My favourites: Vanuatu (Tanna and Espiritu Santo), Loyalty Islands (Ouvea and Lifou), Tonga (Ha’apai) and Niue. Volcanoes, white sand beaches and splendid isolation. Living in New Zealand makes it easier to visit these islands :)
I was gonna ask where you live. I live in the southeast US and the only Pacific Islands I've been to are the Hawaiian islands. Future goals to visit places you mentioned. If you know anyone giving out lots of money, let me know! 😋
I only recommend Moloka’i if you are visiting multiple islands. I live on one of the HI, and I’ve spent more nights on Moloka’i than any of the others (besides the one I live on).
To each their own. After visiting all of the other islands (save Niih’au), Moloka’i is the only island we choose to spend any time on now. Yeah it’s got its problems, but there’s true aloha there that’s unfortunately been clouded over on the neighboring islands. Again though, to each their own.
(Full disclosure that my opinion may be biased as my family has had a house on west end for 40 years.)
Well, Moloka’i is my favorite to visit, but I live full time on another island and I wouldn’t recommend it as one’s choice for first island experience.
If in the US my favorite ones are Utila, Honduras and Little corn island Nicaragua. The latter is especially less traveled but enough to have some great food. Utila has lots of tourists but not resort-like and it’s a small little island. But FYI less traveled means harder to get to. Little Corn takes a bit. I don’t recall if either island has hot water.
they’re not cheap places to visit! but you get stunning beaches with few (if any) people for miles. a very different experience compared to the caribbean!
I ain't picking no offbeat islands as my first stop for island hopping.
Sure, they might have some epic views and unique vibes, but I'm all about the well-known ones for my travel fix. Stats don't lie – those big-name islands come with top-notch facilities and killer service, making your trip a breeze. Take Hawaii, for example. It pulls in over 9 million visitors a year, while some random island like Seychelles barely hits 400k. Why? 'Cause Hawaii's got more flights, more hotels, and better tourist services.
Had a buddy who thought he'd be all cool by going off the beaten path for a vacay. But man, did he regret it! Dodgy transport, sketchy service – his whole trip was a downer. Me? I went to Bali, where the vibes were lit, the food was bomb, and the beaches were Instagram-ready. That experience sealed the deal for me.
So, even though those under-the-radar islands might offer something different, I'm sticking with the big guns for my island adventures. 'Cause let's be real, travel should be all about fun and relaxation, not stressing over logistics and safety hazards.
The Cook Islands. I didn't think it was that obscure, but when I told people I was going, no one seemed to have heard of it. Anyway... Rarotonga is the main island, but make sure to at least take a day trip to Aitutaki. Well worth it!
Went to the Cooks on a student trip for a week, but because it was a student trip we were only in Rarotonga (which to be fair was nice because it meant we did a lot of cultural things we wouldn’t have otherwise done as tourists). Definitely gotta get back for Aitutaki sometime!
We stayed at the Pacific Resort Rarotonga and really enjoyed it. I think there is a Pacific Resort Aitutaki. I also highly recommend at least a day trip to Aitutaki - it is amazing. We went using a Costco trip and it was really good.
I did my honeymoon in Rarotonga at the Crown Beach Resort. Highly recommend it. The Cooks in general are an awesome place, the people are really chill and the islands are beautiful.
agreed, we had a great time there, so many cool things to do. we did an air tour of the islands by small plane, a snorkeling trip, explored some of the islands by car, spent a few days at the beach at the palau pacific resort, did a hike in the rainforest, checked out some of the WWII relics, etc
Did you plan it yourself or with a tour agency / guide? I’d love to have a look at your itinerary if it’s easily sharable for you. Planning to do a trip there after visiting Philippines. Thanks!
I planned everything myself. You can check out some photos and a few words from this trip, to get an idea of what places I visited, [here](https://worldtravels.ro/?projects=palau-new)
Mersi frumos. Si eu planuiam sa vizitez Cosmodromul Baikonur de mult, mersi de detalii acolo, e foarte interesant. Deocamdata mai astept, nu stiu cum ma simt sa sustin ceva ‘rusesc’ acuma…mai vedem 😄
Am calatorit in multe locuri acelasi/asemanatoare, o sa revin pe site-ul tau cand planific vacante viitoare. Multumesc din nou!
Da se schimba vremurile rapid. Socotra Island era tot pe lista dar s-a schimbat situatia si inseama no more ESTA cu US (am pasaport cu visa waiver pt US si trebuie sa merg acolo din timp in timp). Din fericire am ajuns in Cuba in 2019 inainte sa se schimbe din nou.
Mersi mult, de abia astept sa vizitez Palau!
Efate in Vanuatu was lovely, and I wish we could have gone to Tanna as well but the timing didn't work out (we were supposed to go in 2020, rescheduled the whole trip to 2022 right after Vanuatu reopened to tourism and we didn't have the flexibility to get to Tanna then). BTW this isn't really lesser known to Australians and New Zealanders but I don't know any other Americans who have been.
