With their overwater bungalows and turquoise lagoons, the idyllic islands of the South Pacific truly are paradise on earth, says James Bell
My dream destination would have to be the South Pacific. The weather is perfect during our summer months. As a child I loved looking a maps of the Pacific and the tiny dots which littered the pages of my school Atlas. I was fascinated by the names and wondered what the tiny specks on the map were really like. It’s only in later life that I have discovered the true beauty of this remote part of the globe. Our travel company Turquoise is named after the colour of the water in the lagoons, bays and inlets that surround the idyllic islands of the South Pacific.
Who would you take?
The South Pacific and especially the islands of Tahiti are fabulously romantic, so I would naturally take my wife, Sue, but my children Sophie and Angus are true water babes, so to swim in those crystal waters would be a joy to watch. Many of the overwater bungalows have glass-topped coffee tops which can slide back, offering you the chance to drop breadcrumbs to myriad tropical fish that swim below the legs of the overwater bungalows. Locally it’s this called Tahitian TV, and it beats CBeebies any day – even the Octonauts!
Where would you stay?
I would love to combine the Cook Islands, Fiji and the islands of Tahiti. They all offer something different and the South Pacific is a paradise to an island hopper like me. I would chose Fiji if I was forced to reduce my travelling time and the packing and unpacking. Fiji is rightly famed for the friendliness of its people, its stunning beach and its remote untouched islands. Yasawa Island is Sue’s favourite – there are no other properties on this perfect piece of island paradise.
How would you get there?
The old coral route to the pacific is now operated by Air New Zealand, a small boutique airline. It’s a journey that would take up to a week in the great seaplanes of yester year but can now been done in a day and night. If money grew like the flowers on the hibiscus bushes in Fiji, I would fly business, which, on Air New Zealand, is as good as first on many other carriers, but the economy cabin is great and premium economy would be perfect.
What would you eat?
Everything from sea, crayfish and huge prawns awash with local lemon and lime juice and black pepper, fruit of every colour, shape and size. I love watermelon, especially for breakfast, and strong black coffee and fresh bread. Then I’d dive into the crashing surf which pounds the beach to wash away the remnants of sleep.
What would you drink?
Cold white wine with ice imported from the not-so-distance New Zealand. I know I shouldn’t have the ice, but in Fiji it seems right. Also, no trip to Fiji would be complete without sampling the ubiquitous local drink, kava. An acquired taste, to say the least, which leaves you with a slightly numb mouth – roots of the peppery kava plant are ground into a powder and mixed with water – but a kava ceremony is an essential part of a holiday to Fiji!
What would you buy?
There is nothing to buy here, only time and peace, so take your shoes off and let the magic of Yasawa and Fiji do it’s thing.
James Bell is Director at Turquoise Holidays
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