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south pacific: niche islands
overseas visitors over 18 to wed
here. Many blessing ceremonies and vow renewals are also conducted, adhering to ancient Tahitian customs. Most resorts are involved, some with special touches such as the St Regis Bora Bora which has a Romance Concierge team. If you want a religious ceremony,
why not choose Samoa where church attendance is among the highest per head in the world with all Christian denominations represented? Alternatively, Samoa offers strikingly beautiful places to tie the knot including waterfalls, secluded beaches, uninhabited islands and on board a sunset cruise. Application forms for a marriage licence must be fi led 14 days prior to the wedding day, but this can be done via a local tour operator or hotel. Honeymooners are spoilt for choice throughout the South Pacifi c, with resorts such as Tokoriki Island in Fiji offering a great balance between seclusion and pampering. Seabreeze Resort in Samoa was
voted by TripAdvisor as one of the Top 10 Hotels for Romance in the South Pacifi c, while the new Aga Reef Resort in Samoa is already a top honeymoon destination.
DIVING/WATER- SPORTS Water-sports are by far the most popular activities in this part of the world, with diving, surfi ng and deep- sea adventure fi shing being among the most popular. Fiji is the top destination with
many water-sports operators being based around Port Denarau in the west of the main island, close to the biggest concentration of resort properties. Coralview Island Resort and Dive Yasawa Lagoon have been operating the Shark Dive Experience at Cathedral Reef for fi ve years, working with the local community in promoting both shark awareness and conservation. Freedive Fiji Gamefi shing & Spearfi shing Charters were winners of the 2013 Fiji International Gamefi shing Tournament, and one of many options for reeling them in. Whitetip Marine Adventures takes small groups from Port Denarau marina to dive sites around the Mamanuca Islands. The Cook Islands have four dive
centres on Rarotonga and two on Aitutaki, and every day is a good dive day as they launch their boats from whichever sides of the islands offer the best conditions. More unusual – but very traditional
– is big canoe racing, with the Vaka Eva festival in November including a round-the-island canoe race. Moorea and Huahine lagoons in
Tahiti are best for diving with grey, yellow and black fi n sharks, eels and leopard rays, and numerous brightly- coloured fi sh. More adventurous divers discover the steep, rocky depths and grottoes between the Society Islands of Raiatea and Taha’a, teeming with manta rays, barracudas and shark species. Diving is still new in Samoa, meaning virtually untouched territory to explore. Spots include Turtle Minefi eld, home to an abundance of green turtles amongst the reef fi sh. Another up-and-coming dive destination is Papua New Guinea, where divers can explore
Above: Learning to dive in Fiji. Left: the colourful and charismatic clownfi sh is a popular spot for South Pacifi c divers.
“Honeymooners are spoilt for choice throughout the South Pacific, with resorts such as Tokoriki Island in Fiji offering a great balance between seclusion and pampering”
sellingtravel.co.uk
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