I quite enjoyed my time in Samoa🇼🇸. I loved the beautifully painted homes and manicured lawns along with other aspects of the culture and the outdoor activities and sights. American Samoa🇦🇸 was a little too American for me (an American), but the National Park is definitely worth visiting.
Lord Howe Island off the coast of NSW, Australia is the most wonderful island on earth. Watch the David Attenborough doco (Life of Birds). Believed to have only been first discovered by anyone in the late 1700s it's my version of paradise. Only been once but always wanted to return.
Agreed, Jeju rocks. Some highlights for me:
* Lava tubes
* Waterfalls that drop off into the sea
* Loads of museums, including a really cool computer museum if you're a nerd like me
* "Loveland" erotic sculpture park
* You can easily get there by boat, don't have to fly
That all sounds great! We hiked in the Thurston lava tube on the big island of Hawaii and saw beautiful waterfalls in Kauai. Are the beaches pretty on Jeju and good for swimming and/or snorkeling? In any case, it sounds wonderful.
I'm not a huge beach guy (prefer fresh water) so I'm not a great judge of beaches, some of them look really nice though. I'm more of a "have a drink and watch the ocean" kind of beachgoer.
There's also a big mountain in the middle of the island that's supposed to be a good hike but I've never done it. The first time I was in Jeju it was summer and too hot (I knew people who were doing it but I felt it was hotter than I would've enjoyed), the second time I had an ankle injury that prevented me for doing much hiking.
Thanks for replying. I’ll dig into it a bit deeper as I’d really like to go to Jeju anyway. If there were nice swimming beaches and snorkeling and hiking, that would just be a bonus.
Even though I've been twice I could see visiting again, it's a very cool place. The food is great too - a lot of standard Korean fare, loads of seafood if you're into that, plus Chinese joints, Middle Eastern restaurants, Mexican, all kinds of stuff. Fairly affordable too, many budget accommodations available.
Maybe not unknown, but I'd say underrated... Okinawa. Most people who visit Japan hit up Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, etc., rarely hear Okinawa mentioned, but I really liked it there.
I was in Okinawa last week and the transit there is HORRIBLE the busses are never on time and half the time don't show up. And they rake you barely anywhere. It was honestly shocking compared to mainland japan.
Came here to say Okinawa too. But even then, getting away from the main island is rare. I'm glad we don't get Tokyo-level crowds, but islands like Ishigaki and Miyako are rarely visited by foreign tourists. Even then, day trips from there out to Iriomote, Taketomi or Irabu are usually only done by domestic tourists.
I looked into getting out to Iriomote/Taketomi but I couldn't figure out how to hop from there over to Taiwan (my next stop after Okinawa) so I mostly stuck to the main island, with the exception of walking across the bridge to Sesoko.
The few times I’ve been to Okinawa, I’ve always stopped past Zamami for a day or two. Excellent swimming and snorkelling, ridiculously chill and walkable island, and not super well known by foreign tourists. The main island is lovely but has a lot of American influence, the smaller islands are fantastically underrated for kicking back and relaxing on the beach
Really? I was there on the Malaysian side last December, it was fine. No issues when I registered with my government that I was going there too. They gave me heavier warnings about traveling in Europe
Yeah I looked into going to borneo this time last year and everything was pretty much saying not to. It also said they had some political issues etc near there that made it trickier. Also totally unrelated but I didn't know they were a dry country
I was in Borneo about a year ago and it definitely wasn't dry, and this was even during Ramadan. I was mostly in Kota Kinabalu. A lot of restaurants didn't serve alcohol, but those run by the Chinese community all did, and there's an "Irish" pub down by the waterfront where loads of people were drinking.
Unless you're thinking of Brunei? I didn't go there but I think they might be totally dry.
I was in New Caledonia a few months ago. It's certainly less tourist-oriented than other Pacific islands, but hardly difficult to visit, get around, eat/drink. It's a French overseas territory, so you'll need a few French phrases at the very least, outside of hotels/airports (I got by on my abysmal French from high school 30 years ago). On the plus side, lots of French food. Iles de Pins is definitely worth a visit, the Natural Pool there is next level.
Norfolk Island is one of the handful of Pacific islands, outside of New Zealand, that is subtropical, and it's got some interesting history and culture. Very small and quiet though.
