I'd only been snorkelling in Rarotonga's Muri Beach lagoon for a few minutes when something whacked my foot with so much force it felt like an electric shock.

We've just been on the tiny island of Rarotonga, where there are scores of eating options, so here are a few we visited and can recommend.

This tiny island played a key role in the Battle of Tulagi and Gavutu-Tanambogo.

If you've ever set foot in another country, you've probably experienced some form of traveller's guilt.

On a girls' week in Fiji, Shandelle Battersby goes on a cultural safari in Sigatoka, via jetboat.

We smelt the inside of the Earth long before we saw it. It stormed up our nostrils, scorched our sinuses like a giant helping of wasabi, and made us cough and splutter.

Quiet, warm, friendly, relaxing. There's no television or wi-fi in the bures. Just the sound of blissful quiet or the soothing melody of ocean waters gently lapping.

Helloworld has some great accommodation deals for Rarotonga.

A is for Aitutaki. Outside of Rarotonga, this is the most famous of the other 14 islands in the Cooks and can be explored on a day trip.

The US Geological Survey reports the epicentre was just shy of 200km southwest of Apia, which is the capital and largest city of Samoa.

Night snorkelling with giant manta rays off the Kona coast in Hawaii is undoubtedly a major drawcard for tourists.

It's time for us to dig deep and give back to a place which has been a favourite holiday destination for Kiwis over the years.

The Solomons had a pivotal role in foreign war, writes Emma Kemp.

Cyclone Winston reached category 5 status as it passed over Tonga tonight, it's now headed for Fiji.

During the northern winter, storms in cold, scary places of the North Pacific generate swells that march thousands of kilometres across the ocean to warm and pleasant Hawai'i.

Less than $600 for each member of your family will cover a four night Rarotonga escape for two adults and two children aged 2 to 11.

Choosing where to go for a family summer holiday gets increasingly tricky as the kids advance through the teenage years.

If you've felt the itch to escape boring and live it up on an island for a while, then this may just be the push you need to book that flight.

In 1866, Mark Twain wrote that he "went to Maui to stay a week and remained five". I would have done the same had I been given the chance.

There's something a little risky but also exciting about playing beer pong in front of your young children.

It's an exhilarating feeling to launch a sea kayak from the beach and set out to explore a cluster of islands shimmering like a mirage under the tropical sun.

Say 'I do' on the golden sands of a sun-kissed isle as soft waves gently lap the shore. Bridget Jones writes.

Shandelle Battersby finds herself floating on Cloud 9 - literally - in Fiji's Mamanucas.

Tuvalu has issued a stern warning to its Pacific Island neighbours, urging countries not to do deals outside of the like-minded group at major climate talks in Paris.

Steve Braunias finds a fortress of New Zealand pride on a Fijian resort island full of Australians.

The museums of the Solomon Islands house plenty of memorabilia from the Pacific campaign, writes Gillian Vine.

Michael Antonievich makes up for missing a morning riding the waves in Fiji.

Experience tells us that the best way to help our island neighbours is to donate to a reputable aid agency and make sure that your cash donation reaches those who need it most.

Pasifika beats, arts, culture and talent will be seen and heard around Auckland over the next two weeks during the Urbanesia festival, which starts today.

In search of adventure, Tess Nichol is soon hurtling through the treetops, upside down on a wire.