Fiji

Fiji gives French Polynesia a run for its money as the South Pacific destination of conventional fantasy: a place to lounge on beaches that seem just-discovered, to drift over kaleidoscopic coral reefs, to nurse a cocktail in the flicker of tiki torches. Such experiences draw half a million visitors to this grouping of 330-odd Melanesian islands, each one of them it’s own corner of paradise-on-Earth.

The allure of Fiji is real. The people here—the bulk of whom represent a marriage of Melanesian and Polynesian cultures forged by thousands of years of trans-ocean mingling—are as hospitable as their reputation would suggest, and there’s a thorough spectrum of accommodations to appeal to all sensibilities: from the most glamorous all-inclusive spa resorts to backpacker-friendly lodges.

Adventurers have endless recreation at their fingertips. From the Blue Lagoon Caves of the Yasawas and the Great White Wall of Taveuni to the extensive Namena Marine Reserve, the diving in Fiji is almost peerless. Meanwhile, cruising or sailing the archipelago gives you a little taste for the island-hopping perfected by the Melanesians and Polynesians. Back on dry land, hiking trails into the interior mountains of Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, or Kadavu turn up birds, reptiles, and amphibians galore in highland rainforest.

Cultural experiences in Fiji range from the rather contrived to the deeply authentic, depending on whether you seek them out on the resort grounds or far beyond. Either way, it’s impossible not to come away without at least some sense of the richness of Fijian heritage: meke dances, kava-drinking sessions, lovo pig roasts, or the much-admired tattoo art.

And, really, it is the people—their seamless nurturing of age-old customs within a modern context, their welcoming and inclusive hospitality—that’ll likely make the greatest impression during your visit to Fiji. After all, it’s in those traditions that the formidable beauty of this archipelago truly crystallizes.