Tonga, Somoa or Rarotonga - which is the best?

I'm looking for a new South Pacific country to travel to from Brisbane and I have narrowed it down to Tonga, Somoa or Rarotonga.

My ideal holidays are off the beaten track, beautiful beaches, lovely people and few tourists. I don't scuba dive and I'm not really into going on long hikes, but love a bit of adventure to see a natural wonder. My favourite South Pacific holiday so far has been Vanuata; a few days relaxing in comfort on Erakor Island and then flying to Tanna and peering over the edge of Mt Yasir volcano while balls of fire were shooting into the sky. I want to emmulate this holiday. Any suggestions would be greatly welcomed and my arm can be twisted if you can think of anywhere better than Tonga, Somoa or Rarotonga, which I have mainly picked due to the ease of travel from Brisbane.

Thanks in advance.

I don't recommend Samoa based on that criteria. Can't comment on the other two.

If you want off the beaten track, lovely people, beautiful beaches, and few tourists, then American Samoa fits the bill. I encountered 1 other person there that was there for a holiday, and locals seem surprised to hear that you're there for a vacation. The only other visitors were American aid workers, airline workers, army folk, and those sorts, but even they were few and far between. Seeing how the American culture has rubbed off on the nation is pretty interesting, but traditional Samoan culture still prevails. Litter and aggressive dogs are the only real downsides of Am. Samoa. To get there it's a 30-minute $135US return flight from Apia, Samoa (or you could take the cheap weekly overnight ferry if you're feeling adventurous).

Solomon Islands is much closer to Brisbane than the others, less touristy, bigger and more diverse.

I second Solomon Islands, particularly if you want off the beaten track, lovely people and few tourists. Similar to Vanuatu but different enough to offer new experiences ...

Samoa is actually getting quite touristy I've noticed since I first started going there in 2002...

American Samoa has almost NO tourists, however there is little infrastructure for them and it is quite expensive compared to Samoa, Tonga, the Solomons etc...

Thanks for your comments everyone, I really appreciate your insights.

I have heard that Somoa has too many tourists, particularly in Summer, when I am thinking about travelling for this next trip, so I may take this one off the list for now.

Rarotonga sounds absolutely beautiful, but I don't know if it has a really exciting natural wonder (other than diving) that I would love to see. I will definitely go there one day though.

America Somoa is a bit difficult to get to from Brisbane. I don't want to spend much time in the air for this trip; I don't want to take more than two planes to get somewhere.

So it is now down to Tonga and Solomon Islands. I can't really say why I am preferring Tonga at the moment, but I might be better off saving this for a holiday in November to June when I can swim with the whales. The trip I am planning at the moment is for January / February.

My only reservation with the Solomon Islands is that I have heard that in some areas it can be a bit dangerous. Does anyone agree with this, or was the person who told me this paranoid? Also is there enough to do and see if you are not a diver?

Thanks again, I really appreciate your help!

The person who told you Solomon Islands was dangerous is probably looking at very dated footage from the few years when there were ethnic problems. Even then, much of the country was perfectly safe. I am a woman and travelled there regularly during those years, feeling as safe or more so than I do in the regional Australian city where I live.
Take the usual precautions you would travelling anywhere.
Otherwise, you will find very friendly people who will welcome you to their country with big smiles and generosity.
I am not a diver, but I understand the diving is among the best in the world.
Check out the exploring Solomons website (copy and paste from my sig line, or the government site, Visit Solomons for ideas.

Again, I agree with Ozziegiraffe. As a solo female and a regular visitor to Solomons, I was there twice during the 'tensions' and it was as safe then as it ever was (for visitors). Just take the usual precautions, as Ozzie says, because of a slight rise in street crime in the capital. I'm not a diver either, and I find my usual 3-4 months visits not long enough.

You can't go wrong in the Solomon Islands. Tons of adventures waiting for you there with a truly exotic atmosphere. I felt quite safe there, even in Honiara which felt much safer than I thought it would be.

American Samoa has some of the best scenery in the South Pacific and it's probably the least touristy of all of the islands. The Manu'a islands in particular are quite dramatic and adventurous to explore. Fly from Pago Pago to Ta'u, spend a few days exploring the sea cliffs and blowholes of the lost coast, then find a local fisherman to take you over to Ofu and spend a week exploring this fascinating island. Traditional Samoan culture is still very much alive in the Manu'a islands.

Tonga is quite fascinating as well. For cultural experiences and beaches, go to the outer islands, but for one of the coolest natural spectacles in the Pacific, spend a day exploring the Mapua Vaca Blowholes on Tongetapu.

Photos of Samoa, Tonga and Solomon Islands: http://www.michaelandersongallery.com/gallery/pacific-islands/

"while balls of fire were shooting into the sky"

That's kind of hard to top. Of the three I'd say Tonga.

If you want "a bit of adventure to see a natural wonder" what about kayaking Palau in the north Pacific? (See links in my signature.) I heard that there are some crazy cheap airfares from Australia. Sure Palau gets a lot of tourists but you really don't feel it (except for Jellyfish lake) and on a kayaking expedition it seems that the lagoon is yours and you can have your own private island at night. Luxury - Palau Pacific Resort or Caroline's or head to Yap and stay at Trader's Ridge.