Do research before you pack. Guidebooks, such as Frommer's or Fodor's, offer details on the climate, local customs and dress codes for the places you'll visit. Even in the laid-back tropics, men may need a collared shirt to dine in upscale restaurants or to golf at certain resorts. Some boat trips, including the one to the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, require closed-toe shoes. Many churches and historical sites request modest dress. Know before you go.
Pack sandals and a light outfit in your carry-on bag and change at the airport once you land. If you don't, it's a long, hot ordeal waiting for a rental car in the leather shoes, stockings and warm fabrics you wore for the flight. Plus, if you arrive at your resort before check-in time or if your luggage gets delayed, you'll be comfortable waiting in your sandals and sundress---ideally at a beach-side mai tai bar.
Tropical fashion can be summed in two words: whites and brights. Take a few simple basics--camisole, shirt, capris, shorts, skirt, slacks--in white, off-white, or ecru. Dress them up with gold, turquoise and shell jewelry or with a scarf. For your brights, don't be afraid of color. In the tropics, birds, fish and flowers are gloriously adorned in color---you can be, too. Wear colors and patterns that reflect the magical setting. Pack at least two swimsuits and a sundress or five. Tank tops and shorts are fine for hiking, but sundresses go everywhere else. They're perfect for a stroll on the beach, lunch at a tiki bar, sightseeing and shopping in the local market.
Whether dressed in cool whites or sassy brights, breezy silhouettes in breathable fabrics are perfect for the hot, humid tropics, where the mid-day heat demands indolence and rainstorms frequently roll in with the trade winds. Be sure to bring a sweater or light jacket, too. Visitors who pack only for tropical sunshine discover it can be chilly on the windy deck of a sunset cruise or at a vista point with a high elevation.
Bring at least three pair of sandals, one for walking, one for the sand and a pair of high-heeled sandals for dressier occasions and---let's admit it--a flattering booty boost. As with most tropical fashions, sandals take hardly any room in your luggage, and you'll be glad to have the perfect pair for every occasion.
The sun is intense in the tropics. Wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 35 SPF. A sun hat and an airy, long-sleeved white top will provide additional relief from intense rays. For snorkeling, T-shirts or swim shirts can protect your back and shoulders from burning. Protect your feet with water shoes when swimming and wading. Coral is sharp and can cause serious infection. Your water shoes will come in handy for boat trips, too.
Browse the marketplaces for locally made jewelry, belts, hats, swimwear and purses. Not only will you find terrific bargains on everything from black pearls to straw bags, you'll go home with interesting pieces infused with memories.
Sarongs--or pareus as they're known in French Polynesia--are a must-have on a tropical vacation. These large rectangles of fabric, usually in gorgeous patterns and colors, can be wrapped into dresses, skirts, tops, shawls or swimsuits. They make great sun shades, picnic cloths, impromptu beach bags and towels. Islanders love the way they shed sand and dry quickly. From simple cotton sarongs you can pick up for less than $10 at a Hawaiian ABC Store to exquisite hand-painted fabrics from Bora Bora, you'll love the versatility.
And pareus are not just for the ladies. In "Hidden Tahiti & French Polynesia," Robert Kay writes: "Although Western men might at first cringe at the idea of wearing a skirt, they soon find that in Tahiti's often sweltering climate, a pareu is a practical item of clothing to wear around the hotel." If your man balks at the idea, take him to a Hawaiian luau or Tahitian soiree. The male dancers will dispel any notion that real men don't wear sarongs.
The loveliest tropical accessories are local flowers. Be sure to indulge. A floral lei surrounds you with the heady fragrance of plumeria, ginger or hibiscus. Whenever you catch the scent of these blossoms in the future, you'll be transported back to the tropics. Wear flowers in your hair, your cleavage, around your wrist or ankle, tucked in the knot in your sarong or over the hip in your bikini bottom.
Save a handful of blossoms to toss into the surf on your final night of vacation. As they drift back to shore on moonlit waves, they symbolize a promise that you will return.
