of time.

Oooh, I’d love to do something similar in the Caribbean. From what I’ve read it sounds like it’s also pretty tough to get from island to island there as well?

Nauru is also the Immigration Detention Centre for Australia where refugees are held, sometimes for years without being processed. There are continual issues with poor facilities, mistreatment, assaults and poor medical access. In 2015, several staff members from the detention centre wrote an open letter claiming that multiple instances of sexual abuse against women and children had occurred. Not a place that in any way should be associated with a holiday.

I agree. It’s horrifying to read about what’s been happening there and on Christmas Island.

Beautiful places! I really enjoyed your post.

If you ever consider coming back this way – to the MID-Pacific Region, please contact me – between myself and my friends, we can show you around Kwajalein, Marshall Islands (lots of WWII history), and other islands, such as Chuuk, Kosrae Palau …. if you are a scuba or snorkeler, you are missing out.

Check out United’s Island Hopper flight for an insight into the region … http://thepointsguy.com/2016/05/united-island-hopper-review/

This is really a forgotten region because your average tourist doesn’t know how to travel in this area. Let my friends and I show you the wonders above and below sea level here. AND show you that climate control DOES exist and it’s evident in the Marshall Islands!

That sounds amazing! That you so much for the kind and generous offer, and I’d love to take you up on it when I finally make it over there. The Marshall Islands sound fascinating, and I’m a huge fan of visiting places that don’t attract many tourists.

unbeleivavble pics and great tips. How expensive were the visas?

I would love to go to the cook islands and tonga for sure, they are both on my bucket list! But get to them seems tricky. I bookmarked this to help for sure

All visas are free on arrival.

So interesting that you say people don’t read your ‘obscure’ destination posts – i find those by far the most interesting. I can read about Thailand or Vietnam on countless other blogs, but you’re the only blogger i’ve found with posts about The Cook Islands and Mozambique! And you seem to have started a trend with the Maldives post! :-)

Looking forward to reading more about your obscure travels!

Oh, that’s good to know that someone does! ;-) Yeah, I much prefer heading to those destinations, but it just doesn’t seem to click with many people. My Mozambique posts have been some of my least read in years, for example. But then I could write my 40th post about Thailand and it’ll become one of my most popular!

Great post… Really Enjoyed it… informative too…had a great time reading this…. Pictures are stunning….. Cook Island and Fiji are always on top of my list….

Great choice! The Cook Islands are spectacular :-)

Awesome work Lauren. Loved this post . I definitely love to read about more obscure destinations.

Glad to hear that, Sue! I like going to them, so it’s good to know that not everyone will stop reading when I start writing up about them.

Hi Lauren, I stumbled upon your blog as I’m in the middle of planning my own monstrous 3.5 month South Pacific backpacking trip! I’ve decided to take a much needed career break, leaving my husband at home (he’s not keen on backpacking or beaches) and I’ve always dreamed of the South Pacific. I was left chuckling about some of your itinerary planning as my experiences have been exactly the same. The flights were a logistical nightmare! I’ve had about 5 different websites open at any one time, tablet going and currency conversion on my mobile. No one else seems to understand that these tiny little places are pretty much in no way connected! It was a relief to read I’m not the only one who puts myself through this! It’ll be brilliant but a lot of work. Once you pull the map out you realise that you’ve got to eliminate many places and that no one could possibly see it all. I hope you get to them as I know I won’t. I’m looking at my accommodation options for French Polynesia. I’ve got 3 weeks and like you, don’t want to (and can’t afford) to stay in resorts. Are there some places you could recommend? Thanks

Great post..! Thanks for sharing… Really amazing… These tips and guides are really helpful. Going backpacking in Tonga and Vanuatu next year. The pictures are stunning too.

Have a great trip! I’m hoping to visit Tonga at the start of 2018 :-)

Hi Lauren I loved your post! I could see myself whilst reading through. I’ve been to Fiji a while ago (one of the best places I’ve ever been) and planning to go back to explore more islands in the pacific yet my only time available would now be from December til April. You mentioned you are planning to get back there at the end of 2017 beginning of 2018.. how about the weather? Are you going to risk it? I would love to jump on a plane too but I also know that’s not the best time at all.. what can you suggest me? What are your plans?

