From volcanic Vanuatu to the crystal blue waters of Samoa, to the rugged mountains of New Zealand. The South Pacific is undefinable. Each island is far enough away that it has mastered its own culture, it’s own take on Polynesian mythology. And, when you think you know it all, you’ve taken on another boat ride through history.

That’s part of why I was so drawn to living in New Zealand. After living in Australia where indigenous roots are mostly tucked away in the outback, or glossed over in the history books, NZ offered up a plate of rich South Pacific history. From working and socialising with Maori people, to learning about their culture in the Tamaki Maori villages, I feel so immersed in their culture.

As a region, the South Pacific takes a back seat to the more conventional travel and backpacking destinations like South East Asia, Europe, and South America. This is in part due to its remoteness. Look at any map of the area, and you’ll see many minute land masses splattered across the vast blue ocean. Many of the islands are accessible by flights, and a few still only accessible by sea.

So, why is the South Pacific, as diverse as it is, so damn interesting? For myself, the people and their ancient cultures are an immense draw. When ancient Polynesians left the Solomon Islands some 3,500 years ago, they delved into the unknown. Their adventurous spirit brought human footprints to the most remote parts of the Pacific Ocean like Hawaii, Samoa and Tonga, and they were not stopping there. I feel such a connection to this spirit of adventure, the need to see more than your backyard, that I had to see these stunning islands for myself.

I visited Samoa back in 2016, after years of pining for the islands, and it blew me away. The laid back attitude toward life is ingrained in the Samoan psyche. With beautiful, traditional villages boasting backdrops of the most crystal clear blue waters, laden with palm trees and wild turtles. Even Humpback Whales stop by once a year to breed in the warm waters, the animal kingdoms version of an all-inclusive resort.

Traditional Samoan fale

I hired a car and drove around the whole island of Upolu, small enough to see in a day. Driving through the villages, the local children would stop and wave. I saw the village chiefs helping cut bananas from the paddocks, even pigs and dogs living in harmony on the side of the road. I could take my pick of beautiful stops, like the To Sua Ocean Trench. To Sua is a breathtaking tidal swimming hole plucked right from the pages of a tropical brochure. Except you won’t see it in any brochure. That’s the beauty of the South Pacific. These islands are there for you to discover, not for someone to sell to you.

To Sua ocean trench – Samoa

I stayed in Dave Parkers Eco Lodge whilst in Samoa. Dave Parker is the uncle of boxing heavyweight Joseph Parker and a bit of a celebrity in Upolu. The retreat is on Dave’s family land in the middle of the Samoan rainforest, looking over the capital Apia and the rest of the Pacific Ocean. Every day, Dave would drive into Apia and was happy to drive you around too. He reminded me of a tremendously wise owl, and he’d done a fair bit of travelling himself. The islands will always be home for him, though, and it’s not hard to see why.

Even in the more accessible islands of Fiji or Hawaii, you will still adhere to what they call “island time”. Island time is best described as: Not worrying or being confined to time, knowing that whatever it is will eventually get done. If it doesn’t? It probably doesn’t matter. Sega la neqa is the Fijian equivalent of Hakuna Matata. You cannot change these cultural norms, nor will you want to. I find it best to sit back with a cup of the islands finest Kava and enjoy the “no hurry, no worry” lifestyle.

One of my favourite experiences was staying in a Fijian village on Mana island. The island was minute. Big enough for me to walk around in about two hours. Mana housed a fully functioning village with a chief, families, and many Fijian children running around and playing in the waters. Where we stayed definitely was not the 5-star resort everyone immediately thinks of when they hear Fiji. It was a small shack, nestled in the middle of the village. However, this small shack felt more homely than any resort or hotel I have ever stayed in. In the night, my fellow backpackers and I were treated to Kava, fire dances, and traditional Fijian songs from the villagers.

Mana Island, Fiji

I remember watching the children playing. There was no wifi, no phones, barely any electricity on the island. Some of them had no toys. Yet they were the happiest children I’ve ever seen. I watched as they all built a raft out of wood and played pirates in the clear blue waters, not a care in the world, shouting “Bula!” to passersby on the beach (then laughing hysterically when they said it back).

I feel incredibly fortunate to have lived in the South Pacific region, and backpacked some of the most beautiful tropical islands on earth. There are thousands of islands in the South Pacific, and while I may not be able to visit them all, I certainly want to try. Even if it’s a layover in Kiribati (where a giant crab almost stopped the plane from taking off), or turtle spotting in Hawaii, my love for the South Pacific will never cease.

My time in New Zealand won’t last forever, as much as I would love it too. So while I am in this little quiet corner of the earth, island time will be on my mind.

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