Secret South Pacific
Escape the crowds with these hidden gems.
Crowds: as more of us travel, it is getting harder to escape them. But we are lucky to call New Zealand home; we have an enormous Pacific playground a short distance away, where empty beaches are not hard to find.
So, in recent years, I have been on a mission to track down the best hidden gems. And we were on to something: scouts for the United States version of Survivor were looking in the same places.
So, here are the best beaches I found in my search for solitude.
Mociu Private Island, Fiji
This uninhabited slice of paradise is one of the most pristine spots in Fiji’s Mamanucas Islands; it is known as Honeymoon Island and only one couple can book it at a time.
The island is part of the nearby Likuliku Lagoon Resort, home to Fiji’s only over-ocean villas. Guests of the resort can book the island for a champagne breakfast, where you will be whisked out in a boat before sunrise to make the short hike to the peak to watch the sun come up.
While you are enjoying the first fiery rays of daylight, a supply boat is busy at the beach setting up a breakfast banquet to be enjoyed in a thatched waterfront hut. After eating, there is time for a quick swim in the glistening waters.
If you prefer a sleep-in, you can head to the island later in the day for a private picnic. No other boats are allowed to land, so you are guaranteed the beach – and island – to yourself.
Savai’i, Samoa
Samoa’s largest island is the one that time forgot. Most tourists overlook Savai’i in favour of the more populated Upolu, home to capital Apia.
Getting to Savai’i takes a bit of effort but you will be richly rewarded. The island has a much slower way of life, and plenty of off-the-beaten-path gems, such as the largest blowholes in the Pacific, jungle rock pools, and beaches that you are sure to have for yourself.
Samoa has been the scene of a recent measles crisis, although the state of emergency ended in late December. Our Government recommends all travellers to Samoa to be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before travel. Infants and children also need to take precautions – the latest advice can be found on safetravel.govt.nz.
Togo Chasm, Niue
The tiny Pacific paradise is essentially one giant rock; it is a coral atoll that formed on top of an ancient dormant volcano.
While the island does have a couple of tiny beaches, the most spectacular is the Togo Chasm.
To get there, you need to walk through an enormous raised coral garden – one of the largest in the world. At the end of the track, a sunken treasure is revealed: down a deep chasm is a sandy coconut tree-filled oasis, entirely enclosed by rock. It looks like a beach but there is no water.
It is accessed by a steep ladder; certainly not for the faint-hearted. But given how few tourists make it to Niue, you are likely to have the entire place to yourself.
Royal Davui’s sandbank, Fiji
Royal Davui is an exclusive adults-only resort, with 16 luxury villas dotted on a tiny island.
The resort has a private sandbank a few kilometres away – and for two hours you will become the world’s luckiest castaway.
You will be greeted with two deck chairs, champagne, a fruit platter and snorkel gear – and then you will be left on your own.
The golden sliver of sand is surrounded by a retina-bending hue of blues, so you will want to spend most of your time in the water.
Fakarava, French Polynesia
Fakarava is an idyllic, 60-kilometre strip of sand surrounded by some of the dreamiest turquoise waters in French Polynesia. The beauty rivals Bora Bora, without the crowds.
Rent a bicycle and pedal yourself to a secluded beach; they are not hard to find. It is also not hard to find sharks – because the island is relatively untouched by humans, the waters teem with life.
The island is 70 minutes from Tahiti by air, although many people briefly experience the island by taking the Aranui – a hybrid freighter and cruise ship that heads out on a regular 13-day trip around French Polynesia’s most remote islands.
The author was supported by the tourism boards of the respective places listed, although this list was compiled on merit. This article was produced as part of a partnership with House of Travel.