Yep! It’s the only time of the year when I can make it to the South Pacific, so I take the risk. When I was last in the South Pacific, I went in January and had about three days of rain, although there were cyclones in the area while I was travelling. I definitely lucked out, but will be taking the risk again because I love this part of the world so much!

Just discovered your blog and I really love it. I was just wondering how you travelled inter-islands of the same country? Because on your pictures I see quite a lot of ‘abandoned’ islands which I’m pretty sure don’t have an airport haha. Did you travel between these little islands by boat, and if yes, is it expensive?

Keep up your work, I’m definitely going to ready some more stuff on your website!

Every island actually did have an airport! It was rare to find boats in most places.

Thank you so much for the detailed, incredible article Lauren! Currently trying to plan an island-hopping trip in the South Pacific and this is the most helpful guide I’ve found.

No problem! Hope you have a fantastic trip!

Amazing. Simply amazing. So much detail in this guide. It’s thanks to this that I’m now going to try to visit the Cook Islands in January next year. Your photos are so nice.

Wow! Thank you so much, Ramon!

Love your blog! I always use it for my travel addiction! haha. Thanks !!!!

Thank you! :-)

My first time reading you blog. It’s given me a lot to think about. I’m trying to plan a 3 week South Pacific trip. Maybe I need more time or fewer destinations

More time is always good :-) But yeah, you’ll find yourself losing days of travel just through the inconvenient flight schedules.

Thanks so much for your advice! I am looking at going to the South Pacific next summer and this article helped me to see how visiting each country will take a couple of well-planned trips! Thanks for your good work!

Thanks for the compliment, Brian! I’m glad you found the post helpful :-)

Thankyou so much Lauren! This is exactly what I needed to read as I’m planning my holiday to the South Pacific soon. Do you remember how much it cost though? Just trying to get a ball park figure so I know what to expect, thanks!

I have posts on the site detailing how much I spent in the Cook Islands and French Polynesia, so check those out for a fairly accurate idea :-) I think it was typically about $50-70 a day on average.

This is such an amazing post!:) Before reading this I thought the South Pacific Islands were just for honeymoons and super rich people but your blog has shown me that it is possible to go there if you’re a backpacker. I love reading about places off the beaten track and I am inspired to plan my own trip to the South Pacific. I hope to go to Vanuatu and Tonga because they both look amazing!:) thanks for the tips, I’ll be sure to use this page again:)

Thanks,Vibeke

Yay! Funnily enough, Tonga and Vanuatu are where I want to go on my next trip to the South Pacific in a couple of months :-)

Hi! This was great, super comprehensive post on travelling to the south pacific on a budget! Just in case you didn’t know, there’s a new airline flying to Tahiti starting this year called French Blue, it’s a budget airline so If you’ll be flying back here from the states it’s defs something to look into! Just wondering if you got any good deals flying around the French polynesian islands at all?

Ah, amazing! Thanks so much for sharing, Tiare. I used the island-hopping pass that Air Tahiti has and saved quite a lot compared to what I would have paid for the individual flights.

island hopping my way across the South Pacific makes perfect sense.

Thanks for the tips and guidance.

I think I’ll dive in and get my feet wet now.

Cheers Sharon…

Have fun! :-)

Great post! Out of interest, why didn’t you include New Caledonia on your initial list?

Whoops! No reason — just forgot to include it.

Hello Lauren, I just read your information about your travels, wow it sounds incredible the experience you did it is great. And the pictures are beautiful. It is just what I imagine what it would be like to travel there. I always wanted to go that way but always thought it would be a expense trip. Now I am retired and planning on a budget excotic trip, that I might be able to travel. And I say to myself that I have to do it. Cause I say you only live once, and the time is now before som Comes up and you cannot do it. Myself I am a budget traveller and always looking for great deals. You gave me the inspiration to do it. And I have to thank you very much. I am from Canada and If there is any information you want about this country just let me know. I know a lot about what to experience along the way in Canada. You know the saying: you help me I help you.

Just stumbled across your post and do glad I have! We’re taking a year (or so..) off in Nov and thought this region might be too pricey. You’ve made my mind up that we should definitely go for it. Really useful, thanks ??

Yay! Hope you have an incredible time :-)

Thank you so much. Don’t know if I left a comment but I am planning an island hopping backpack trip to that area and it has a ton of info for me.

Traveling island to island in the Caribbean is easy just fly LIAT they used to have a plan where you could fly to every island within 30 days. Things have changed buy see how Liat flys now.