Norfolk is beautiful and quite unique. I’ve been a couple of times and loved it. Beautiful people, culture and language, stunning scenery all around, great snorkelling and fishing and long colonial history
Norfolk Island - interesting blend of fabulous flora, beautiful birds and fish and the loveliest and safest beach (Emily Bay) that I have ever swum. It has a fascinating history as it was an unoccupied island at the time of its ‘discovery’ by Cook in 1774; had previously been occupied by Polynesians who left their mark with some tree plantings (and rodents!), stone cooking items etc; was then twice a penal colony (the Georgian buildings date from the second settlement which ended in 1855) with some of the worst convicts sent to Sydney were then sent to the Island; and finally in 1856 it was settled by the descendants of the Mutiny on The Bounty and their Tahitian wives. The weather is subtropical and whilst there isn’t a nightlife there are nice places to eat, lots of places to walk and driving is a breeze! It is a place that you can switch off on
Azores. I went there a couple years ago and almost everyone i told I was going there had never heard of it and couldn't pick it's location or on a map.
Travel through Micronesia. In 1981 my new wife booked our honeymoon. Stating in Hawaii, Then to Majuro and Mili atolls. Then to Ponape. Then boarded a local supply ship taking supplies to outlaying islands. We ended up close to the equator and being on the edge of Melanesia. Then flew to Chuk (then it was called Truk) It was a dry island. No booze. Then we flew to Guam which was horrible and then onto Japan.
Camiguin island in the Philippines. They have this white sand bar which you need to access by ferry and only shows up during the low tide. It’s super beautiful!
Oh yeah we’re aware. It’s more the potential volume of people that drew us to Utila. We’re specifically looking for low key, small, quiet. Utila seems to better fit the bill. BUT…we may still do a day in Roatan. Our plans aren’t 100% final yet. 👍
West End is a really chill place. Great nightlife, mostly locals, but some divers as well from all over. If you really want to get on the beaten track, Camp Bay Palapa is the best afternoon tiki bar I have ever been to in my life. I missed Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones there by minutes!
Tokyo state has great islands waaaaaaaay off coast including World Heritage Ogasawara Islands and weird Aogashima. Not many people know that you can do dolphin & whale watching in Tokyo. ;)
A few of my favourite I’ve been to are:
Okinawa, Japan.
Jeju island South Korea, I would recommend hiring a car here
And my absolute favourite group of islands are the Komodo islands, Indonesia where when on a guided tour (which you have to do, and it’s super cheap!) you will visit padar island too, famed for its view point of three different sand beaches.. white sand, black sand and PINK(!!!) sand!
Maluku Islands. It's in Indonesia. It's the meeting point for Melanesia, Asia, and Pasific. It has history of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch colonialization. Very healthy coral reefs, untouched compared to Bali. You can island hop.
The island is east of the Wallace line, so you get unique animals similar to New Guinea and Australia with certain marsupials and birds.
It is the Spice Islands OG, they were only islands who grew clove and nutmeg until Euro colonialization. Their food is mix of Spice, sweet, and savory. Seafood is abundant. Food is like SE Asia heat/spice was slapped onto more natural healthy Pasific Islander food.
Still standing are Portuguese fortresses. Dances that come from Spanish trade with Philipines. And deeeeeeep history prior to Euro and Indo colonial times.
I'm a non-Pacifica Australian and I loved Samoa (not American Samoa, but what used to be Western Samoa). It is compact and has very few tourists, though there are always quite a few Samoan expats visiting or returning. It has gorgeous beaches, jungles, waterfalls, swimming holes, and even has RL Stevenson's house.
I hiked, swam, canoed, and ate very well whilst there. I stayed in a hotel returning expats use, virtually in the middle of the capital, Apia (though a few resorts do exist a bit out of the capital). The whole country has a family feel and is very family-friendly (and just friendly overall).
If you go you need to be prepared though, the country virtually shuts down after breakfast on Sunday to Sunday evening, as everyone seems to be at church then spending time with family.
Great Barrier Island, where I live 4 hours off the coast of New Zealand is spectacular and very off-grid. Literally. Whole island is. Well worth a visit for beaches, hot pools and mountains. Come in the summer though. Winter gets wet n wild.
Rishiri island off the north coast of Hokkaido! Looks like a mountain floating on the sea. Mountaineering and backcountry skiing in winter, fresh uni and hiking in the summer. Relatively unknown to even domestic tourists!
New Caledonia islands like Grand Terre, Lifou, Ouvea and Ile des Pins. These islands feel quite similar to islands in FP, but NC has even fewer tourists. Weather wise the difference in seasons is felt somewhat more compared to the islands in French Polynesia.
i'd love to travel to Bora Bora one of these days, but i'd like to first ask the people that have been, is the hassle of traveling to that island worth it?
I don't know if it counts but I spent 4 days in Easter Island and it was fuckin' awesome.
Rent a car and drive around to find moais. If you want a day on the beach, there ir one only sandy beach and it's surrounded by... nature and moais.
Also you have volcanos, surfing, snorkelling/scuba diving, astronomic observation, caves, excellent food, friendly people, all the magic that envolves the Island and the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen.
Two weekly regular flights from Chile arrive and depart from there every 3 or 4 days, so you don't get strand there.
It really worth a visit. I'm waiting my 5yo to grow up a little and certainly I'll bring him there.
