Bucket List: Air New Zealand opens door to dreamy Pacific islands
Published on
29 May 2023
Published by
The Straits Times
The Pacific, the world’s largest ocean, is so vast that the planet’s land surface can easily fit into it.
The ocean is also so deep in parts that Mount Everest can be fully submerged in it, with kilometres to spare.
In the Pacific, tectonic plates shift endlessly, volcanoes erupt, tsunamis roll and super-typhoons are birthed. Some 20,000 dreamy islands lie amid this tumult of nature.
Picture this: Lush volcanic islands jut majestically from the depths. Atolls are linked like pearls in a necklace, so it is possible to walk between some islands at low tide. Offshore, sharks gather, ready to ambush the world’s largest congregation of spawning groupers.
Within this oceanic vastness – divided into the regions of Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia – there are pockets of human civilisation that can be traced back to the quests of ancient seafarers for food and land.
The Polynesians are said to have first sailed from East Asia.
Today, Air New Zealand, with its Auckland hub, offers the best network to explore the magical islands of Polynesia. Fiji provides connections to Melanesia while Guam is a hub for Micronesia.
I am fortunate to have visited seven of Air New Zealand’s eight destinations within the Pacific Ocean. Niue is the exception – I have not travelled there because the flights are limited to once weekly.
For some Pacific destinations, I have made many repeat visits, undeterred by the distance but lured by the exotic beauty of the islands and the customs of the people.
I have travelled in some 160 countries, and if God says there is only one place left in the world for me to visit, I will return to Tahiti, one of my favourite clusters of islands in the Pacific.
Here is a snapshot of seven fabulous destinations.
1. Cook Islands: A gin and tonic-coloured lagoon
Price: $$$
Bucket list: 3 thumbs-up
Travellers head to this far-flung island group because of its drop-dead gorgeous Aitutaki Lagoon (str.sg/iJzM) that requires a domestic flight from its capital Rarotonga.
Inside the triangular lagoon, giant trevallies, each weighing more than 50kg, patrol the coast and brush against your legs in waist-deep crystal-clear waters. Coconut trees lean over the beach at impossible angles.
Quality beachfront accommodation costs more than $1,100 a night. But once you set foot on the powdery-white sand of the motu or islands dotting the lagoon, all is forgiven.
On the main island of Rarotonga, shop at the Punanga Nui farmers’ market – the pearl jewellery, mother-of-pearl handicrafts and handmade fans are beautiful souvenirs made with love and pride.
Pro tip: Fly from Auckland to Cook Islands, stay for a minimum of two nights each in Rarotonga and Aitutaki. Combine this trip with Tahiti as there are direct connections.
2. Fiji: Haven for honeymooners
Price: $$
Bucket list: 3 thumbs-up
With a well-developed tourism infrastructure and good connectivity from Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Fiji (str.sg/iJzQ) is an affordable destination that caters to a spectrum of tourists, from honeymooners to families to solo travellers.
Its standouts include world-class scuba diving, skydiving and surfing, and a famous mud pool.
Overall, the destination is affordable with possibly the best curry on this side of the world, due to its large Indian diaspora. Four-star accommodation starts at $450 a night and international brands are well represented.
Pro tip: Set aside at least a week to explore the three largest island groups of Viti Levu, Vanua Levu and Taveuni.
If time is on your side, plan a New Zealand-Fiji trip. Take off from Nadi to explore the most remote, tiny Pacific nations such as Tuvalu and Kiribati, which face the threat of rising seas due to climate change. Check out Fiji Airways website for specials.
3. Hawaii: First World tourism dipped in nature
Price: $$$$$
Bucket List: 4 thumbs-up
Without a doubt, Hawaii ranks among the top destinations in the Pacific, with its First World tourism infrastructure, great outdoors and an intriguing fusion of Polynesian and American culture.
From its cosmopolitan gateway island of Oahu, explore its outer islands that offer magnificent natural attractions and thrilling adventures.
For example, in Kona, you can stay overnight at the rim of a volcano (str.sg/iJzA). Or drive up the world’s highest sea mountain that stands at 4,200m for a peek at the universe (str.sg/iJzd).
For the brave, in pitch darkness, get tethered to the side of a dive boat and stay suspended 10m underwater. Then watch “alien” sea creatures emerge from a 1,000m abyss to feed at night (str.sg/iJzP).
In Muai, a must-do is the challenging but scenic Road to Hana, with its 619 hairpin turns and 59 stone bridges (str.sg/iJVA).
Then, in lush and rugged Kauai, trek the white-knuckle but breath-taking Napali Trail (str.sg/iJVd). It is like stepping back in time and you imagine a dinosaur may pop up around the corner (many scenes of the Jurassic Park film franchise were filmed here).
A four-star stay in Oahu’s tourist hub of Waikiki starts at $400. The rate easily doubles in Maui and triples in Kauai.
Pro tip: With an 8½-hour flight from Auckland each way, you will not want to backtrack. From Hawaii, you can fly directly to Tokyo, Manila or Seoul for the return trip to Singapore.
4. New Caledonia: French chic in island paradise
Price: $$$
Bucket list: 3 thumbs-up
Like Tahiti, this French-run outpost has a very different atmosphere. It is defined by European chic and Gallic-inspired cuisine with local influences.
