The islands of Vanuatu were known as New Hebrides until independence from France and Britain in 1980 and sit to the west of the Fiji Islands. The nation is known for the world's most accessible active volcanoes and scuba diving, especially at the wreckage of the President Coolidge, a luxury liner turned troop ship that sank there in 1942.
Tonga and Samoa sit to the east of the Fiji. Tonga is ruled by King George Tupou V and is the only country in the South Pacific not to be colonized by Europeans. It is known as the hub of yachting in the South Pacific. Samoa features one of the top travel experiences, as many visitors seek to sleep in the open-sided Samoan fale on the beach, a signature lodging experience in the region.
Tuvalu and Wallis are situated north of Fiji. Threatened by global warming, Tuvalu is a low-lying atoll island and is less than 16.4 feet above sea level at its highest point. Wallis is one of three remaining French colonies in the South Pacific.