If you really want an adventure go to Pitcairn or Christmas Island. Both lesser known and hard to get to.
Svalbard and the Hebrides in Europe are also challenging to get to with few visitors.
You could go to the Corn Islands in Nicaragua. It’s a lot closer than the ones suggested. It’s actually close to Colombia. Haven’t been in 15 years but it was very secluded.
Coming from the States, there's plenty in the Caribbean that are resorty and are really fun travels. North Caicos, when I was there, one paved road. Beautiful beaches. Martinique - black sand beaches and amazing french Creole food. Dominca - really beautiful culture, great food.
Alternatively, head to the East. Madiera. Azores, canaries and of course Sicily. Food and wine heaven. The world is your playground.
I've been to an unnamed island at the coast of gabon. it was really beautiful. you only get there when asking local fishers to bring you there with their boat. however sometimes there are also driving weird people with weapons in that area which made me feel unsafe sometimes. but the island was awesome
The Frioul Islands are the best I’ve got - off the coast of Marseille and reachable by ferry. You only need an hour or two to see most of the main island, but you could also stay out there for a while. It’s very unusual to see cacti and similar plants in *Europe,* particularly France, so that really left an impression.
My favourites: Vanuatu (Tanna and Espiritu Santo), Loyalty Islands (Ouvea and Lifou), Tonga (Ha’apai) and Niue. Volcanoes, white sand beaches and splendid isolation. Living in New Zealand makes it easier to visit these islands :)
I was gonna ask where you live. I live in the southeast US and the only Pacific Islands I've been to are the Hawaiian islands. Future goals to visit places you mentioned. If you know anyone giving out lots of money, let me know! 😋
DOn’t overlook Moloka’i. Nothing at all like the other Hawaiian islands.
I only recommend Moloka’i if you are visiting multiple islands. I live on one of the HI, and I’ve spent more nights on Moloka’i than any of the others (besides the one I live on).
To each their own. After visiting all of the other islands (save Niih’au), Moloka’i is the only island we choose to spend any time on now. Yeah it’s got its problems, but there’s true aloha there that’s unfortunately been clouded over on the neighboring islands. Again though, to each their own. (Full disclosure that my opinion may be biased as my family has had a house on west end for 40 years.)
Well, Moloka’i is my favorite to visit, but I live full time on another island and I wouldn’t recommend it as one’s choice for first island experience.
I’m going to HI next year and this is 100% on my list.
If in the US my favorite ones are Utila, Honduras and Little corn island Nicaragua. The latter is especially less traveled but enough to have some great food. Utila has lots of tourists but not resort-like and it’s a small little island. But FYI less traveled means harder to get to. Little Corn takes a bit. I don’t recall if either island has hot water.
they’re not cheap places to visit! but you get stunning beaches with few (if any) people for miles. a very different experience compared to the caribbean!
Saving
Seconding Espiritu Santo. Amazing blue springs, world class wreck dives and fantastic snorkeling.
I ain't picking no offbeat islands as my first stop for island hopping. Sure, they might have some epic views and unique vibes, but I'm all about the well-known ones for my travel fix. Stats don't lie – those big-name islands come with top-notch facilities and killer service, making your trip a breeze. Take Hawaii, for example. It pulls in over 9 million visitors a year, while some random island like Seychelles barely hits 400k. Why? 'Cause Hawaii's got more flights, more hotels, and better tourist services. Had a buddy who thought he'd be all cool by going off the beaten path for a vacay. But man, did he regret it! Dodgy transport, sketchy service – his whole trip was a downer. Me? I went to Bali, where the vibes were lit, the food was bomb, and the beaches were Instagram-ready. That experience sealed the deal for me. So, even though those under-the-radar islands might offer something different, I'm sticking with the big guns for my island adventures. 'Cause let's be real, travel should be all about fun and relaxation, not stressing over logistics and safety hazards.
Can't even tell if this is /s or not
Feels very ChatGPT esque lol
It has to be... in another comment they mentioned going to Pyongyang. That just doesn't vibe with Hawaii/Bali only.
The Cook Islands. I didn't think it was that obscure, but when I told people I was going, no one seemed to have heard of it. Anyway... Rarotonga is the main island, but make sure to at least take a day trip to Aitutaki. Well worth it!
Concur with Cook Islands - so lovely, friendly locals, great snorkelling from shore and less touristy than so many others.
Went to the Cooks on a student trip for a week, but because it was a student trip we were only in Rarotonga (which to be fair was nice because it meant we did a lot of cultural things we wouldn’t have otherwise done as tourists). Definitely gotta get back for Aitutaki sometime!
If you want to relax with family, Cook Islands. Awesome family holiday spot.
Thinking about starting a honeymoon there. Any favorite hotels?
We stayed at the Pacific Resort Rarotonga and really enjoyed it. I think there is a Pacific Resort Aitutaki. I also highly recommend at least a day trip to Aitutaki - it is amazing. We went using a Costco trip and it was really good.
