1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
|
---
title: Beautiful Islands of the South Pacific
date: 2010-02-09T19:33:18Z
source: http://kathika.com/destinations/20091202-007408/
tags: travel, islands
---
Whether it’s the rich blue waters, clean
[beaches](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/tag/beaches/), or
vibrant coral reefs the islands of the south pacific are becoming a
popular tourist destination for many of today’s modern travelers. Sit
back as we take you on a pictorial visit to 12 of the areas most popular
islands.
[](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/wp-content/uploads/bora-bora-tensaibuta186-ll.jpg "Bora Bora-tensaibuta186")[](/web/20100106230059/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ "Attribution License")
Photo credit:
[tensaibuta](/web/20100106230059/http://www.flickr.com/photos/97657657@N00/2092792187/ "name")
Bora Bora
Bora Bora is a tiny island located in the Pacific Ocean, part of the
Society Islands of French Polynesia. Only about 8,800 people call Bora
Bora home, while many thousands more visit the island and its many
resorts in order to experience the great natural beauty of Bora Bora’s
pristine beaches and crystal clear water. Because of its connection to
[France](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/tag/france/), many of
the island’s citizens speak French and Tahitian, but those who are deal
with tourists do understand English.
[](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/wp-content/uploads/p1040781.jpg-richard-gifford386-ll.jpg "P1040781.JPG-Richard Gifford386")[](/web/20100106230059/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ "Attribution License")
Photo credit: [Richard
Gifford](/web/20100106230059/http://www.flickr.com/photos/rgifford/260587788/ "name")
Fiji
Fiji is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean, a political
grouping of about 322 islands and 522 islets. Out of these islands, only
106 of them are permanently inhabited. Viti Levu and Vanua Levu are the
primary population centers, the both of them supporting 87 percent of
the population. Because of its rich culture and beautiful beaches, this
exotic island nation has become extremely popular as the ideal vacation
and honeymoon destination for many tourists.
[](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/wp-content/uploads/ocean-color-diversity---huahine-landscape-tiarescott44-ll.jpg "Ocean Color Diversity - Huahine Landscape-tiarescott44")[](/web/20100106230059/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ "Attribution License")
Photo credit:
[tiarescott](/web/20100106230059/http://www.flickr.com/photos/tiarescott/43401833/ "name")
Ocean Color Diversity
Huahine is an island located among the Society Islands, a French
Polynesian archipelago. The island is relatively small, with a length of
about 9.9 miles and a maximum width of 8.1 miles. Two main islands make
up Huahine, both of them surrounding a fringing coral reef. Only a few
hundred yards of water separate the two islands with a sandspit
connected them during low tide.
[](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/wp-content/uploads/tahiti-beach---huahine---tahiti-pictures-tiarescott449-ll.jpg "Tahiti Beach - Huahine - Tahiti Pictures-tiarescott449")[](/web/20100106230059/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ "Attribution License")
Photo credit:
[tiarescott](/web/20100106230059/http://www.flickr.com/photos/tiarescott/33505225/ "name")
Tahiti Beach - Huahine
Tahiti is the largest island located in Windward group of islands of
French Polynesia. As of August 2007, the island was home to around
180,000 people, making it the most populous island in French Polynesia
by quite a distance. While Tahiti has a very rich culture and history,
thanks to its unique blend of indigenous and French cultures, the island
is most well known internationally because of its popularity as a
vacation destination.
[](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/wp-content/uploads/tikehau-archipel-des-tuamotus-benoit-mahe858-ll.jpg "Tikehau, archipel des Tuamotus-Benoit Mahe858")[](/web/20100106230059/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ "Attribution License")
Photo credit: [Benoit
Mahe](/web/20100106230059/http://www.flickr.com/photos/loulou/249803558/ "name")
Tikehau, archipel des Tuamotus
Tikehau is a coral atoll located in the Tuamotus Archipelago.
Specifically, Tikehau belongs to the Palliser subgroup of islands, which
is the westernmost group in the Tuamotus. A continuous coral reef
surrounds the lagoon, which contains a great density of fish and other
marine life. About 400 people inhabit the island, supported by a healthy
amount of coconut palms. Tourists resorts also dot the coasts of
Tikehau.
[](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/wp-content/uploads/the-island-of-moorea-eatatmarks906-ll.jpg "The island of Moorea-eatatmarks906")[](/web/20100106230059/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ "Attribution License")
Photo credit:
[eatatmarks](/web/20100106230059/http://www.flickr.com/photos/markjtaylor/2821984266/ "name")
The island of Moorea
Moorea Island is part of the Society Islands archipelago, which is in
turn located in French Polynesia. Located about nine miles northwest of
Tahiti, Moorea is home to about 17,000 residents. Moorea is a popular
tourist destination, especially for those who are already visiting
French Polynesia, and it has become especially associated with
honeymoons. One can find ads for vacations to Moorea in many wedding
magazines.
