# Polynesia

Polynesia is the most far-flung, easterly region of Oceania. A collection of island paradises, many aspects of Polynesian cultures have been exported around the world through media and tourism campaigns. Some parts are easily connected to the rest of the world, while other parts are quite isolated. From towering volcanoes to endless flat beaches, there's something for everyone in Polynesia.

## Countries and territories

Polynesia is comprised of the following island nations:
* Cook Islands Fifteen islands spread out over an Exclusive Economic Zone of 2,200,000 square kilometres
* Kiribati The eastern two thirds of this sprawling island nation fall within the scope of Polynesia. Remote and poor, the sun rises first here every day.
* Niue The largest raised coral atoll in the world, halfway between Tonga and the Cook Islands.
* Samoa Two main volcanic islands with luxuriant vegetation, traditional culture and wonderful open-sided houses.
* Tonga The so-called “Friendly islands” and the only indigenous kingdom to survive the colonial period, Tonga is a whale-watcher's paradise but doesn't get many tourists.
* Tuvalu One of the smallest countries in the world in terms of population and one of the world's least visited countries.
Polynesia includes smaller overseas territories of larger nations, including:
* American Samoa (USA) Much less touristy than neighbouring Samoa, American Samoa is perhaps one of the most beautiful parts of the Pacific
* Easter Island (Chile) An isolated island with amazing stone carvings.
* French Polynesia (France) Includes three islands with a strong claim to being the most beautiful island in the world, Bora Bora, Tahiti and Moorea, but also Mururoa where the French carried out nuclear tests until 1996.
* Hawaii (USA) A volcanic archipelago in the tropical Pacific, 2,300 mi (3,700 km) southwest of California (the nearest state), laid-back Hawaii is a vacation paradise.
* Pitcairn Islands (UK) Home to descendants of the Bounty mutineers, only for the most adventurous travellers.
* Tokelau (New Zealand) This small New Zealand territory sees next to no tourism
* Wallis and Futuna (France)
And it includes the following tiny U.S. territories with no local populations, mainly used for scientific and military purposes:
* Baker and Howland Islands (USA)
* Jarvis Island (USA)
* Johnston Atoll (USA)
* Midway Islands (USA) The liveliest of these territories (which isn't saying much), home to a few dozen government staff.
* Palmyra Atoll (USA)
New Zealand is also often considered part of Polynesia both culturally and historically, however, Wikivoyage covers New Zealand under its own separate page.

## Cities

* -13.833333-171.8333331 Apia — principal city of Samoa
* -8.504778179.1173612 Funafuti — the capital of Tuvalu
* 21.304722-157.8572223 Honolulu — the largest city of Hawaii
* -14.279444-170.7005564 Pago Pago ー largest city of American Samoa
* -17.539722-149.5688895 Papeete ㅡ largest city of French Polynesia.
* -21.134722-175.2083336 Nukuʻalofa ㅡ the largest city and capital of Tonga

## Other destinations

* -18.85-159.791 Aitutaki — the classic picture postcard of a palm tree fringed tropical island with turquoise waters, in the Cook Islands.
* -19.983333-158.1166672 Atiu — a small island in the Cooks with caves, birds and bush beer
* -16.498-151.7363 Bora Bora — the most beautiful lagoon of French Polynesia, but incredibly pricey.
* -21.370278-174.9377784 'Eua — a small island in Tonga, home to some of the best rainforests in Polynesia
* 19.40083-155.123615 Hawaii Volcanoes National Park — home to 3 active volcanoes
* 1.85-157.46 Kiritimati — the largest coral atoll in the world and an off the beaten track destination
* -17.516667-149.8166677 Moorea — budget alternative to Bora Bora with beautiful scenery.
* -18.651389-173.9836118 Vava'u — group of more than 50 islands in Tonga, a common destination for yachters.
* -13.583333-172.4166679 Savaii ㅡ the largest island in Polynesia outside of Hawaiʻi and New Zealand. Covered in dense tropical rainforest.

## Understand

Polynesia comes from the Greek words "Poly" and "Nēsos" meaning "many islands".

### History

Polynesia was the last part of the planet to be permanently inhabited, with Austronesian peoples moving into the region only beginning around 900 BCE (and some estimates bring that date even closer). Regardless of when they came, it's generally agreed that these Austronesian peoples made it to Melanesia, paused there for a couple hundred years or so, and then split from the Melanesians and became the Polynesians by 1400 BCE. That's around when the Lapita Culture shows up in the archeological record in both Island Melanesia and most of western Polynesia. Between 1000 CE and 1150 CE, most of the central Polynesian islands (e.g. the Cook Islands and French Polynesia) were settled, and by 1300 CE Polynesian settlements had been established in Aotearoa (New Zealand), Hawaii, and Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Because of this more recent settlement, the various Polynesian nations all share similar mythologies/origin stories, and the Polynesian languages are very close to each other.
The islands developed into various kingdoms and empires throughout their precolonial histories. Some, like the Tu'i Tonga Empire, came to dominate not only their island groups, but also many nearby island groups (the Tu'i Tonga Empire stretched all the way from the Solomons and New Caledonia to the Cook Islands). Others, like the Kingdom of Hawaii, were more localized to their island groups, but still had powerful rulers. European contact began in the early 1500s, when Spanish sailors visited some of the islands in the region. European colonization, however, did not begin until the late 1700s, when Pacific sea trade (and access to European colonies in Asia) was becoming more important and profitable for the Europeans and Americans. The British captain James Cook made many voyages around the Pacific, visiting many of the islands of Polynesia, before meeting his end in Hawaii.
European colonization on the islands was mostly limited to Christianizing and "civilizing" missions, rather than intensive resource extraction or settler dominions (except for New Zealand). France, Great Britain, Germany, Chile, and the United States carved up the islands amongst themselves mainly to use as refueling stations for trans-Pacific voyages. Christian missionaries to the islands were primarily responsible for the economic development of the islands, and most of today's Polynesians are still overwhelmingly Christian (and usually versions of Protestant Christianity too). That being said, the missionaries weren't successful at completely stamping out the indigenous beliefs, and Polynesian Christianity incorporates many pre-Christian beliefs, images, and/or rituals.
Post-independence, many of these island nations face the difficulties of developing in an international world. Some of these islands have turned to tourism as a way to survive; others have not. Pearling and offshore banking are also common parts of some islands' economies. Many of these islands lack abundant natural resources (or what was there was spent during the colonial period) that can compete on the international market, and frequent typhoons and earthquakes/tsunamis threaten communities. Many of these countries are highly dependent on remittances from citizens who work abroad (usually in Australia, New Zealand, or the United States). With ocean levels rising with climate change, some of these countries' very existence is threatened. Many of these countries have been some of the most vocal critics of the perceived lack of action on climate change at global fora and the UN.

