• Cook Islands
• Fiji
• Tahiti

Maybe you have been all over the Caribbean and you want something different? Maybe you long for that special island that is virtually unspoiled and absolutely non commercial. Have you dreamed of over the water bungalows with scantily clad islanders bringing your breakfast in an outrigger? You are in the right section!

Can't get enough of powdery white sand beaches and turquoise lagoons teeming with tropical fish?

Bask in the warmth of a secluded, sugar-white beach. Explore lagoons of breathtaking clarity, their waters teeming with rainbows of tropical fish.

In Papeete, you'll find a modern, bustling port, with shopping ranging from black pearl boutiques to island handicrafts to the latest in French fashions. Sip a drink and people-watch at a sidewalk cafe, or savor the delicate flavors of French cuisine. On Moorea, jagged peaks, deep valleys, cascading waterfalls and breathtaking bays make a stunning backdrop for your tropical adventure. Bora Bora has been called the most beautiful island in the world. Its lagoon, a haven for watersports, ranges from palest turquoise to deepest blue. Paradise found!

Want to indulge in an island getaway with great diving and snorkeling, hosted by the world's friendliest people?

Then Fiji is for you.

A thatch-roofed bure nestled under a fringed coconut palm, beside a coral-filled sea, and the warm welcome of the Fijian people will transport you to a simpler time.

Stroll through a garden of exquisite orchids, explore the shops of Nadi town, take a romantic horseback ride along a sandy stretch of beach, snorkel and dive some of the world's most beautiful coral reefs, savor gourmet cuisine with a wide range of cultural influences, or simply view the spectacular South Seas sunsets. Adults and children of all ages will enjoy this tropical getaway. The friendliest islands in the South Pacific invite you to indulge yourself in paradise and create memories that will last a lifetime!

The Cook Islands are the perfect choice.

The beauty and charm of the Cook Islands is matched only by the warmth and spontaneous hospitality of the locals. The culture is expressed through music and dance, and the islanders take great pride in traditional songs, Sunday hymns, and the distinctive crafts which exist in their day-to-day lives.

Rarotonga is the largest of the fifteen islands, with white sand beaches and a high mountainous interior, encircled by a protective reef and lagoon. Partly volcanic and partly atoll, Aitutaki boasts a crystal clear turquoise lagoon and white sand beaches . . . perfect for watersports. Leave the crowds behind, and enjoy a truly unique island getaway.

Samoa is comprised of a group of four inhabited and five uninhabited islands in the heart of the South Pacific, southwest of the Hawaiian Islands.

The capital of Samoa is Apia, a colorful, historic, old South Seas town, on the island of Upolu. This island is the most developed and the most populous of Samoa. The largest island, Savai'i, is the biggest island in all of Polynesia outside of Hawaii and New Zealand.

English is the official language, and Samoans are extremely hospitable people. They are very friendly to visitors and, in the Samoan culture, the life within the family group is all important. Since the times of the early missionaries, the people have been devout Christians and religion still plays a major role in the Samoan way of life. Next to the Maori in New Zealand, the Samoans are the largest group of pure-blooded Polynesians in the world.

The islands have attracted famous writers over the years, one of the best-known being Robert Louis Stevenson, who spent the latter years of his life in Samoa. The home of Tusitala ("The Teller of Tales"), called Vailima, is located near Apia and is now a museum, open to visitors. Stevenson and his wife, Fanny, are buried near Vailima, and the gravesite may also be visited.

In addition to the Samoan culture, the traveler can also enjoy some of the South Pacific's most undeveloped and beautiful beaches.

Vanuatu, formerly known as the New Hebrides, is a Y-shaped archipelago of 83 islands located 500 miles west of Fiji, between New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands.

In 1906, an unusual form of government was established here - a "condominium". The French and the British jointly governed the country. Independence was eventually attained in 1980. The inhabitants in Vanuatu today speak French and English, as well as the national language, Bislama, a form of Pidgin English.

Bougainvillea-clad Port Vila, on Efate Island, is the capital of the country. The town is lined with shops and of particular note is the Port Vila Market open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Here one will see a tempting array of tropical fruits, vegetables, coconut crabs, shells, artifacts and souvenirs.

