I have friends who have been all over the world, and have raved about Costa Rica, and said it's by far their favorite place. Very friendly, and safe, too. Look over on the Latin America board, and there's tons of info.
If you can afford it, there's a brand new Four Seasons in Costa Rica that looks magnificent...

I spent a very enjoyable week in Oahu on the way to the Cook Islands last February. While in Oahu I stayed on the Windward side, great uncrowded beach at Kailua. It felt quite US, tho scads different than the mainland. For what it seems you'd like I'd vote for the Cook Islands. Do check Ken's reports, esp. on Epinions, re the Cook Islands. Fantastic place! As a previous poster said...not a stoplight to be found. It's safe, beautiful, not crowded, somewhqat slow-paced, affordable, not many little kids travelling with parents, great sense of a different, but welcoming, culture. There is A golf course in Rarotonga + one waterfall + sufficient restaurants with interesting menus. It's lush, tropical, do consider it.

our 10 yr annv last nov. was at the bora bora lagoon resort. end of pontoon bungalow facing the deserted motu. heaven. best activity- motu barbeque. Motai(sp) took us on his outrigger around the island for private snorkeling at all the fav sites, mantas, eels, (all these things giant size) he actually dove down and rode the 8 foot or bigger eel up out of its cave! feeding swarms of stingrays sharks. then the deserted island picnic in the water where he bbq'd lobster so on and so on. all day trip. worth the 20 hrs it took us to get to bora bora if that is all we had done.
weirdest adventure- cause mostly we did nada and loved it- snorkeling of our balcony we look in a coral and it seems to be breathing -weird- i swear it winks at me, i go get hubby and as he nears coral- it lifts out and blobs up. ewww!!!! we weird out it's an octopus! they like nest in the top of burrowed out coral. yikes we jumped back up on our balcony and call for more mango dacquiris! Learn to use a camera before you go. hard to catch to breathtaking blues and violets. long way to go back to get more pics and $$$$$$$$$

Editorial note: there is nothing more useless than a review citing unnamed, unlisted and otherwise unknown third parties. What is the point, just to be heard? Please use common sense when reading from "I heard from friends" reviews and ignore them.

Anyhow - this list of replies is actually a very solid cross-section of opinion and experience. I have discovered a few places from reading through the thread and wanted to thank everyone for their contributions.

We found Kauai, Bora Bora, Moorea, and Fiji (Vanua Levu) to be extremely friendly and unique each in its own way.

We never sensed any anti-American vibes but to be sure, you can probably root them out any place you travel if you happen to interact with the wrong people at the wrong time. Overall we have always felt welcome.

Comparing them (we have not yet been to Costa Rica but we are investigating thanks to the pointers here) is not apples to apples but here's a try...

Overall, to us, the South Pacific feels more like a vacation from the normal routine and is less commercialzed. Yes, the larger cities have that creeping western look and feel but what else is new? We enjoy Kauai to a high degree but by comparison it feels like a commodity item. You just need to experience the South Pacific to understand how much more lush and tropical it feels. And to reiterate, I don't know how anyone can claim to feel anti-American sentiments in the South Pacific unless they somehow expect to be treated like superiors instead of like fellow humans.

I do like what I read about Costa Rica but if given the opportunity, I would not miss at least one visit to one of the South Pac regions.

Good luck in your adventures.

patrick

We visited Kauai once and have been to Costa Rica 3 times and much prefer Costa Rica for the "exotic" factor. I agree with the other posters who commented on foreign travels being preferrable to Hawaii. Kauai was beautiful but too familiar with strip malls, KMarts and the usual American trappings. We don't like big resorts either, and Kauai really does not have any selection of small boutique places.

In Costa Rica, our favorite place is Florblanca in Malpais/Santa Teresa (www.florblanca.com). There are also other fabulous places to stay (on or near the beach: Punta Islita, Makanda by the Sea, Si Como No, Cala Luna; or in the mountains: Xandari, Vista del Valle; or in the rain forest: Lapa Rios, Bosque del Cabo).
Have never been to the South Pacific, but would strongly consider the Cook Islands or Fiji.

This may be the place!
www.coconutsbeachclub.com
It's looking good for hubby's next big birthday
R5

Upscale on Fiji can be very, very upscale indeed.

We spent some time at a not-upscale-at-all place on Taveuni, regarded by many as the most beautiful of Fiji's large islands. It was unspeakably beautiful, the people the friendliest, most accommodating folks we've ever met, and we'd return in a second IF we can get accommodation with better creature comforts than the place we stayed.

Several sets of friends have stayed at some of the more upscale places in Fiji - in particular the spectacular Vatulele, and have vowed to think about career changes (to being bank robbers) so that they can go back as often as possible.

I wouldn't even begin to compare Fiji with Hawaii in terms of appeal (to us) but economics rears its ugly head in all cases, and the combination of airfare (not just to Nadi but beyond to the out islands) and accommodation costs make a luxury holiday in Fiji very expensive indeed.

We plan to go to the Cooks next time, even though my take on them is that the influence of NZ (not bad) is quite predominant, while Fiji was very much its own (i.e., Fijiian and Indian) place.

If you want golf and a more remote setting I don't know of anywhere in Fiji that will qualify, but I'm no expert on golfing in the S. Pacific. I believe the Sheraton close to Nadi airport is where Vijay Singh played, but that location is not especially remote. Nice place, though.