My wife and I are planning our second trip to the South Pacific. We visited Moorea the first time. <BR> <BR>We enjoyed the lack of resort development, good snorkeling, charming little restaurants, laid back atmosphere, and beautiful scenery of Moorea. <BR> <BR>Can you please recommend other destinations in the region with the same characteristics? I'm starting to look into Cook Isles, Figi, Tonga so far. <BR> <BR>Thanks for your input! <BR> <BR>Mike

I'd say Rarotonga. It si a clean small freindly island in the Cooks. Good restaurants, very laid back & beautiful Muri lagoon. Mind you for shear beauty, Moorea & Bora Bora are hard to beat but I feel rapidly becoming too commercial. Fiji is my favorite but the outer island provate resorts it is known for do not give you the varied restaurants you're looking for. The people are truely amazing. Western Samoa is fantastic but the 2 good resorts on the south side of Upolo are isolated so restaurants are not an option unless you drive (big mountain inbetween) to Apia. There is an article in todays LA Times magazine about Samoa & pictures of where we stayed. We are returning to the Cooks next month & Aitutaki. Obviously we love the South Pacific. You'll find things to enjoy about any destination. They all have their own unique flavor.

I'm with Peggy on this one. Rarotaonga is quieter, friendlier, cheaper, and just as scenic as Moorea. Aitutaki is quiter, friendlier, cheaper, and just as scenic as Bora Bora. Having been to both, I can't think of why I would go back to those Society Islands, instead of the Cook Islands. My second choice would be Taveuni and Kadavu islands in Fiji.

Thanks for the Rarotonga idea. I just ordered the Lonely Planet book to read up about the Island. <BR> <BR>How's the snorkeling there? <BR> <BR>Mike

There's some OK snorkeling, but most of the good reefs are offshore and best accessed by boat. A better place for diving than snorkeling. Aitutaki is better than Raro for snorkeling.

Ok, so I can take day trips by boat to good snorkeling spots in the area? That's cool with me. How's visibility?