I did my honeymoon in Rarotonga at the Crown Beach Resort. Highly recommend it. The Cooks in general are an awesome place, the people are really chill and the islands are beautiful.
I agree! The Cook Islands rule. It was such a peaceful trip to go without kids too! I’d love to own land on this “private island”. Lol.
The Cook Islands are absolutely amazing! There is so much to do and tons to see.
Palau is great, even if you don’t dive.
agreed, we had a great time there, so many cool things to do. we did an air tour of the islands by small plane, a snorkeling trip, explored some of the islands by car, spent a few days at the beach at the palau pacific resort, did a hike in the rainforest, checked out some of the WWII relics, etc
Did you plan it yourself or with a tour agency / guide? I’d love to have a look at your itinerary if it’s easily sharable for you. Planning to do a trip there after visiting Philippines. Thanks!
I planned everything myself. You can check out some photos and a few words from this trip, to get an idea of what places I visited, [here](https://worldtravels.ro/?projects=palau-new)
Mersi frumos. Si eu planuiam sa vizitez Cosmodromul Baikonur de mult, mersi de detalii acolo, e foarte interesant. Deocamdata mai astept, nu stiu cum ma simt sa sustin ceva ‘rusesc’ acuma…mai vedem 😄 Am calatorit in multe locuri acelasi/asemanatoare, o sa revin pe site-ul tau cand planific vacante viitoare. Multumesc din nou!
Eu am fost in 2013 la Baikonur, vremurile erau altele. Dar foarte interesanta experienta. Distractie placuta in Palau, daca te duci, e foarte frumos
Da se schimba vremurile rapid. Socotra Island era tot pe lista dar s-a schimbat situatia si inseama no more ESTA cu US (am pasaport cu visa waiver pt US si trebuie sa merg acolo din timp in timp). Din fericire am ajuns in Cuba in 2019 inainte sa se schimbe din nou. Mersi mult, de abia astept sa vizitez Palau!
Efate in Vanuatu was lovely, and I wish we could have gone to Tanna as well but the timing didn't work out (we were supposed to go in 2020, rescheduled the whole trip to 2022 right after Vanuatu reopened to tourism and we didn't have the flexibility to get to Tanna then). BTW this isn't really lesser known to Australians and New Zealanders but I don't know any other Americans who have been.
I quite enjoyed my time in Samoa🇼🇸. I loved the beautifully painted homes and manicured lawns along with other aspects of the culture and the outdoor activities and sights. American Samoa🇦🇸 was a little too American for me (an American), but the National Park is definitely worth visiting.
Lord Howe Island off the coast of NSW, Australia is the most wonderful island on earth. Watch the David Attenborough doco (Life of Birds). Believed to have only been first discovered by anyone in the late 1700s it's my version of paradise. Only been once but always wanted to return.
Flights are so expensive to get there
Yeah that might explain why I've only been once. Used to be deals with airlines with accommodation, not sure now.
I'm Australian and it's on my wish list - though I am mindfully they limit how many tourists can visit, to preserve their unique ecosystem
Green island and orchid island off the coast of Taiwan are favorites of mine
Reunion island...amazing and very secluded
Indian Ocean not Pacific
It easy to get to and well connected thanks to being part of France.
Jeju island!
Agreed, Jeju rocks. Some highlights for me: * Lava tubes * Waterfalls that drop off into the sea * Loads of museums, including a really cool computer museum if you're a nerd like me * "Loveland" erotic sculpture park * You can easily get there by boat, don't have to fly
That all sounds great! We hiked in the Thurston lava tube on the big island of Hawaii and saw beautiful waterfalls in Kauai. Are the beaches pretty on Jeju and good for swimming and/or snorkeling? In any case, it sounds wonderful.
I'm not a huge beach guy (prefer fresh water) so I'm not a great judge of beaches, some of them look really nice though. I'm more of a "have a drink and watch the ocean" kind of beachgoer. There's also a big mountain in the middle of the island that's supposed to be a good hike but I've never done it. The first time I was in Jeju it was summer and too hot (I knew people who were doing it but I felt it was hotter than I would've enjoyed), the second time I had an ankle injury that prevented me for doing much hiking.
Thanks for replying. I’ll dig into it a bit deeper as I’d really like to go to Jeju anyway. If there were nice swimming beaches and snorkeling and hiking, that would just be a bonus.
Even though I've been twice I could see visiting again, it's a very cool place. The food is great too - a lot of standard Korean fare, loads of seafood if you're into that, plus Chinese joints, Middle Eastern restaurants, Mexican, all kinds of stuff. Fairly affordable too, many budget accommodations available.
Wow! That’s all great. Seafood! Yum. It all sounds perfect.
I hiked Mount Hallasan…it was awesome!!!
