Southwest Pacific: Fiji & Samoa

Orange Dove on Taveuni, Fiji © Brian Gibbons

This new tour offers a comprehensive and comfortable visit to several bird-rich islands in the Southwest Pacific. Expect a suite of exotic and truly unique endemics on each island, stunning beaches, luxuriant rainforests, and resort-style accommodation throughout.

The Southwest Pacific is a remote part of the world, dotted by small, often uninhabited islands sometimes thousands of miles apart. Unique avifauna and human cultures have evolved here over time, leaving a rich and highly diverse array of island inhabitants. This tour will provide participants a rare insight into this incomparable part of the world. Fiji, Samoa, and the French island territory of New Caledonia represent several of the larger and more diverse island groups in the region. As such, they offer some of the best birding, as well as a high standard of lodgings and transport. A visit to either island is a memorable experience, but we will have the privilege of experiencing both on this compact yet comprehensive tour.

We begin our adventure on the tiny Polynesian nation of Samoa, specifically the main island of Upolu. Here we have the opportunity to see a good proportion of the Samoan specialties, with representatives from several families of an Australasian flavor. High on our list will be the endemic and unusual Mao—a large species of honeyeater. As with most destinations on this tour, there will be time available for relaxation, as well as snorkeling or diving opportunities.

Our exploration of the Fijian islands will include the main island, Viti Levu, as well as two endemic-rich islands just a short flight away—Kadavu and Taveuni. Some world-class birds exist in Fiji, with the Golden and Orange doves both needing to be seen to be believed. We will spend ample time on each island, making excursions into the montane rainforests and along stunning coastlines in search of new birds each day. Some of the highlights include the stunning Azure-crested Flycatcher, enigmatic Taveuni Silktail, wattled and giant honeyeaters, a variety of beautiful shining-parrots, songful shrikebills, and cute parrotfinches.

Excellent accommodations throughout; several short flights; travel by minibus and 4-wd; short driving distances on each island and generally good roads; easy walking with some short steep sections; climate warm and humid in the lowlands with a good chance of rain at times; can be cool in the highlands.

Upolu sunrise, Samoa © Martin Valigursky/Shutterstock