NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Travel

Pacific jewels for 2013

By Tash McGill
NZ Herald·
15 Jan, 2013 08:30 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Waikiki Beach on Hawaii's Oahu Island is a cold-climate visitor's idea of bliss. Photo / Getty Images

Waikiki Beach on Hawaii's Oahu Island is a cold-climate visitor's idea of bliss. Photo / Getty Images

There are many South Seas gems to be had. Tash McGill looks at some of the brightest

Hawaii Sand Festival & Sand Castle Competition
You'll find the Hawaii Sand Festival and Sand Castle competition at Hanalei, Kauai, at the beginning of August each year. Sponsored by local businesses, it's a genuine community-based event that is free to enter in the kids, youth, adult or team categories.
The festival usually includes workshops with world-renowned sand artists and the BYO-spade and bucket accessibility makes this a great centrepiece to your family holiday. Add in kite-flying, a surf school and impressive prizes and it's a perfect day at the beach, followed by a balmy evening of local food and entertainment. Hanalei Bay usually has plenty of holiday home rentals close to the beach. This year's event is scheduled for August 10.

New Caledonia - The Foodie's Pilgrimage
New Caledonia is a paradise of classic French cooking with South Pacific ingredients. Walking through the markets for fresh fruit, fish, breads, pastries and cheeses, you'd almost be convinced you were in France if not for the balmy temperature. Downloading Gabriel Gate's Bon Apetit, a guide to the best of New Caledonia's cuisine, is a good start on a DIY gourmet tour. Hire an electric bike to tour the morning markets, then soak up the sun beside the lagoon before hitting Noumea's surprisingly busy nightlife scene for dinner and drinks overlooking the water. L'Hippocampe at Le Meridien is widely regarded as New Caledonia's best restaurant, and a cooking class with their executive chef is a highlight. Take foodie friends and plan to indulge.

Fiji Family Heaven
For a luxurious family getaway that doesn't leave parents frazzled by the time you fly home, the Fiji Golf Resort & Spa at Natadola Bay, Fiji, offers plenty of grown-up treats (outstanding golf course, quality spas, pools for adults and families) but gets a special mention for its children's programme. Crab racing, weaving, cooking classes and learning traditional song and dance will entertain the kids and make for great storytelling at the end of the day over shared meals and stargazing. This is indulgent family time in the best way. Be sure to join the InterContinental Hotels' loyalty scheme and take advantage of discounts on food to put it a little closer within reach. The bonus: if you're not travelling with kids, you'll barely notice any.

Budget Beach Fale
Lalomanu's beach fale accommodation is about an hour out of Apia, Samoa, and delivers bang for buck in every respect, including proximity to Samoa's best natural water park, the To Le Sua Ocean Trench. Taufua Beach Fales are owned by a local family that has rebuilt steadily since the 2009 tsunami. You'll be supplied with mats, mattresses, pillows, linen and mosquito nets, in an open or closed fale that can house a group comfortably. Showers and facilities are shared, with meals in the restaurant depending on your booking option. You'll make friends with the staff quickly, who can advise you on what to see and do. A stop in Apia for snacks and supplies is recommended, otherwise there is a small family store at Lalomanu. Pack books, playing cards and ask for a guided walking tour. Hire snorkel gear or take your own. Local transport is easiest by pre-arranged fare (no fear of rip-offs) and drivers will happily wait while you explore. Go with friends for a "make your own adventure" holiday.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Adventureland in Tahiti
Spectacular Fautaua Waterfalls make Tahiti one of the few islands to visit in the rainy season. An intense hike is rewarded by a 304m drop of water into a rock pool, or a further hike to the smaller pool. Within close reach of downtown Pape'ete, you could join a guided tour to the falls or pay the US$7 to do it yourself. Then take a caving expedition through lava tunnels that start in a lush underground greenhouse, pass underground waterfalls and end outside at rockpools bathed in sunshine. Tahiti Tourism manages local guides, who are well-trained and equipped.

Discover more

Travel

New Caledonia: Discovering a new pearl in the Pacific

29 May 09:00 PM
Travel

Samoa: Pacific peace is back

18 Sep 12:00 AM
Entertainment

Fiji: All crew report to the dancefloor

16 Oct 11:00 PM
New Zealand

Whangamata tops bach spots

14 Jan 04:30 PM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Travel

Premium
Travel

Kiwi self-made millionaire Simran Kaur on dreams and 'failing upwards'

Travel

The top five treats to taste on your Disneyland holiday

Travel

Why spending a night at the Rydges Gold Coast is a big mistake


Sponsored

Your Fiordland experience, levelled up

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Travel

Premium
Premium
Kiwi self-made millionaire Simran Kaur on dreams and 'failing upwards'
Travel

Kiwi self-made millionaire Simran Kaur on dreams and 'failing upwards'

What does it take to achieve a dream? The Air NZ Dream Seats ambassador explains.

17 Jul 02:00 AM
The top five treats to taste on your Disneyland holiday
Travel

The top five treats to taste on your Disneyland holiday

16 Jul 03:29 AM
Why spending a night at the Rydges Gold Coast is a big mistake
Travel

Why spending a night at the Rydges Gold Coast is a big mistake

16 Jul 12:53 AM


Your Fiordland experience, levelled up
Sponsored

Your Fiordland experience, levelled up

25 May 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP