With the end of winter fast approaching, the Stuff Travel team is dreaming of warmer climes, especially to Pacific islands still to be crossed off the bucket lists.
Moorea, Tahiti
Can you imagine a more alluring getaway than staying in an overwater bungalow of an immaculate lagoon of French Polynesia? Nah, me either. From the towering mountain peaks down to the striking lagoon, the island of Moorea has captured my imagination for years. I’ve explored many Pacific islands, but am yet to venture to Tahiti and her islands and discover a slice of France in the Pacific.
While there’s plenty to do on land – think challenging hikes rewarded with unforgettable views from the top, or ziplining through forests – it’s the ocean I want to explore, to swim, to snorkel, to scuba dive and marvel at the marine life.
Espiritu Santos, Vanuatu
Growing up in Ireland in the 70s and 80s, like virtually every kid at the time I was in a Catholic school run by priests and I remember vividly the day a missionary from Vanuatu came to talk to us about this remote island nation. It sounded like a place of pure fantasy, especially to this acne-covered Irish youngster.
Now I live here in NZ and Vanuatu is practically next door but I still haven’t been! I am dreaming of life lazing on Champagne Beach, drinking kava with the locals, snorkelling the shallow coral reefs. Just living life at a different pace. I don’t need all the paradise frills and trimmings, just the authenticity and friendliness. I will get to you one day, Vanuatu.
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
With the Pacific Islands one of New Zealand’s closest overseas destinations you might think I’d have been to a few, but I’m only just getting to Rarotonga for the first time later this month. If I could also get to Aitutaki, just a 50-minute flight away, on my visit to the Cook Islands I will be stoked.
It has stunning lagoons and palm-tree studded beaches where I’d be getting a beachfront bungalow and flopping and dropping with a book and some sunscreen. That’s after I’ve snorkelled in the beautiful waters looking for turtles. I better start reworking my itinerary.
Kauai, Hawaii
My friend group started putting money aside for a trip to Hawaii a few years ago, only to withdraw the funds as New Zealand slipped into a recession. Soon after, wildfires broke out in Maui causing extensive damage across the tropical paradise and tourists were urged to stay away.
I still have my eyes set on America’s island state, specifically the archipelago’s fourth-largest and northernmost island, Kauai. As well as its extraordinary volcanic landscape, which famously featured in the original Jurassic Park, the island is known for its hidden jungle escapes and beaches lapping with sparkling blue water. It also has its own version of the Grand Canyon.
Cre: STUFF