Most of the 160,000 people of Vanuatu are Melanesian and are known as ni-Vanuatu people. It is a land of many languages - approximately 115 - and numerous customs and traditions. The traditional culture is as strong today as it was many years ago, with customs differing from island to island and having a strong impact on ni-Vanuatu life, despite generations of missionary and other out side influences.

American soldiers established bases on the islands in World War II, especially on Espiritu Santo, the largest island in the chain. Known locally as Santo, it was once home to over 100,000 American servicemen. It was here a young U.S. Army lieutenant, James Michener, wrote the legendary Tales of the South Pacific. There are still many relics and reminders of the war here in Espiritu Santo.

Other remarkable islands in the Vanuatu archipelago are Tanna, where visitors can see an active volcano, and Pentecost Island, where the local islanders have a unique ritual of jumping, bound at the ankles, from high poles - the forerunner of today's bungy jumping.

Thetiny kingdom of Tonga is south of Samoa and southeast of Fiji. The land area of the entire country is smaller than New York City. The International Date Line runs through Tonga.

Tongans, like their Polynesian cousins in other parts of the Pacific, have very close family relations and are devout Christians. Sabbath is a day strictly observed in the country - there are no sporting events nor is there work or trade. If visitors are in the country on a Sunday, they should take advantage of attending one of the many church services held, as the Tongan choral church music is exceptional. Nearly all Tongans speak English, as it's taught in school, but the official language is Tongan.

Tongatapu is the main island in Tonga's 170-island group and is where the capital of Nuku'alofa is located. Two-thirds of the population lives here.

Unique sights prevail in Tonga. A visit to a local crafts market is a must - Tongans are masters at basketry and the making of tapa cloth. In the countryside of Tongatapu, blowholes and flying foxes are to be discovered, and near the village of Niutoua is Ha'amonga Trilithon, known as the "Stonehenge of the Pacific." This huge, ancient arch is estimated to have been built in the 12th century A.D. One of the South Pacific's finest beaches is on small 'Atata Island where the traveler can enjoy a stay at a picturesque, small off-shore resort.

The setting for some of World War II's most fierce and bloody battles is today home to one of the most natural and peaceful races in the South Pacific.

The second largest island chain in the Pacific, with 992 islands, the Solomons are scattered between Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. The six major islands in the nation are Guadalcanal, New Georgia, San Cristobal, Santa Isabel, Malaita, and Choiseul.

The Solomon Islands were a British Protectorate in the late 19th century and were granted independence in 1978. They are now governed as a constitutional monarchy with a governor-general representing the Queen. The capital is Honiara, located on Guadalcanal, the most-visited island. It is the economic and governmental center of the country.

Here, in this archipelago of mountainous islands and low-lying coral atolls, one can experience the undiscovered delights of a primitive culture which has not allowed the advances of the outside world to overshadow it. Traditional garb, age-old customs, rituals and taboos still endure in the Solomons. The basic social structure is the extended family, although structure and tradition vary from island to island.

Most of the population is Christian. English is the official language, but Pijin (a form of Pidgin English) is used by the villagers to communicate among the 87 indigenous languages of the country. The Solomons are noted for exquisite wood carvings, inlaid with mother-of-pearl

One of the most mysterious and exotic places on earth can be found nearly mid-way in the South Pacific Ocean between the coast of Chile, in South America, and Tahiti, in French Polynesia.

Rapa Nui, or Easter Island as it's better known, has fascinated people for years, with its history, unique archaeology, legends and traditions. Archaeological remains can be found everywhere on the island, virtually making all of Easter an open-air museum.

The island is not typical of other South Pacific islands as it's not particularly tropical. Easter is triangular in shape with an extinct volcano at each point, and smaller volcanoes in the central area. The local people - the Rapa Nui - are of Polynesian descent. There are many stories as to where they came from, but one widely held is that the people originally came by boat from the Marquesas Islands around the 4th century. The first European to make contact with the islanders was a Dutch admiral, Jacob Roggeveen, who came on Easter Sunday, 1722 - thus the name of Easter Island.

Easter Island is a province of Chile, and Spanish is spoken by nearly everyone on the island. English is also spoken by those who deal with tourists. The currencies are the Chilean peso and the U.S. dollar. The main attraction for visitors to the island is seeing the mystical moai (statues) that are scattered everywhere, including some that, strangely, were never completed.