A Dream Paradise: The Best Polynesian Resorts & Guides 2023
Dream Paradise: The Best Polynesian Resorts and Guides 2023
We will present you the wonderful attractions and the best polynesian resorts, restaurants , traditional food ideas, flights and the best cruises companies. Now you cant plan your vacation easier!
Polynesia is both a large Pacific island region and the easternmost of the cultural areas of Oceania. With an area of almost 50 million km², it is the largest island region in Oceania.
Table of Contents
Informations
Temperature: The dry winter season, from May to October, is the best time to visit.
Language: Tahitian, Samoan, Tongan, Māori and Hawaiian. People speak English in places frequented by tourism.
Food Prices: Meal in a cheap restaurant=18 USD, Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant=50 USD
You can find more information about the visa here.
Things to do
American Samoa
American Samoa is part of American Oceania, an outer area of the United States in the southern Pacific. American Samoa is part of the Samoa Islands and adjoins the Independent State of Samoa to the southeast. The largest and most populous island of American Samoas is Tutuila with the capital Pago Pago. During the Second World War, American Samoa temporarily gained greater strategic importance for the United States from 1942 to 1945, when it was decided to build a naval base and an airport (Pago Pago International Airport). A special cultural feature of the entire archipelago is the coexistence of modern American lifestyle and Samoan traditions.
Attractions – Ofu Beach, Tia Seu Lupe Park, Jean P Haydon Museum, Rose Atoll, Leone Church, National Park of American Samoa, Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
Things to Do – hikes, mountain biking , game fishing, snorkeling, Scuba diving, volcanoes, merican Samoa’s tranquil beaches, coral reefs.
Samoa
The Independent State of Samoa, Independent State of Samoa, is an island state in Polynesia, which comprises the western part of the Samoan islands and was therefore officially called Western Samoa until 1997. The state gained independence from New Zealand in 1962 as a former mandate of the League of Nations. The part of the region to the east, American Samoa, has been an outer territory of the United States since 1929.
Things to Do – Scuba diving, Beaches, Fishing, Golf, hiking.
Attractions – Papapapai-Tai Falls, O Le Pupu-Pui National Park, Falealupo Rainforest Preserve, Lake Lanoto’o National Park, Tafua Peninsula Rainforest Reserve, Dwarves Cave, Alofaaga Blowholes.
(Samoa cheap Tours/save money with Viator)
Tonga
The Kingdom of Tonga is an island state in the South Pacific that belongs to Polynesia. The archipelago was also called Friendship Islands in the past. The people of Tonga are called Tongans.
Things to Do – kite surfing, sports fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, whale watching, charter a yacht.
Attractions – Tongatapu, ‘Eua, Vava’u, Ha’apai, The Niuas.
(Tonga cheap tours / save money with Viator or Get Your Guide)
Tuvalu
Tuvalu is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean. It is organized as a parliamentary monarchy and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The capital is the Funafuti atoll and the seat of government is the village of Vaiaku located on this atoll. Until independence on October 1, 1978, the territory was called Ellice Islands.
Things to Do – sports fishing, charter a yacht, traditional dance, scuba diving.
Attractions – Philatelic Bureau, Funafala, Historic WWII sites, Funafuti Marine Conservation Area.
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands are an independent island state in “free association with New Zealand” and an archipelago in the southern Pacific. Their area is 242 km² and they have about 18,600 inhabitants, almost all of which can be attributed to the Cook Islands Maori. The capital is Avarua on the island of Rarotonga. The Cook Islands are the first state in which women voted.
Attractions – Atiu, Dive Sites, Rarotonga, Wigmore’s Waterfall, Avaura, Aitutaki, Aitutaki Lagoon.
(Cook Islands Tours – save money with Viator)
Niue
Niue , also known under the name “The Rock , is an isolated coral island in the South Pacific near Tonga, 2,400 km northeast of New Zealand. It is located south of Samoa and west of the Cook Islands. Niue has been linked to New Zealand by an association agreement since 1974. Niue has 1784 inhabitants (2017). Heavy emigration to New Zealand has cut the population by more than half since 1966. This led to numerous devastations. Around 24,000 Niueans live in New Zealand today. The Niueans speak their own Polynesian language, Niuean, whose closest related language is Tonga. English is also spoken.
Things to Do – hiking, hiking, Caving explorations, scuba diving, snorkeling, whale watching, fishing, kayaking.
Attractions – Huvalu Forest Conservation Area, Matapa Chasm, Talava Arches, Togo Chasm, Avaiki Cave, Anapala Chasm, Liku Sea Track and Cave.Tamakautoga Sea Track and Beach, Palaha Cave.
