Regional guides
Pacific Islands Travel Guide for Kiwis
Updated 27 September 2026
This Pacific Islands travel guide starts with the obvious: the islands are the closest thing Kiwis have to a backyard holiday - a few hours' flight to reefs, lagoons and a pace of life that makes Auckland feel frantic. Plenty of these trips are about visiting family as much as resorts, and each island nation has its own customs worth knowing before you land.
This guide covers the six most popular spots from New Zealand - what to do in each, what's worth knowing before you go, and how to stay connected when resort Wi-Fi is slow or you're staying with whฤnau rather than at a hotel.
Quick recommendation
A week in Fiji, mostly maps, messaging and holiday photos? Start with the 5 GB plan (30 days, $27.99) on the Fiji eSIM plans page, and size up if you'll be streaming or hotspotting a laptop.
Where to go in the Pacific Islands
Fiji
Fiji is the most-visited of the lot from New Zealand - resorts on the Coral Coast and Denarau, island-hopping out to the Mamanucas and Yasawas, and some of the world's best soft-coral diving.
Things to do
- Island-hop the Mamanuca and Yasawa groups by catamaran or small resort boat.
- Dive or snorkel the Great Astrolabe Reef off Kadavu, or the soft corals of the Somosomo Strait.
- Visit a village with a guide and take part in a sevusevu kava welcome.
- Spend a day in Suva for the markets and the Fiji Museum.
Good to know
- Bring a small bundle of kava (yaqona) as a gift if you're visiting a village - it's how you ask the chief's permission to visit.
- Cover shoulders and knees and take off hats and sunglasses in villages.
- Signal is good around Nadi, Suva and the Coral Coast but slower and patchier in the Yasawas - see Fiji eSIM plans for coverage details.
Samoa
Samoa is lush, laid-back and very traditional - two main islands, Upolu and Savai'i, with some of the Pacific's most striking swimming spots.
Things to do
- Climb down the ladder into the To Sua Ocean Trench on Upolu.
- Stay in a traditional open-sided beach fale at Lalomanu.
- Take the ferry to Savai'i for the Alofaaga blowholes and the lava fields.
- Swim at Papaseea Sliding Rocks and Piula Cave Pool.
Good to know
- Sundays are for church, family and rest - move quietly through villages, and expect most shops, sights and fuel stations to be closed, though resorts stay open.
- Villages often have an evening prayer curfew (sฤ) - if you hear the bell or conch, stop and wait quietly until it ends.
Tonga
Tonga is the Pacific's only kingdom and one of the few places in the world you can swim with humpback whales, from roughly July to October.
Things to do
- Swim with humpback whales in Vava'u with a licensed operator in season.
- Sail or kayak between the islands of Vava'u.
- See the blowholes at Mapu'a 'a Vaea on Tongatapu.
- Visit the ancient stone trilithon, Ha'amonga 'a Maui.
Good to know
- Sunday is a legally enforced day of rest - almost everything, including shops and petrol stations, closes, and activities like swimming at public beaches and fishing aren't allowed. Plan your Sunday around your resort.
- Dress modestly away from resorts; walking around shirtless in town is frowned on.
Vanuatu
Vanuatu is Melanesian, adventurous and a little wilder - an active volcano you can stand on the rim of, WWII wrecks and deep blue swimming holes.
Things to do
- Watch Mount Yasur erupt at dusk on Tanna.
- Dive the SS President Coolidge wreck off Espiritu Santo.
- Swim in the blue holes and on Champagne Beach on Santo.
- Explore Port Vila's market and the Mele Cascades.
Good to know
- Vanuatu uses the same plugs as New Zealand, but drives on the right.
- Coverage drops off quickly outside Port Vila and Luganville - download maps before heading to Tanna or the outer islands.
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a slice of France in the Pacific - croissants in Noumรฉa, one of the world's largest lagoons, and the pine-fringed bays of the Isle of Pines.
Things to do
- Snorkel the UNESCO-listed lagoon, one of the largest in the world.
- Take a day trip to the Isle of Pines and swim in the Oro Bay natural pool.
