Selecting the “best” island

Hi fellow travellers!
While the corona virus still hits our societies hard I can’t help dreaming and planning future adventures. Looking at Micronesia and the many islands east of New Zealand, which ones do you recommend? Me and my husband are experienced travellers and like places that are not too touristy, crowded and commercial. We enjoy culture, people, nature, good food, hikes, snorkelling. Cook Islands look interesting. How are they in comparison to the other islands?
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Best/ Chevera, Sweden

In the Cooks, Rarotonga and Aitutaki are quite touristy at normal times, the other islands much less so.

Micronesia gets very few tourists beyond Palau, Guam and the Marianas, which get many Asian tourists.

Generally, the less touristy a country/island, the less good the food. What locals eat is mistly not really to Westerners' taste, so "good food" is usually only found in touristy areas.
Basically, the Pacific Islands are not the places ti visit for good food.

If hiking is an important factor, the bigger islands in Melanesia offer far more possibilities than most of Polynesia or Micronesia. Melanesia and parts of Micronesia are also better than Polynesia for traditional culture.

Hi Lazlo, many thanks! I will keep your advice in mind and continue for looking!
Best! Chevera

New Caledonia is not very touristy, mining remains the main economic activity. It offers a multiday hike in the nature inland, the GRNC1, I was alone almost all along the trail.

And being French, New Caledonia has pretty good food, too.
Being French may also be its main drawback: Your communications will be very limited unless you speak French.

Thanks again Lazlo, luckily I speak a bit of French :)

Brgds/ Chevera

Hello Willemspie!

I read that NC is not that volcanic as some of the other islands. Is that so? And how are the beaches och reefs (for snorkeling)?
Brgds/ Chevera

No NC is not volcanic.
There are superb beaches and good snorkeling, but I'm not an expert at all in that field.

For volcanoes and much better snorkelling, very friendly people and very traditional cultures, head for Vanuatu just to the North.
There is good hiking there, too, but very different from New Caledonia: no marked trails, guides probably necessary, overnighting in remote villages. Food also quite basic beyond the capital.

Thanks Lazlo, exciting, I´ll check into that!
Brgds/ Chevera

Niue is a small island east of Fiji which is quiet and laid back and no very touristy. More than a handful of days you will probably run out of things to do. For a larger island boasting most of what you want have a look at Samoa.

Rocky Niue is hardly a place for snorkelling - it is hard enough to find little coves to swim at!
I consider Samoa the worst place in the region and would only recommend it to my enemies.
Anyway, with supposedly only a few hours life left in Thorn Tree, I guess it is time to wave goodbye to this branch, too!

Hello Lazlo!
Vanuatu looks definitely interesting! Thanks for the tip!
Best/ Chevera