McLachlan Craig - Rarotonga, Samoa & Tonga 7th

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Think lush, reef-fringed islands with sandy foreshores that virtually glow in the tropical sunshine. These are the central South Pacific islands that dreams are made of.

Scattered over a vast expanse of empty ocean, these islands are a castaways dream come true. If youve ever fantasised about escaping to a remote desert island, far from the hustle and hum of the modern world, then look no further than these fascinating islands. Here youll find a couple of thousand years of Polynesian culture sitting side by side with some of the most spectacular natural scenery in the South Pacific.

The idyllic norm in these small island nations involves lush, reef-fringed islands with sandy foreshores that virtually glow in the tropical sunshine. Even when it rains, the sense of verdancy is so strong that you can almost hear the heilala (Tongas national flower), teuila (Samoan red ginger), frangipani and hibiscus flowers stretching upwards. After the rain, the tropical bouquet can be so pervading that youll wish you could bottle it up and take it home. The pristine oceanic depths that thread through this Pacific enclave host thousands of species of marine life, from kaleidoscopic coral to the flukes of humpback whales that come to spawn their young in the warm waters.

People here are so passionately idiosyncratic that almost every encounter yields a memorable moment. Locals can burst into spontaneous song in public, while the singing in church on Sundays raises the roof. Villagers casually swing bush knives by their sides as they walk along, kids sit on the scuffed tombs of their relatives as if they were outdoor furniture, and games of rugby and volleyball are played with gladiatorial intensity on patches of grass. Groups of women proudly produce traditional handicrafts such as tapa cloth, woven mats and baskets, while outstanding carvings are made from wood and bone. And that captivating Polynesian smile is everywhere.

While snorkelling, diving, sailing, swimming, hiking, whale watching, drinking, feasting and talking about nothing in particular with loquacious locals, visitors to these islands quickly learn how to release their inner tensions and replace them with a paradisal calm.

Time, like most other things in the South Pacific, has a mind of its own. Days roll by with the island tides: one day youll be exploring taro plantations, snorkelling with Technicolor tropical fish, swimming in underground caves and dancing till dawn with the locals, and the next, a plane will be waiting to whisk you away home. Make the most of it while you can paradise is a pretty tough place to find.

Return to Paradise Beach, Upolu, Samoa ()
RACHEL LEWIS / LONELY PLANET IMAGES

Any of these countries could be that place on a Travel to Paradise poster that makes you want to leave your job and live in flip-flops forever. But these central South Pacific island nations are not just a homogenised string of palm trees and blue water. The cultures and landscapes that spread across this vast ocean hold an incredible diversity, from sandy atolls and jungle-covered high islands to bustling capitals and tiny villages on remote outer islets.

Lalomanu Beach (), Samoa
BOB KRIST / CORBIS

Hiking the Cross-Island Track

A Cook Islands sojourn usually involves lots of good eating and drinking, and lazy days on the beach. The perfect balance to this tropical relaxation is to challenge yourself on Rarotongas Cross-Island Track ( ). The three- to four-hour hike via the 413m-high Te Rua Manga (The Needle) immerses walkers in some of the islands most spectacular scenery. Starting from Rarotongas northern coast, the terrain includes tangled tree roots amid tropical forest, and meandering, rocky streams. Cool off in Wigmores Waterfall at the trails end.

WALLIXX / DREAMSTIME

Sea Kayaking

The best way to see the aquamarine waterways and remote sandy islands of Tongas Vavau ( ) groups is to take to the water on a guided multiday kayak tour. Theres plenty on offer, from single-day trips to 13-day packages, giving you the opportunity to see paradise, get a bit of exercise, and meet smiling villagers on outer islands that are usually next to impossible to get to. Theres plenty of time for swimming, snorkelling, and, if youre lucky, paddling not too far away from massive humpback whales.

Vavau Group, Tonga
PAUL SUTHERLAND / NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC STOCK

To Sua Ocean Trench

Once youve descended the 20-odd metres of sturdy wooden ladder into the crystalline waters of this fairy grotto in Samoa, youll experience a serene sense of being removed from the world. This is not so much a trench as two sinkholes with sheer rock walls decorated with greenery. You can swim under a broad arch of rock from the larger pool, serenaded by droplets of water hitting the surface, to the second, large opening to the sky. Marvel at this fascinating freak of nature, fed by waves surging through an underwater passageway ( ).

SAMOA TOURISM BOARD

Fagatele Bay

This impressive submerged volcanic crater is fringed by Tutuilas last remaining stretch of coastal rainforest. Its cliffside depths contain more than 140 species of coral and innumerable species of colourful tropical fish such as parrot fish, damselfish and butterfly fish as well as other sea creatures such as lobsters, crabs, sharks and octopuses. Its also visited by numerous turtle species and, between June and September, by migrating southern humpback whales. With these marvellous natural assets, its little wonder that the bay was designated a marine sanctuary in 1986 ( ).