Your post is brilliant, Lauren. I’m hoping to do something similar. Your research gives useful ground rules about how to proceed.

Incidentally I agree that travelling between different countries in the Caribbean is easy. It’s more expensive than normal budget travel but not excessively so. My wife and I visited Grenada, Barbados, St Lucia, Guadeloupe and Antigua in 3 weeks. We travelled by air between these islands and the flights were arranged by Trailfinders. Not long enough to get to know any of them in depth obviously but it gives a good flavour of these countries, all of which are so different.

Thanks for this. Your Pacific articles are helping to confirm to me that, in order to prepare for exploring the Pacific islands, an essential step is to let go most of it!! In favour of giving enough time to travel slow.

Yes, that’s definitely the case! If you don’t have a time limit, it really is the best way to enjoy the islands :-)

Amazing article, exactly what i’d been looking for, thank you for such interesting detail as well! Looking at the flights from NZ to Cook Islands then French Polynesia, then Fiji- which airports did you fly in/out of please? Struggling to find the route! Thank you!

Hi! I flew from Auckland to Rarotonga, Rarotonga to Papeete, then Papeete to Nadi. All were direct flights.

Hi Lauren! I quit my job in May and have been traveling since June 1. My next stop is the South Pacific and I found this article SO helpful in planning my trip. Mind if I share a link to this in my travel blog?

I’m so happy to hear that! And yes, you can share a link on your site :-) Hope you have an incredible time in the South Pacific!

Hi Lauren I’m taking my family traveling and will be in the pacific region in November. We are going to the Cook Islands for 10 days. How long would you spent in rarotunga and how long should we be in AItukati. We have boys of 5 and 13.

Hi Richard.

I’d go with six days on Rarotonga and four on Aitutaki. Honestly, though, both islands are so wonderful that you can’t really go wrong. I’d just spend more time in Rarotonga as it’s much larger and has more activities to keep you all busy. Have a lovely trip!

Hi Lauren, I can’t find how you can get from Tahiti (French Polynesia) to Fiji directly without going through New Zealand. Do you have any insight on this? Thanks, Mark

Ah, the joys of South Pacific travel! I think you have to fly via New Zealand, unfortunately. I think that’s what I did.

First article I’ve read by you and found it super interesting – thanks!

I was wondering what kind of food you ate while you were away and if it was expensive?

Aloha Lauren! I was researching trips to the South Pacific and came across your blog…very interesting and helpful and I was chuckling while reading it because I was going crazy trying to plan this trip!! Trying actually to narrow it down a bit. We live in Hawaii and my husband and I would love to take 10 days to go to one of the islands to do water sports (mainly snorkel). We really want to be able to relax by the beach, have a drink, go snorkeling and swimming and read. Yes, I know, we live on another tropical island, but as you know Hawaii is way too busy and hard to find the amazing coral reefs I see on your photos. Was thinking about Fiji but maybe too expensive? Should we stick with Rarotonga or Aitutaki??

Thank you for this, Lauren! We are kindred spirits. I like unique destinations too, and if I travel far I want to see a few destinations in one trip! And I go bananas on Skyscanner and booking trying to find the best deals! Thanks for showing how frustrating and complicated it is, but really helping us narrow the selection down in a smart way. I would also een interested to know which islands have more solo independent travelers. I don’t want to inadvertently vacation on a honeymooners paradise. Those would automatically cross off my list. And which have most activities going on. Which are easiest to move about if you do not drive. etc

Pretty please do this for the Caribe. AND South America! I wonder why isnt much cheaper to travel among close countries THERE as it is in say, Europe. Any insight? And cruises don’t give enough time in each place, unfortunately.

Hello. We are very interested in Tonga for a short visit. Did you find it worth the visit? Anything you would, or would not recommend?

Thanking you kindly, Stel.

Yes, definitely! It’s one of my favourite countries in the South Pacific. Check out my blog posts about Tonga on the site for some inspiration. I loved ‘Eua and Ha’apai, in particular. A lot of people love Vava’u, too, although it poured with rain when I was there so I didn’t get to see it at its best.

My friends and I are planning to go to South Pacific area later this year and I was struggling for ideas when I found your lovely blog! Your pictures are so inviting! We want to visit so many different places, but our budget is limited, so your tips definitely help to plan our journey. Thank you so much!