French Polynesia
French Polynesia originally French Oceania, is a French overseas territory in Polynesia. French Polynesia has its own parliamentary constitution (with the Assemblée de la Polynésie française) and its own flag and is not part of the European Union. French Polynesia consists of a collection of smaller islands, atolls and archipelagos in the southern Pacific. The best known and most populous island is Tahiti; the Mururoa atoll, where the French nuclear force tested nuclear weapons, is also part of French Polynesia.
Things to Do – Windsurfing, golf, horseback riding, safari tours, hiking, mountain climbing, scuba diving, surfing.
Attractions – Tomb of Pomare V, Harrison W Smith Botanical Gardens, Gauguin Museum, Museum of Tahiti and Her Islands, Papeete Municipal Market, Arahurahu Marae, James Norman Hall Home, Tahiti Lagoonarium.
(French Polynesia Tours/save money with Viator and Get Your Guide)
Where to stay
A good night’s sleep is particularly important when you are travelling. Melanesia offers its guests a host of luxurious, charming and also out-of-the-ordinary accommodation.
Whether in the heart of the city, near the lake or surrounded by nature – Melanesia’s hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses guarantee a relaxing and invigorating stay.
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Top hotels we recommend in Cook Islands: Tropical Sands, Avana Waterfront Apartments, ShineAwayHomes – Mountain View,Ariki Bungalows.
Top hotels we recommend in French Polynesia: Tara Tahiti Lodge, Miki Miki Lodge, AOTERA GUEST HOUSE, InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort.
Traditional Food & restaurants
No visit to American Samoa would be complete without attending at least one of the legendary feasts called fia fia, where a suckling pig commands the dinner table surrounded by other local delicacies taro, breadfruit, and pisupo, canned corned beef. Many restaurants and hotels host weekly fia fia nights, complete with traditional music and dancing, for visitors who are unable to see the gathering at a local home. However, there is also a wide variety of other food available, with American fast food chains like McDonald’s and Pizza Hut also present.
A large percentage of American Samoa restaurants are situated in the territory’s largest village, Tafuna, including several American fast food franchises. However, those looking for a more unique taste will find it at Mom’s Place (AS 96799 Tafuna), which serves up hearty home cooked pork chops, fish and chips, and other American diner favorites alongside Samoan dishes like banana fritters and panikeke (deep-fried puffs). The more upscale Manuia Restaurant (Tafuna) specializes in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese cuisine. American Samoa’s finest Mexican food is served at Evie’s Cantina (Pago Pago).
Food is an extremely important part of the local culture in Samoa. There are many international restaurants located around the archipelago, but visitors can still find a plethora of local cuisine in Samoa. Oka is worth trying, and palusami is a fantastic dessert made from local coconut and taro. However, Western food is far more common throughout the islands.
Apia has a host of international restaurants within the city. One of the most visited is Giordano’s Pizzeria. A great selection of Italian pizza and pasta dishes are on the cards here. The Curry House is an Indian restaurant with a great reputation for authentic cuisine. If seafood is what tourists are after, then Paddles Restaurant will certainly deliver.
Tonga – Lamb belly and imported tinned meats such as corn beef remain extremely popular in the everyday cuisine of Tonga. Lu is a popular dish, which is taro leaves wrapped around chopped meat, and then wrapped again with a banana leaf, and cooked. A typical drink is otai, which is a coconut cream-based drink made with shredded coconut pulp and then mixed with any variety of grated tropical fruits.
Tuvaluan cuisine is unique in the central Pacific Ocean since it has not been particularly influenced by its neighbors because of the islands’ isolation. The dishes rely heavily on coconut and coconut milk for flavor, and are usually cooked with fresh fish and seafood. Local plants such as taro, which features in many sweet and savory dishes alike due to its versatility, are also used. For example, palusami is a local dish made of taro, taro leaves cooked with coconut cream, lime juice, onions, and local spices.
For the best dining experience, you should head to the hotels and their associated restaurants on the main island of Vaiaku. Notable restaurants here include: Filamona, Fisherman’s Lodge, The Hideaway, Island Breeze, Laisinis, and Su’s Guesthouse.
Polynesian and international cuisine is widely available on the Cook Islands. The most developed, such as Rarotonga and Aitutaki, are home to a variety of cafés, clubs and restaurants serving everything from traditional to modern fusion dishes. Local islanders and visitors alike enjoy an abundance of seafood, especially shellfish. All ingredients are sourced fresh, including fruits and vegetables.
Food plays an important part in Niue’s culture, from the sweet ti root used in one traditional ritual to the nu pia starch frequently given as gifts. The biggest feasts are served during traditional fiafia festivals. Niueans take great pride in the high preparation standards they use when cooking traditional dishes with luku ferns, kumara, seafood, bananas, and many other ingredients found in few other places on the planet. Alofi contains the vast majority of Niue’s restaurants along with the island’s largest market and only major supermarket. You won’t find any fast food chains here.