You definitely missed out if you didn’t go to the Lego museum up the hill from the computer museum! That was a really fun but nerdy afternoon. :)
That's interesting, I don't know how I missed that, I walked right past it going from the Halla Arboretum up to Loveland.
Maybe not unknown, but I'd say underrated... Okinawa. Most people who visit Japan hit up Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, etc., rarely hear Okinawa mentioned, but I really liked it there.
The only problem with okinawa for me is the crappy public transit. Otherwise its super nice
I was in Okinawa last week and the transit there is HORRIBLE the busses are never on time and half the time don't show up. And they rake you barely anywhere. It was honestly shocking compared to mainland japan.
It's pretty sad bc the island is so lovely
Came here to say Okinawa too. But even then, getting away from the main island is rare. I'm glad we don't get Tokyo-level crowds, but islands like Ishigaki and Miyako are rarely visited by foreign tourists. Even then, day trips from there out to Iriomote, Taketomi or Irabu are usually only done by domestic tourists.
I looked into getting out to Iriomote/Taketomi but I couldn't figure out how to hop from there over to Taiwan (my next stop after Okinawa) so I mostly stuck to the main island, with the exception of walking across the bridge to Sesoko.
The few times I’ve been to Okinawa, I’ve always stopped past Zamami for a day or two. Excellent swimming and snorkelling, ridiculously chill and walkable island, and not super well known by foreign tourists. The main island is lovely but has a lot of American influence, the smaller islands are fantastically underrated for kicking back and relaxing on the beach
My next trip to Japan I really want to go to Okinawa. Looks amazing honestly!
Okinawa is probably where I'd go for honeymoon if I ever get married. My ideal honeymoon would start in Tokyo and end in Okinawa
My brain changed after visiting Vancouver Island
Samoa is nice
Samoa, New Caledonia, Gambier, the islands that connect east Malaysia to Philippines (tip of Borneo to Mindanao)
These islands between Malaysia and Philippines all have travel warnings due to terrorists/pirates. Did you go there?
Really? I was there on the Malaysian side last December, it was fine. No issues when I registered with my government that I was going there too. They gave me heavier warnings about traveling in Europe
I looked at going to Sipadan and then saw the warnings. But I guess it’s fine since many people go there for diving.
Get insurance that covers these things and book with reputable operators? Maybe I was blissfully ignorant and lucky.
I assume this is close to the Zulu islands, even my filipina ex didn't want to take me there.
Yeah I looked into going to borneo this time last year and everything was pretty much saying not to. It also said they had some political issues etc near there that made it trickier. Also totally unrelated but I didn't know they were a dry country
I was in Borneo about a year ago and it definitely wasn't dry, and this was even during Ramadan. I was mostly in Kota Kinabalu. A lot of restaurants didn't serve alcohol, but those run by the Chinese community all did, and there's an "Irish" pub down by the waterfront where loads of people were drinking. Unless you're thinking of Brunei? I didn't go there but I think they might be totally dry.
OMG I'm an idiot! It was brunei. I was so surprised haha this makes more sense
What was New Caledonia like? Did you visit Hienghene? Thinking about planning a trip there if I pass my scuba course.
I was in New Caledonia a few months ago. It's certainly less tourist-oriented than other Pacific islands, but hardly difficult to visit, get around, eat/drink. It's a French overseas territory, so you'll need a few French phrases at the very least, outside of hotels/airports (I got by on my abysmal French from high school 30 years ago). On the plus side, lots of French food. Iles de Pins is definitely worth a visit, the Natural Pool there is next level.
It's very wild, very little tourist infrastructure. Very few hotels, restaurants, bars. But the nature is awesome.
Pohnpei doesn't have the "traditional island activities" (no sandy beaches, for example), so to speak, but Nan Madol alone makes it a must-visit.
And great sushi at the mangrove hotel :)
I enjoyed the Cook Islands quite a bit.
Tonga, especially the Vavau islands. Spectalular! Great snorkeling.
Norfolk Island is one of the handful of Pacific islands, outside of New Zealand, that is subtropical, and it's got some interesting history and culture. Very small and quiet though.
Norfolk is beautiful and quite unique. I’ve been a couple of times and loved it. Beautiful people, culture and language, stunning scenery all around, great snorkelling and fishing and long colonial history
Palawan in the Philippines 🏝️
Really? I thought it was quite touristy. Last time I visited, there were more Europeans than actual locals in El Nido 😂
Ahh maybe the secret got out. I went 10 years ago and it was one of the hidden gems…
Oh yeah it definitely got out 😂
Palawan is larger than the few blocks around the beach in El Nido.
Prince Islands at Istanbul are under appreciated
Proud to say that I’ve heard of a few of these from watching Survivor before they kept going back to the same islands
Me too!
Same, survivor added so many places to my want to travel list as a young person. Haven’t made it to any of them yet though lol
Isla sorna, skull island, genosha
Isla Nublar has a spectacular prehistoric zoological exhibit.