Hi Lauren…we are massive budget backpacking travellers currently planning a 3 month trip to South Pacific islands..your blog was really insightful and interesting…Especially planning the flights😩I will look forward to further looking into your blog,foto’s etc..Thank you for putting this together!btw..our most “out there”trip is probably North Korea!😳

Hi! Have you managed to build an itinerary? I’m planning a trip to all independent Oceania countries in 2024 but I’m struggling with the flights! Thanks so much!

Hi Lauren! I have a question about when you booked your trip (apologies if I missed it in the post). It seems accomodations, especially how some of the smaller islands, can be a bit limited, even for off season. How early did you book this trip? Thanks!

Hey Lauren,

Great blog, loved reading it, I was starting to think it was just me finding a trip around here hard to organise.

I’m planning on going for 3 weeks, and have probably narrowed it down to Samoa and Vanuatu (currently in Melbourne). Just wondering if you heard which islands were best for diving and snorkeling around the SP, I case I’m missing a trick?

Thanks heaps, Coral

Ah, fun! Keep an eye on the measles outbreak in Samoa, though — I was planning on heading there next month, but cancelled because of it.

To be honest, I think there’s good snorkelling all over! I know it has been incredible on basically every island I’ve been to in the region. Nowhere specific comes to mind because of that. I haven’t been to Samoa or Vanuatu yet, although will probably head to the latter in January. Tonga gets the humpback whales, though, which would be so cool to see!

This is a really good post! When I went to the Pacific two years ago, I found it incredibly hard to organise my trip. It didn’t help that I had to end up in Santiago de Chile afterwards (or somewhere else in South America), which makes it very challenging. In the end, I planned my trip backwards, by looking for flights from the Pacific to Santiago first. And it turns out that there’s a connection from French Polynesia to Santiago, via Easter Island. But it took me hours and hours of research to find that connection, the most I’ve ever spent on planning a segment of my trip.

I’d love to go back to the South Pacific one day and see more of the region, because your photos look stunning. It’s a shame that, as I’m based in Europe, it’s so far away for me.

Thanks for the comprehensive article. Where can I find this map of the region you’ve shown. I’ve really looked and want to get a similar one to begin with.

Ah, you can just look on Google Images for a South Pacific map. Here’s a link to a higher-resolution version of the one in my post: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9a/South-pacific-map.jpg or there are a few options available on Amazon

If you ever want to fly to Mexico from the Cook Islands just fly to LA. There are usually cheap flights from there. Rock bottom take a bus or train to San Diego and fly from Tijuana.

This was so helpful! I appreciate the deep dive & how real you were about the entire experience. Thank you!

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Best time to visit the South Pacific

• French Polynesia
• Month-by-month

Although the South Pacific is hot and humid most of the year with warm seas and clear skies, the best time to visit is generally between April and November when the weather is driest. The exception to this is French Polynesia, where the peak season is shorter and runs from June to August. During this dry season you can expect stable humidity levels, temperatures of about 28 to 30°C (84 to 86°F) and plenty of sunshine.

From November to April, there’s a greater chance of heavy but short-lived rain showers and the occasional storm, but nothing so severe as to prevent travel.

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Month-by-month guide for traveling in the South Pacific

Visiting the South Pacific in January

It’s the middle of summer in the South Pacific but also the wet season and with higher temperatures and increased humidity comes the risk of heavy rain and tropical storms. These generally pass quickly, however, and it is rare to have continuous days of solid rain. With fewer visitors and far lower hotel prices, it can be a great-value time to visit.

Events & Festivals

• Chinese New Year (January or February): The French Polynesian Chinese community in Tahiti celebrates Chinese New Year with music, dancing and parades.

Visiting the South Pacific in February

The wet season continues to leave the islands lush and green with a bounty of tropical flowers. The increased chance of rain means hotels are quiet and offer competitive rates, making this an affordable time of year to visit. Although there may be a few hours of heavy showers, continuous days of rain are rare, though there is a small risk of tropical storms.

Visiting the South Pacific in March

It’s the tail end of the rainy season in the Cook Islands and Samoa, and although the weather can be a little unpredictable, there’s far less rain and more hours of sunshine. Hotel prices remain low however, making it a good time to visit. French Polynesia and Fiji are still in their wet seasons, but hotels are almost empty and offer low-season rates.

