NZ Stopover... Tonga, Samoa, or Cook Is?

Hi All -

Heading to NZ in March for about 2 weeks. On my way back, I have a few options for a 10-day stopover. These include Tonga, Samoa, and Cook Islands. Really just looking for place to chill out and relax before returning to a crazy work environment. Any suggestions/tips....?

FYI - Fiji is also possibly, but I spent a month there a few years back, so thought I would do something new.

Thanks for your input....

Brian

I would pick Tonga, as it offers a variety of islands, accessible both by air and sea depending on what you prefer.

Samoa is less diverse, while in the Cooks one must fly to get from island to island.

I've been to all three and would pick the Cooks. 5 days in Rarotonga and 5 in Aitutaki. (You'll get a high island and a semi-atoll. The poor man's Moorea and Bora Bora.) Beautiful islands, friendly people and easy to get around. It's the perfect choice for relaxing.

If you go to Tonga you most likely will end up flying. The Tonga boat schedule is not that frequent. The nickname for the boat is the Orange Vomit. Flying is not exactly reliable. Airlines there tend to go out of business. They also don't depart according to schedule (mine left before I was supposed to be at the airport for check-in, fortunately I was early). You can find nice beachy places to stay (I was in the Ha'apai) but there is the stress of getting back in time for your international flight.

(Independent) Samoa is beautiful but it has an edge. While most people are nice, it is the one pacific nation/territory where I experienced hostility. From being cursed out by a street sarong vendor for saying "No, thank you" to really being cursed out (it was funny) when I was taking a stroll from Lalomanu beach. After a number of "Where you go?"s, when a woman asked me I just pointed down the road. And the lady flipped. She was sitting on her stoop a way back but boy she went off. Madder than a wet hen. (Incidently, in the Cooks or Tonga no one hassles you, lovely people in both places.)

I'd pick the Cooks if you want a friendly and no-hassle place. I didn't really like the main island of Tongatapu, and one really must fly to Haapai or Vavau, and the flights are often unrelaible.
I agree with Silvano, 5 days on RAr and 5 on Aitutaki would charge your batteries up for a year or so!

everyone has an opinion and here's mine. vava'u is stunning so get as direct a connection as possible from the international airport on tongatapu which is easier said than done sometimes. i think samoa makes for great polynesian travelling, especially checking out the village-based fales that litter the big island of savai'i. rarotonga is more developed, beautiful and cruisy and like a lovely sub-tropical way outer suburb of Auckland.