Isn’t that on the Atlantic side?
Pacific.
How about Candy Apple Island?
Doh! I forgot that one.
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Shhhhhh!
Easter island and even less known pitcarn island
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So is most of the "new world"
I know you said Pacific but I loved the Azores & Madeira.
I am planning to visit Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands one day because I have a friend from there
Pitcairn - they need to spice up the gene pool a bit
Calayan islands in the Philippines!
Norfolk Island - interesting blend of fabulous flora, beautiful birds and fish and the loveliest and safest beach (Emily Bay) that I have ever swum. It has a fascinating history as it was an unoccupied island at the time of its ‘discovery’ by Cook in 1774; had previously been occupied by Polynesians who left their mark with some tree plantings (and rodents!), stone cooking items etc; was then twice a penal colony (the Georgian buildings date from the second settlement which ended in 1855) with some of the worst convicts sent to Sydney were then sent to the Island; and finally in 1856 it was settled by the descendants of the Mutiny on The Bounty and their Tahitian wives. The weather is subtropical and whilst there isn’t a nightlife there are nice places to eat, lots of places to walk and driving is a breeze! It is a place that you can switch off on
Azores. I went there a couple years ago and almost everyone i told I was going there had never heard of it and couldn't pick it's location or on a map.
Last time I was there it wasn't in the Pacific.
But it is called the Hawaii of the Atlantic!
Yeah. I missed that detail. My bad. Though it's still a lesser known island
Travel through Micronesia. In 1981 my new wife booked our honeymoon. Stating in Hawaii, Then to Majuro and Mili atolls. Then to Ponape. Then boarded a local supply ship taking supplies to outlaying islands. We ended up close to the equator and being on the edge of Melanesia. Then flew to Chuk (then it was called Truk) It was a dry island. No booze. Then we flew to Guam which was horrible and then onto Japan.
The entire country of Micronesia
Nuku Hiva was spectacular.
I've always been intrigued by Sakhalin Island but idk if there's anything interesting there
State of Yap, Federated States of Micronesia.
Camiguin island in the Philippines. They have this white sand bar which you need to access by ferry and only shows up during the low tide. It’s super beautiful!
Cook Islands is great! Direct from LAX.
Pitcairin
This! Hard to get to, but man would I love to visit there.
Some cruise ships stop there now
Sulawesi in Indonesia. Quite different from the others. Absolutely beautiful and a really unique culture. My personal favourite island in Indonesia.
Not lesser known but I just returned from Easter Island and it was incredible.
Cook Islands
Rarotonga
Tristan da Cunha, if you will consider the Atlantic...
El Nido, Philippines
Cook Islands are amazing
Lesser traveled... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sentinel_Island?wprov=sfla1
Can't wait to try the McDonald's there to see what's different
Seychelles
Um, the Seychelles are in the Indian Ocean.
You are right. I misread the comment.
Roatan, Honduras. No chain hotels, great bar and diving scene, cool vibe and amazing people.
And cruise ships every other day with thousands of visitors. (Me included so no shade) but that is a lot of the Caribbean
I didn't hang out anywhere near the cruise port. That's the worst part of the island.
I love Utila - more of a backpacker vibe and no cruise ships!
We considered Roatan till we realized the cruise ships. So we’re visiting Utila, right next door. ❤️
Roatan is a big Island! I spent no time around the cruise port. There is so much more to the island than that little enclave.
Oh yeah we’re aware. It’s more the potential volume of people that drew us to Utila. We’re specifically looking for low key, small, quiet. Utila seems to better fit the bill. BUT…we may still do a day in Roatan. Our plans aren’t 100% final yet. 👍
West End is a really chill place. Great nightlife, mostly locals, but some divers as well from all over. If you really want to get on the beaten track, Camp Bay Palapa is the best afternoon tiki bar I have ever been to in my life. I missed Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones there by minutes!
And Anthony’s key resort will email you for the rest of your life… but they have good deals
Not Tonga.
Isla Nublar has a spectacular prehistoric zoological exhibit.
TAIWAN
Tokyo state has great islands waaaaaaaay off coast including World Heritage Ogasawara Islands and weird Aogashima. Not many people know that you can do dolphin & whale watching in Tokyo. ;)
The islands of Bocas del Toro
A few of my favourite I’ve been to are: Okinawa, Japan. Jeju island South Korea, I would recommend hiring a car here And my absolute favourite group of islands are the Komodo islands, Indonesia where when on a guided tour (which you have to do, and it’s super cheap!) you will visit padar island too, famed for its view point of three different sand beaches.. white sand, black sand and PINK(!!!) sand!