Stylish cafes and bars dot the marinas and Carrefour is everywhere. Pick up a fresh, crusty, metre-long baguette for $1 and slap on Made-in-France gourmet pate. This is an idyllic Pacific holiday experience layered with French elegance.
New Caledonia offers stunning mountain-sea backdrops and fine-powder beaches. Accommodation is expensive – and mostly tired and old – with a stay at a four-star international brand priced at $450 a night or more.
Pro tip: At low tide, visit the Natural Pool in the Isle of Pines (str.sg/iJKK). The sea disappears to expose a gentle canyon of fine sand that leads to a turquoise natural pool the size of a stadium.
With towering pine trees on both banks, this feels like the Biblical scene of Moses parting the Red Sea.
Also, set aside two nights to explore the Loyalty Islands’ Lifou, which offers dramatic cliffs and pristine, wind-swept beaches plus a strong cultural feel.
As evening descends, look out for village tribal meetings and ask to join the locals at their crackling fires. They will happily offer food and drinks, extending hospitality that warms your heart. Take along some chocolates as a gift.
5. Niue: Dramatic cliffs and hidden pools
Price: $$$
Bucket list: Not rated
Though I have not been to Niue (str.sg/iJKH), my curiosity is piqued by images of its amazing typography: a raised coral atoll sitting atop a submerged volcano, and peppered with natural rock arches, dramatic cliffs, caves and hidden pools.
With its geographical isolation and only a weekly flight link with New Zealand, this vacation requires serious commitment. Accommodation is limited and the only resort on the entire island (a three-star property) requires a minimum stay of seven nights at $347 a night.
6. Samoa: Great value, authentic attractions
Price: $$
Bucket List: 4½ thumbs-up
Samoa offers an out-of-this-world attraction: a natural sink-hole, wide enough to slot in an aircraft, filled with calm turquoise water fed from an underwater channel linked to the sea (str.sg/iJKV).
You can either jump off a wooden platform into the water or clamber down a wooden step-ladder for an unforgettable dip. Better still, pretend you are Tarzan or Jane, let out a jungle cry and swing into the pool.
In one of the Pacific’s best-value vacation spots, you can stay at a rustic beachfront fale (str.sg/iJKj) for a quintessentially Samoan experience. A simple thatched oval hut, the fale comes with bamboo blinds for the walls. Units with permanent walls and attached toilets are also available.
In the evening, dine alongside travellers from all over the world at long communal tables. Swop tales with everyone and enjoy traditional performances. Rates start at $68, with breakfast and dinner included. Wonderfully, lobsters are on the menu.
For those seeking more creature comforts, air-conditioned villas start at $79.
While this is not Aman or Four Seasons, you will savour authentic experiences and be blissfully lost in island time.
Pro tip: Hop on a local ferry to the larger neighbouring island of Savai’i for an even more authentic Samoan experience. Dip into rock swimming pools created by waves and watch the sunset.
For more adventures, take a 25-minute flight from Samoa’s domestic airport to American Samoa and gain 24 hours in the process. On its edge-of-civilisation Ofu Beach, I walk for 5km without encountering anyone. The next day, I return to see only my single set of footprints.
And in a YouTube moment, I jump off a three-storey-high bridge into the beckoning sea in seven shades of blue, while praying that the surging tide would not pull me out to the reefs.
The two Samoas are a worthy bucket-list combination.
7. Tahiti: A must-see before you die
Price: $$$$$
Bucket list: 5 thumbs-up
The islands of Tahiti take the prize. The beauty of Tahiti is seductive, its experiences are addictive. Despite being a very expensive destination and a long journey from Singapore, I will be making my fourth trip soon.
With 118 amazing islands sprinkled over an area the size of Europe, this slice of paradise lures me back again and again.
Enthralling culture, mesmerising natural formations such as volcanic cones that reach for the sky, chic French influence – this is a place that inspires writers and artists.
If Disneyland is the happiest place on Earth and if Fiji is desirable for honeymooners, Tahiti is pure romance for lovers and a sanctuary for seekers of inner peace.
Full of raw beauty, it is where the world’s first over-water bungalow was imagined by a trio of Americans. They were inspired by the local fishermen who built ramshackle huts on the reefs for their lunch breaks. Today, those honeymoon villas cost more than $1,500 a night in Bora Bora (str.sg/iJV7).
Pro tip: This is the perfect place to spend your annual leave and bonus. Start with the touristy but fabled islands of Moorea and Bora Bora.
Spoil yourself and suss out Hollywood legend Marlon Brandon’s private island resort (thebrando.com), which costs $13,400 for a two-night stay.
Then fly 3½ hours north-east to the Marquesas Islands of Nuku Hiva and be astounded by towering spire-like peaks that pierce the clouds. Drop by Hiva Oa, a 35-minute flight away, and you will understand why post-Impressionist painter Paul Gauguin spent the final years of his life there.
In the remote islands of Tahiti, I joyously collect my most memorable souvenirs: Polynesian tattoos of smiling gods and tribal symbols, which are etched on my shoulder and arm like a physical travel tale.
Truly, Tahiti and her islands are top-of-the-bucket-list destinations.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Reproduced with permission.
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