This is part of a series called Oceania 2025 So here we are, finishing up nearly four days in Bora Bora and we achieved our goal in coming here — chilling out and having a good, unrushed time. We stayed at the Intercontinental Thalasso Resort and Spa, located on one of the narrow islands (Motu…
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This is part of a series called Oceania 2025 Today was our last stop on the cruise — Huahine, part of the Society Islands and Leeward Islands. It was a pretty exciting ride getting into the town and, luckily, the ship was able to get in closer for our return. So let’s dispense with this…
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This is part of a series called Oceania 2025 Today we visited Raiatea, the second largest of the Society Islands, only behind Tahiti) in French Polynesia. While all the Society Islands were colonized from Tonga and Samoa as early as 200 BC, Raiatea (the traditional name for the island is Havai’i — sound like anyplace…
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This is part of a series called Oceania 2025 Today we visited Aitutaki, the second most populated island (around 1700 people) in the Cook Islands, only behind the more well known Rarotonga. It’s known as an “almost atoll,” consisting of a lagoon within an encircling atoll with a significant area of high land on one…
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This is part of a series called Oceania 2025 We stopped in Apia, Samoa today. This is not to be confused with American Samoa which is “right next door” but, with the current political climate in the US today, it’s hard even for the locals to visit relatives, etc. there (they need a visa). Anyway,…
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This is part of a series called Oceania 2025 Today we visited Neiafu, the capital of Vava’u which is an island group in the northern part of Tonga. We actually positioned ourselves in the protected Port of Refuge, so named by the explorer Don Francisco Mourelle de la Rúa back in 1781 after being frustrated…
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This is part of a series called Oceania 2025 Today we made our first stop in Tonga in Ha’apai and are experiencing a transition from Melanesia to Polynesia although, as we learned, the connections between Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa have existed for a long time and have continued to get stronger. One of the first…
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This is part of a series called Oceania 2025 Today we arrived at the Vulaga Atoll in Fiji. I could have chosen to visit the small village there or gone snorkeling on the reef as the waters were crystal clear. Instead I got to do something I have been waiting literally years to do —…
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This is part of a series called Oceania 2025 After a rather rocking and rolling night, today we visited Dravuni Island which is the largest island of the Kadavu Group, a volcanic archipelago which is surrounded by the Great Astrolabe Reef. In fact, because the seas and winds were so high, the captain actually brought…
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This is part of a series called Oceania 2025 Today we reached Honiara, Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. This was going to be an important stop for us because of all the WW II history here — battles Deb’s and my Dad fought in. There was to be a full day trip to all the…
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