[](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/wp-content/uploads/kia-ora-rangiroa-tensaibuta384-ll.jpg "Kia Ora, Rangiroa-tensaibuta384")[](/web/20100106230059/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ "Attribution License")
Photo credit:
[tensaibuta](/web/20100106230059/http://www.flickr.com/photos/97657657@N00/3123351125/ "name")
Kia Ora, Rangiroa
Rangiroa is the largest atoll in the Tuamotus, which is a chain of
atolls that runs throughout French Polynesia, and it is one of the
largest in the world. About 250 islands, islets, and sandbars make up
the atoll, which is home to about 2,334 inhabitants. Avatoru is the
chief town of the Rangiroa. It is home to several administrative
offices, a post office, many churches and a small airport.
[](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/wp-content/uploads/vavau-yxo181-ll.jpg "Vavau-YXO181")[](/web/20100106230059/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ "Attribution License")
Photo credit:
[YXO](/web/20100106230059/http://www.flickr.com/photos/yxo/155767869/ "name")
Vavau
Vavau is an island chain consisting of one large island and forty
smaller ones, all of which are a part of Tonga. Vavau’s administrative
center, Neiafu, is the second-largest city in Tonga and it sits at what
is known as one of the best harbor in the entire world. Because of its
excellent harbor and abundant untouched seas, Vavau has gained
recognition as one of the world’s prime fishing spots.
[](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/wp-content/uploads/raiatea---motu-oatara-othanga443-ll.jpg "Raiatea - Motu Oatara-othanga443")[](/web/20100106230059/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ "Attribution License")
Photo credit:
[othanga](/web/20100106230059/http://www.flickr.com/photos/24324534@N02/2839561498/ "name")
Raiatea - Motu Oatara
Only second to Tahiti in size, Raiatea is the second-largest island in
the Society Islands group of French Polynesia. The most important town
in Raiatea is Utuora, which also serves as the administrative center for
the Leeward Islands group. Raiatea, which is enclosed by a coral reef,
is home to about 12,000 residents and is known as the center of
Polynesia.
[](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/wp-content/uploads/round-efate-vanuatu-trip-26-nov.-2006---nguna-from-paonangisi-beach-phillipc242-ll.jpg "Round Efate (Vanuatu) trip, 26 Nov. 2006 - Nguna from Paonangisi Beach-PhillipC242")[](/web/20100106230059/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ "Attribution License")
Photo credit:
[PhillipC](/web/20100106230059/http://www.flickr.com/photos/flissphil/311762598/ "name")
Vanuatu
Vanuatu is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean, one that
was first inhabited by Melanesian people and then subsequently settled
by Europeans in the 18th century. Vanuatu would change hands between
several European powers before finally establishing independence in 1980
following a successful independence movement. About 222,000 people live
in Vanuatu, with thousands more people visiting the exotic island locale
each year.
[](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/wp-content/uploads/rockpools-and-cliff-at-niue-piawaugh65-ll.jpg "Rockpools and cliff at Niue-piawaugh65")[](/web/20100106230059/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ "Attribution License")
Photo credit:
[piawaugh](/web/20100106230059/http://www.flickr.com/photos/piawaugh/2762569296/ "name")
Rockpools and cliff at Niue
Niue, often referred to as “the rock of Polynesia,” is an island nation
located in the South Pacific Ocean. While Niue governs itself, it has a
free association with [New
Zealand](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/new-zealand) and does
not actually have sovereignty, with Queen Elizabeth II serving as the
head of state. The country is in the process of refining its tourism
sector after having identified tourism as one of the best ways for the
country to create revenue.
[](/web/20100106230059/http://kathika.com/wp-content/uploads/awesome-moment-tata_aka_t588-ll.jpg "Awesome Moment-tata_aka_T588")[](/web/20100106230059/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ "Attribution License")
Photo credit:
[tata\_aka\_T](/web/20100106230059/http://www.flickr.com/photos/12453467@N00/3824885116/ "name")
Yap Island
Yap is an island located in the Caroline Islands grouping, which is in
turn situated in the western Pacific Ocean. While many other neighboring
islands have begun to take on European attitudes, Yap has managed to
retain much of its indigenous culture. About 6,300 live in Yap,
according to a 2003 estimate, while tourism brings thousands more
visitors to Yap each year.
|