Visiting the South Pacific in April

April is a great month to visit Samoa or the Cook Islands as the weather is increasingly dry, but high season rates have yet to kick in. The days are hot and only see the occasional shower, there are few foreign visitors and the atmosphere is serene, though nights can be cooler than later in the year.

• Anzac Day (25th April): Observed with military parades and remembrance ceremonies in Apia, Samoa’s capital.
• Te Mare Ura (late-April or early-May): A festival of the Cook Islands’ traditional Mare Ura dance takes place annually in Rarotonga.

Visiting the South Pacific in May

The humidity drops, the rains ease off across the region and visitor numbers begin to increase as the South Pacific enters its high season. The region is still quieter than later in the year and good deals can still be found, making this a great time to visit.

• Matari'i Raro (late May): The Pleiades Festival marks the end of the harvest period in the Papenoo region of Tahiti.

Visiting the South Pacific in June

Hot, dry days, warm waters for swimming and snorkeling, and less humidity, means the South Pacific is at its very best at this time of year. It is also the most popular time to visit however, so hotels and resorts are busier and it’s necessary to book well in advance. If you’re lucky, you may spot whales off western Rarotonga.

• Samoa Independence (1st June): Celebrated across the islands with traditional song, dance and entertainment.
• Tahiti Moorea Sailing Rendez-Vous (late June): Designed as an interactive event between visitors, sailors and residents, the festival takes place over three days in June.

Visiting the South Pacific in July

Peak season continues across the region with ideal conditions for sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling and diving. Whale watching is possible in French Polynesia, where humpbacks can often be seen off the western shore of Rarotonga. Hotels are busy, so book in advance, and bring layers for evenings, which can be cool in the height of the South Pacific winter.

• Bula festival (mid-July): Celebrated in Nadi, this festival brings the city to a standstill with marching bands and a lively parade of dancers and entertainers in traditional Fijian costumes.
• Heiva i Bora Bora (late June and throughout July): An annual festival incorporating singing, dancing and a traditional sports competition.

Visiting the South Pacific in August

Another peak month for visits to the South Pacific, August sees warm, dry conditions across the region. The waters are clear and calm for swimming, diving and sailing, and hotels and resorts are busy, so book well in advance. It’s also whale watching season with migrating humpbacks seen off the coast of the Cook Islands and from the western shore of Rarotonga.

• Manu Vera Aquafest (late August): A water sports festival in Aitutaki featuring some of the world’s best kitesurfers.

Visiting the South Pacific in September

Fiji and Samoa are at their best in September with tropical sun and calm weather but they’re still busy with international visitors. French Polynesia and the Cook Islands are slightly quieter, and late September marks the spring equinox, when the sun’s rays hit the lagoons of the French Polynesian islands at an angle that dramatically enhances their vivid turquoise hues.

• Apia’s Teuila Festival (early September): A week-long music, sport and dance event in Samoa’s capital.

Visiting the South Pacific in October

Humidity is creeping up across the region, the height of the peak season has passed and the islands are relaxing into a quieter period before the rains. Although you may encounter the occasional shower at this time of year, this is still a wonderful time to visit with largely settled weather and lower prices.

• Independence Week (early-October): A nationwide celebration of independence in Fiji with a week of religious and cultural ceremonies and events.
• In October and November (dates vary), Samoans hail the mating season of the palolo reef worm, which is considered a delicacy, with feasts and beach parties.

Visiting the South Pacific in November

Higher temperatures and humidity bring an increased chance of rain to the region, but showers tend to be heavy and short-lived. Combined with fewer visitors and lower prices, it can be a good time to visit before the height of the wet season. Booking a hotel with air conditioning is a good idea as the weather can feel very muggy.

• Mire Tiare (late November): The Cook Islands’ flower festival is celebrated on Rarotonga.
• Vaka Eiva (late November): A prestigious canoe-racing competition takes place in Avarua.

Visiting the South Pacific in December

The region is now in its wet season with high humidity levels and almost daily rains. However, the rain usually lasts a few hours and then stops, clearing the skies and bringing down humidity levels. Continuous days of rain are rare. If heavy showers don’t deter you, visitors can take advantage of lower prices and emptier hotels at this time of year.

Our recommendations for when to visit South Pacific

• Not recommended
• Winter season

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