- Visit the Tjibaou Cultural Centre in Noumรฉa to learn about Kanak culture.
Good to know
- French is the main language, though English is common in Noumรฉa's tourist areas.
- The currency is the Pacific franc (XPF), and power sockets are European-style, so bring an adapter.
French Polynesia
French Polynesia - Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora and beyond - is the classic overwater-bungalow dream, spread across islands the size of Western Europe.
Things to do
- Snorkel with rays and sharks in Moorea's lagoon.
- Stay in an overwater bungalow on Bora Bora.
- Dive the Tiputa Pass in Rangiroa in the Tuamotus.
- Hike to waterfalls in the Papenoo Valley on Tahiti.
Good to know
- It's expensive - budget more than you would for Fiji or Samoa, especially for food.
- Coverage is good on Tahiti and Moorea but only around villages in the Tuamotus and Marquesas.
Staying connected in the islands
Mobile coverage in the Pacific is strongest around each country's main town and thins out fast the further you get - a boat transfer to an outer island can mean going from solid signal to none. Resort Wi-Fi is often slow or shared, and if you're staying with family it may not exist at all.
An eSIM installed before you fly means maps, messaging and weather updates the moment you land. For the full picture on coverage island by island, see our guide to Pacific Island connectivity.
One eSIM or one per country?
If you're visiting more than one of these places, a regional bundle means one eSIM for the whole trip - no new QR code at each border. If you're mostly in one country, its own plan is usually cheaper. Current options:
- Oceania ยท 8 countries - covers 4 of 6 of the places in this guide, from $24.99
Single-country plans
Things to know before you go to the Pacific Islands
- Cyclone season - The South Pacific cyclone season runs from 1 November to 30 April. Travel insurance and a way to get weather alerts both matter more then.
- Entry requirements - Kiwis don't need a visa for short visits to Fiji, but you do need a passport valid for at least six months. Rules differ by country and change, so check SafeTravel before you book.
- Cash - Cards work at resorts and bigger shops, but markets, village visits, small cafรฉs and taxis are often cash-only - carry some local currency.
- Plugs - Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu use the same plug as New Zealand. New Caledonia and French Polynesia need an adapter.
The Pacific Islands FAQs
Can I keep my NZ number in the Pacific Islands?
Yes - the eSIM sits alongside your normal SIM, so your NZ number keeps getting texts and calls while the eSIM handles data. Turn data roaming off on your NZ SIM so it can't run up charges.
Do I need a visa for Fiji, Samoa or Tonga?
Kiwis don't need a visa for short visits to Fiji, and rules for Samoa, Tonga and the others are usually straightforward for NZ passport holders - but they differ and change, so check SafeTravel before you book.
Is it better to stay on the main island or an outer island?
Main islands are easier for day trips, restaurants and signal; outer islands are quieter, with better snorkelling and less coverage. Many Kiwis split a trip between both.
Can I use one eSIM across several Pacific islands?
Sometimes - check the bundles listed above for one that covers every country on your trip. If you're mainly in one country, its own plan is usually the cheaper option.
Will my phone work on the outer islands?
Often only around the main village or resort, and some small islands have no coverage at all. Download maps and let family know you might be out of touch for a bit.
When is the best time to visit the Pacific Islands?
May to October is drier and outside cyclone season, and it's also humpback whale season in Tonga from roughly July to October.
Sources
Information checked 27 September 2026. Entry rules, fees and local details change - confirm anything important with the official source before you travel.
- Pacific cyclone season: 1 November to 30 April - SafeTravel (safetravel.govt.nz)
- Fijian Village Visit Etiquette - Tourism Fiji (fiji.travel)
- Visa, Permits and Waivers - Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs (foreignaffairs.gov.fj)
- Sundays in Samoa - Samoa Tourism (samoa.travel)
- Cultural Protocols - Samoa Tourism (samoa.travel)
- Tonga's Sabbath laws - ABC News (abc.net.au)
- Sundays in Tonga - Timeless Tonga (timelesstonga.com)
- Plan Your Trip from A to Z - New Caledonia Tourism (newcaledonia.travel)
- Plug and outlet types used in Vanuatu - Wise (wise.com)
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