Pacific islands are still considered as the unsung destinations by most tourists mainly because they lie off the beaten path and so these islands in the Pacific Ocean are a nice choice for vacationers who are looking out for new and virgin destinations that aren’t visited by many.
Topography of the Pacific islands
The Pacific islands are the islands of the Pacific Ocean consisting primarily of three major island nation groupings : Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia which are based on the ethnic groups and the cultural backgrounds of the inhabitants of the islands.
Polynesia consists of beautiful islands spanning thousands of miles and includes islands such as Tonga, Samao, French Polynesia, and the Cook Islands and lies to the east of the equator.
Melanesia region lies to the west of the equator and boasts of being home to the world renowned Fiji islands and includes other islands such as Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia.
Micronesia, this tiny island grouping lies to the north of the equator and includes low lying coral islands such as Guam, the Caroline Islands, the Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Nauru.
These Pacific islands can be further divided into low island and high island groups. The low island group mainly consists of coral reefs and includes islands such as Gilbert, Marshall, Phoenix, Tuamotu and Tuvalu islands. The high island group contains rugged mountains and volcanoes and includes islands such as New Britain, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, Samoa, the Marianas, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
During your vacation in the Pacific make sure you take snapshots of the scenic views surrounding the islands for treasuring picture perfect memories.
The must-see islands during your visit to the Pacific region are:
Aitutaki, Cook Islands
Aitutaki is one of the islands of the Cook Island archipelago that is home to a turquoise lagoon with pristine waters filled with marine life. The island is easily accessible by plane from Rarotonga a nearby island in the archipelago of Cook Islands. A must-do thing for you is to do scuba diving in the waters for sighting rare species such as turtles and bonefishes.
Palau, Micronesia
Palau is an island country in the Micronesia region of the Pacific Ocean and is mainly popular for sea diving and underwater activities. This archipelago of islands is home to some very good serene beaches for spending relaxed moments, I recommend visiting Long Beach which is considered as one of the best beaches in Palau, the beach boasts of warm white sands and hot sun round the year. The main islands worth visiting in this archipelago are 1) Rocky Islands, 2) Babeldaob and 3) Koror.
Galapagos, Ecuador
The Galapagos in the Ecuador province is an archipelago of volcanic islands which is mainly popular for its wildlife which includes Iguanas, turtles, penguins and many birds. Another notable thing about Galapagos is the reputed Scientist Charles Darwin is supposed to have visited this island in 1835 and his theory of evolution is believed to have been inspired by his observance of some rare species on Galapagos.
Raiatea, French Polynesia
Raiatea is the second largest island of the archipelago of Society Islands after Tahiti in French Polynesia and is a good destination for experiencing Polynesian culture, people, architectural sites and local customs of the indigenous people inhabiting the island. The island is easily accessible from the island of Tahiti by flight.
Moorea, French Polynesia
Moorea is a South Pacific island in the archipelago of Society Islands in French Polynesia and is widely popular for its volcanic mountains and beaches. It’s easily accessible by flight from the island of Tahiti.
Taveuni, Fiji
Taveuni is the third largest island in Fiji islands and is world renowned for waterfalls, Flora, fauna and the presence of a massive volcanic shield on its surface. The most intriguing thing about Taveuni is the island resembles the shape of a cigar when you look at it from atop. The must-do things for you when you visit this island is to spend a night in the nearby island boutique resort- Paradise Taveuni which allows guests to indulge in water sports such as scuba diving, snorkelling and swimming from its deep water frontage.