## Talk

There are many indigenous Polynesian languages spoken, sometime known as the Oceanic languages, a branch of the Austronesian language family. The Polynesian languages are generally very close to one another, so a speaker of one may not have too much difficulty understanding another. Hawaiian and Maori are the two largest languages by speaker size, and have the most resources out there if you want to study either.
Due to their colonial history, English is spoken on most islands (Commonwealth English in the areas close to/in association with New Zealand and Australia, American English in Hawaii and American Samoa). In French Polynesia, French is also spoken, although people who work in the tourism industry may also know English and a variety of other languages. Spanish is spoken on Easter Island.

## Get in

Compared to the rest of Polynesia, Hawaii has excellent connections from mainland North America plus many flights from East Asia. The southern parts usually have flights from New Zealand, Fiji and/or Australia. Easter Island is connected to mainland Chile and French Polynesia to Paris via Los Angeles. Some of the more western parts have connections with Guam.
If you have your own boat, you can easily sail between islands and island groups. However, be prepared for some long journeys at sea - this isn't a casual island hop like the Caribbean. Make sure you also have all of the appropriate landing permissions and visas (if applicable) in advance.
In some parts of the region, inclement weather can cause flights to be canceled or delayed. Travelers should remain flexible, especially if there are limited scheduled flights between countries. In Tonga and some of the more Christian parts of Polynesia, even the airports are closed on Sundays.

## Get around

Most travelers get around by plane here. The alternative is cruising on small craft.

## See

There are a couple of world heritage sites in Polynesia:
* Rapa Nui National Park made up of the Easter Island with its famous monolithic statues (moai).
* Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii.
* Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument consisting of atolls northwest of Hawaii.
* The Phoenix Islands Protected Area in Kiribati, world's largest marine protected area.
* Henderson Island, the largest of the Pitcairn Islands, with many endangered bird species.

## Do

There are various activities that can be done on and around the islands. Common activities are as follows:
* Diving: There are many plane- and shipwrecks off the coasts of some islands. While most of Polynesia saw little action during the Second World War (unlike neighboring Melanesia and Micronesia), there are still wrecks to be found. Many of the Polynesian islands were also formed by thousands of years of coral buildup, so many have impressive coral reefs that can be dived in.
* Whale watching: Some of the islands (especially in Tonga and Samoa) are common stops on whales' migratory routes.
* Relaxing on a beach: Polynesia has some of the most pristine white, pink, and black sand beaches in the world. On many of the less-touristy islands, you may have this entire beach to yourself. Enjoy it!
* Partake in the local culture: Local ceremonies, church services, and dances are oftentimes the best way to experience authentic Polynesian culture. Some of the more touristy islands may even offer daily or weekly performances for tourists, such as in Hawaii and Tahiti.
* Sailing: Many people with access to watercraft will spend their time sailing between and around islands. Boats can also be chartered in many of the port cities.

## Eat

With the exception of Hawaii and New Zealand, the dietary options in Polynesia are much more limited than in most of the rest of the world. Most foodstuff has to be imported, meaning it's generally more expensive. Common traditional and abundant foods include taro, breadfruit, seafood, chicken, and pork. Many formal resorts will have meals that cater more to the taste buds of their visitors.

## Drink

Kava (also called 'awa in Hawaiian and 'ava in Samoan) is a traditional drink made from the root of the kava plant and found all across Polynesia. Depending on how it's produced, it may be mildly alcoholic. All other forms of alcohol are usually imported from Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Chile.

## Stay healthy

Take precautions against mosquito bites, as there have been outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus in the 2010s in the tropical countries. Most of the Polynesian islands are covered with jungles, which can be very hot and humid, while the coasts are cooler but very sunny.
In the less developed parts of Polynesia, the quality of medical care is much lower than in the West or in East Asia. What services medical practitioners can even do may be much more limited, too.

## Stay safe

The Polynesian countries tend to be very safe when it comes to crimes. Obviously, the more touristy a place is, the higher chance for crime, but on islands where everyone knows everyone else, crime is rare. The bigger dangers in Polynesia all come from nature. Most of Polynesia falls along the Pacific Ring of Fire, and while volcanic activity is generally rare outside of Hawaii, underwater earthquakes are common, and the resulting tsunamis can be quite devastating. The sun can also be your enemy if you fail to wear protective sunblock while sunbathing or sailing.

## Go next

* Australia
* Melanesia ㅡ the island group west of Polynesia
* Micronesia — to the northwest of Polynesia
* New Zealand