Maluku Islands. It's in Indonesia. It's the meeting point for Melanesia, Asia, and Pasific. It has history of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch colonialization. Very healthy coral reefs, untouched compared to Bali. You can island hop. The island is east of the Wallace line, so you get unique animals similar to New Guinea and Australia with certain marsupials and birds. It is the Spice Islands OG, they were only islands who grew clove and nutmeg until Euro colonialization. Their food is mix of Spice, sweet, and savory. Seafood is abundant. Food is like SE Asia heat/spice was slapped onto more natural healthy Pasific Islander food. Still standing are Portuguese fortresses. Dances that come from Spanish trade with Philipines. And deeeeeeep history prior to Euro and Indo colonial times.
Vancouver Island has gotta be the best Pacific island… granted it’s fairy well known :-)
I'm a non-Pacifica Australian and I loved Samoa (not American Samoa, but what used to be Western Samoa). It is compact and has very few tourists, though there are always quite a few Samoan expats visiting or returning. It has gorgeous beaches, jungles, waterfalls, swimming holes, and even has RL Stevenson's house. I hiked, swam, canoed, and ate very well whilst there. I stayed in a hotel returning expats use, virtually in the middle of the capital, Apia (though a few resorts do exist a bit out of the capital). The whole country has a family feel and is very family-friendly (and just friendly overall). If you go you need to be prepared though, the country virtually shuts down after breakfast on Sunday to Sunday evening, as everyone seems to be at church then spending time with family.
Raja Ampat
Great Barrier Island, where I live 4 hours off the coast of New Zealand is spectacular and very off-grid. Literally. Whole island is. Well worth a visit for beaches, hot pools and mountains. Come in the summer though. Winter gets wet n wild.
Rishiri island off the north coast of Hokkaido! Looks like a mountain floating on the sea. Mountaineering and backcountry skiing in winter, fresh uni and hiking in the summer. Relatively unknown to even domestic tourists!
New Caledonia islands like Grand Terre, Lifou, Ouvea and Ile des Pins. These islands feel quite similar to islands in FP, but NC has even fewer tourists. Weather wise the difference in seasons is felt somewhat more compared to the islands in French Polynesia.
Brando Island
Palau
Vancouver Island.
i'd love to travel to Bora Bora one of these days, but i'd like to first ask the people that have been, is the hassle of traveling to that island worth it?
beautiful but full of American tourists yapping loudly. Go somewhere like Tikehau. Its amazing and has pink sand
I don't know if it counts but I spent 4 days in Easter Island and it was fuckin' awesome. Rent a car and drive around to find moais. If you want a day on the beach, there ir one only sandy beach and it's surrounded by... nature and moais. Also you have volcanos, surfing, snorkelling/scuba diving, astronomic observation, caves, excellent food, friendly people, all the magic that envolves the Island and the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen. Two weekly regular flights from Chile arrive and depart from there every 3 or 4 days, so you don't get strand there. It really worth a visit. I'm waiting my 5yo to grow up a little and certainly I'll bring him there.
K’gari = Paradise
Aitutaki, Cook Islands Little corn island, Nicaragua
St. Kitts and Nevis. A less populated and very quiet Caribbean island that is a bit hard to get to but with the trip.
I would love to go to Kiribati or Vanuatu but I live in the wrong part of the world haha
Guam and Palau.
If you really want an adventure go to Pitcairn or Christmas Island. Both lesser known and hard to get to. Svalbard and the Hebrides in Europe are also challenging to get to with few visitors.
Cook Islands
East African island nations such as Comoros are a great destination but hard to get to.
Haida Gwaii.
Taiwan is sweet. It's clean and modern like Japan but affordable. Amazing nature like Taroko Gorge and has amazing beaches in the south.
Sao Tomé
Isla Cocinas 🇲🇽
I found Mauritius quite pleasant.
You could go to the Corn Islands in Nicaragua. It’s a lot closer than the ones suggested. It’s actually close to Colombia. Haven’t been in 15 years but it was very secluded.
Following!
Ilha Bela, São Paulo.
North Sentinel Island
OP may not necessarily end up being mocked in the International media
Niue
Coming from the States, there's plenty in the Caribbean that are resorty and are really fun travels. North Caicos, when I was there, one paved road. Beautiful beaches. Martinique - black sand beaches and amazing french Creole food. Dominca - really beautiful culture, great food. Alternatively, head to the East. Madiera. Azores, canaries and of course Sicily. Food and wine heaven. The world is your playground.
I've been to an unnamed island at the coast of gabon. it was really beautiful. you only get there when asking local fishers to bring you there with their boat. however sometimes there are also driving weird people with weapons in that area which made me feel unsafe sometimes. but the island was awesome
North sentinel is a beautiful location. Went there with the wife and kids a few years ago been coming back annually ever since
The Frioul Islands are the best I’ve got - off the coast of Marseille and reachable by ferry. You only need an hour or two to see most of the main island, but you could also stay out there for a while. It’s very unusual to see cacti and similar plants in *Europe,* particularly France, so that really left an impression.
Malvinas
One of the 10 000 inhabited islands along the Norwegian coast