Nearly all Niue restaurants are found in Alofi, including Gill’s Indian Restaurant and Takeaway . Customers enter Kai Ika , the island’s only Japanese restaurant, through the last surviving door from Auckland’s Mount Eden Prison. Sashimi is also on the menu at the Falala Fa Bar and Restaurant, whose other popular items include fish and chips, paninis, and hamburgers.
French Polynesia – Mountain bananas, smoked breadfruit, a tropical fruit pudding called poe, a marinated fish dish named poisson cru, and suckling pig served with spinach are the most commonly served Tahitian dishes. Most of Papeete’s international restaurants specialize in French, Chinese, or Italian cuisine. The juice from Tahiti’s noni tree is best known for its ability to improve health, while Hinano is the most common local beer.
One of Papeete’s most affordable places to eat is Polyself, a cafeteria where customers can simply point to order salads, sandwiches, or breakfast food. The Le Retrot sidewalk café offers affordable snacks and a Parisian-style atmosphere in front of Papeete’s waterfront. Les 3 Brasseurs is an American-style bar where guests can enjoy hearty grilled food and beer at sidewalk tables during their waits for the Moorea ferry. L’O a la Bouche is one of French Polynesia’s highest-rated restaurants for its gourmet French dishes and elegant atmosphere.
Travel Tips
- Respect Samoan culture by not wearing scantily clad clothes, remaining silent during the traditional early evening prayer period, and offering gifts called mea alofa to Samoan hosts
- instead of splurging on luxury resorts, consider staying in guesthouses, also known as “pensions” or “fare”.
- Purchase a local SIM card for your phone to avoid costly international roaming charges.
- The shoulder season in Polynesia is considered to be April – June, and September – November. The best time to visit Tahiti is May – June or September – October.
- Book excursions in advance.
- Take the free shuttle boat from Bora Bora Airport (BOB) to the main island.
- The best way to get to Moorea from Tahiti is onboard the ferry, which takes just 30 minutes and costs around 12€ one-way.
- Saving on transportation is key to a budget-friendly trip. One great option is the Air Tahiti Pass, which offers discounted flights between islands.
- Dining in Tahiti may not be cheap, but each restaurant indicates the cost of their meals with dollar signs. The cheapest restaurants have only one dollar sign, while Tahiti’s most expensive restaurants have three or four dollar signs.
- Take advantage of free and low-cost activities, like hiking, snorkeling, and exploring public beaches.
- Make sure breakfast is included – Book a hotel or guesthouse that includes breakfast.
- Another option outside of Airbnb is to stay in a pension, also known as a guest house.
- If you want to snorkel, surf, or hike around the island, save money by bringing your own gear.
When we think of beautiful landscapes and wonderful islands, the first travel option that comes to mind is a cruise. So, if instead of flying and staying on one island, you prefer to explore several beautiful islands, this is the best option. On a cruise you can also relax on the days when the ship is only on the sea/ocean, but you also have the advantage of exploring more places if you are an adventurer. We collaborate with the best companies in the world and you can choose the perfect cruise:
If you do not go by car and need to know more informations about the tours, things to see and do in these islands, we recommend this two companies that are offering tours for any kind of activity you want to do and where you can buy trips much cheaper than if you buy them when you arrive at your destination. It is always good to be able to save some money!
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The best tours in French Polynesia:
The best tours in Samoa :
The best tours in New Caledonia :
The best tours in Tonga :
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shopping
The vast majority of American Samoa’s shopping lies on its main island, Tutuila, from American-style malls to the lively outdoor Fagatogo Public Market. Affordability is among the main draws of shopping in American Samoa, where American dollars are the default currency and sales tax is non-existent. American Express is the most commonly accepted credit card and most shops close four hours earlier on Saturdays and are closed altogether on Sundays. Visitors searching for authentic American Samoa handicrafts should avoid purchasing them at Pago Pago International Airport
Samoa is like other Pacific island nations. Shopping can be enjoyable, but it isn’t the same as one would find in the United States. There aren’t any shopping malls to speak of, and major fashion brands are generally not available anywhere in the country. The shopping culture of Samoa is extremely laid-back, with many of the items offered being traditional products. Apia is where most of the busier marketplaces are found.
Tapa cloth makes a great souvenir of your visit to Tonga. You can purchase these handmade products at many places around the islands of Tonga. You will also find tapa cloth at the main market in Nuku’alofa, the capital city. At this market, it is also possible to purchase many other great souvenirs, such as handmade jewelry and traditional carved wood. Nuku’alofa is the largest shopping center in Tonga. Here, you will find the largest selection of products, many of which are imported.
For the best souvenir shopping, you need to be in Funafuti, with some islands and atolls not featuring any shops. The best souvenirs to bring home are probably Tuvalu weaved cloth, handmade shell jewelry, and the lidded wooden boxes called tulumas that fishermen traditionally used to store their catch. The women’s handicraft market near the airport is a great place to purchase these items, and on sale are also handmade bags, mats, fans, and hats.
The Cook Islands may not exactly be the place for all-out retail therapy, but they do have their share of downtown bazaars and local shops that sell all kinds of traditional arts and handicrafts. You can find deals on jewelry, clothing, art, home goods, and other gift items. Locally made crafts make the perfect Cook Island souvenirs, especially carvings, woven products and tivaivai, a hand-sewn bed covering made by Polynesian women.
Kumara, passion fruit, taro, and cassava are just some of the tropical fruits regularly sold at Alofi’s twice-weekly market, the island’s only supermarket, and roadside stalls throughout the island. Niue’s only shopping mall is the Alofi Commercial Center, which is also home to the island’s only bank. This small shopping mall contains an art gallery, a souvenir shop, a butcher’s shop, and a stationery store. Visitors can purchase local stamps next to the commercial center’s post office, at the Niue Philatelic and Numismatic Bureau.
French Polynesia – The narrow Quartier du Commerce streets and Pomare Boulevard’s Centre Vaima contain most of Papeete’s jewelry shops. Aside from Robert Wan, Tahiti’s other main black pearl dealers are Sibani Perles Joallier, situated at the Centre Vaima’s second level, Tahia Collins, and Tahiti Pearl Market. Bora Bora’s Matira Pearls and Moorea’s Ron Hall’s Island Fashion Black Pearls also offer good black pearl deals, but haggling is the norm no matter where visitors make their pearl purchases.
Getting Around Polynesia
The best way to get around American Samoa is to rent a car. This gives you the freedom to travel on your own schedule. There is a public bus system. Called “aiga” or family buses, for a small fee you can be driven from point to point on the island.
Getting around in Samoa is quite straightforward either by renting a vehicle, by public transport (bus and taxi) or when traveling between islands by ferry. Petrol stations are common on the island but it is always safe to refill on the nearest petrol station and not wait for the next.
Flying is the easiest, quickest, and most comfortable way to get around the islands of Tonga. Ferries also operate between the three main island groups – Vava’u, Ha’apai and Tongatapu – as well as ‘Eua. Taxis and hire cars are available only on Tongatapau.
There is no organised car hire, but motorcycles and taxis are available on Funafuti. Boats connect the islands, but these trips are only scheduled every 3-4 weeks. You can walk the entire length of Tuvalu in two hours!
Niue – There is NO public transport available on the island so we strongly recommend you hire a car or bicycle for your stay to ensure you can access all of Niue’s scenic sites and villages.
Cook Islands – It is very easy to get around the island using public transport. There are two buses that circle the island of Rarotonga; Clockwise and Anti-clockwise. The buses will stop anywhere along the main road. All you have to do is smile and wave them down.If you have a motorcycle class on your overseas license, you do not need to take a test to acquire a Cook Islands Licence, you just need to pay NZ$20 at the police station, where you will be issued your visitor license.
French Polynesia – Buses are available on Tahiti. Fares are 200-600 XPF depending on the distance. There are three main routes that connect the whole island. Ferries – Ferries are available between Tahiti and Moorea (45 minutes, 3,000 XPF) as well as Bora Bora and Maupiti.
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Getting to Polynesia
Three international airlines fly to American Samoa from Hawaii, USA, Samoa and Tonga. Hawaiian Airlines operates bi-weekly flights from Honolulu to Pago Pago, while both Samoa Airways and Talofa Airways operate daily services from Apia, Samoa.
For most, the best way to get to the Samoan Islands is by taking an international flight, connecting to Auckland (New Zealand), Sydney (Australia), Nadi (Fiji) or Honolulu (Hawaii, US).
Flights from only a handful of countries make their way to the islands, while international cruises or sailing your own yacht are just about the only other ways to get there. But we think that you’ll agree once you arrive in Tonga, the journey will have been definitely worth it.
The main way to get to Tuvalu is via another Pacific Island country, Fiji. There are flights three times a week between the country with an ATR 72-600 aircraft. There is a flight from Hawaii to Fiji, but many of the flights connect through Australia.
Niue can be accessed from overseas via flights, cruises and sailing, but all of these ways of getting to Niue are limited. There are limited flights per week with one airline, less than five cruise companies offering cruises there, and only 17 spots for mooring.
The only way to get to Cook Islands is to fly to Rarotonga (the largest island), and historically, there are only a handful of destinations in New Zealand, Australia and the United States with direct flights to Rarotonga. Depending on where you’re travelling from, the journey could be quite long (and expensive).
Most travelers headed to this tropical paradise arrive by air. The Tahiti-Faa’a International Airport is located on Tahiti’s main island and is about 5 km west of Papeete. This is the only international airport in French Polynesia and is close and convenient to all the major hotels and resorts on Tahiti.
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