The South Pacific is one of the world’s most stunning destinations, and guests can enjoy a variety of its famous gems on a Holland America Line cruise. When you bring your love to the South Pacific, you’ll quickly see why it’s a favorite among honeymooners and romantics.

From an overnight stay at an overwater bungalow to picking out a popular anniversary gift, here are the top five shore excursions to celebrate your honeymoon beyond your cruise, help you enhance the honeymoon you never had, relive the one you did or just enjoy life in this stunning slice of paradise.

1. Stay Overwater Overnight
Bora Bora’s ancestral name means “created by the gods,” and a stay at the French Polynesian island’s stunning Pearl Resort on an overnight call will quickly show you how that name came to be! These famous overwater bungalows feature luxurious accommodations in an idyllic setting surrounded by amazing crystal waters. Spend the day taking advantage of the resorts’ amenities including the pool, beach and non-motorized water toys and finish your night with a romantic dinner. The following morning a canoe breakfast will be served and you’ll be able to enjoy the morning and early afternoon at leisure before returning to the ship.

Enjoy a swim with the locals from your bungalow at Bora Bora.

The Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa tour provides the perfect place to spend the night between calls at Papeete and Moorea, French Polynesia. The resort is set against a stunning mountain backdrop and surrounded by a beautiful clear lagoon. The bungalows feature a contemporary Polynesian design and the waters have tropical fish of all types and colors. You will be able to enjoy your day at Papeete before heading to Moorea, just a short 30-minute ferry ride away. You will be welcomed by the a cocktail and enjoy the hotel’s facilities including the pool and beach until the following day. All meals are included.

Photo credit: Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa

2. Pick A Pearl, Any Pearl
Traditionally, pearls are the proper gift for 30th anniversaries, but all women love and enjoy them any time. This perfect, romantic gift awaits you at Anapa Pearl Farm in Raiatea, French Polynesia, where guests can enjoy a fascinating look at one of nature’s most unique and beautiful gifts: the black pearl. On this tour, a short drive will bring you to a pier to board your boat to Raiatea’s reef. The pearl station is built over a lagoon, surrounded by waves crashing against the reef and spectacular scenery. Your guide will share all the secrets of the black pearl with you and you will learn how the oysters are seeded and the pearls are extracted. You will also have the opportunity to snorkel Raiatea’s stunning reef, featuring a coral garden filled with a large variety of tropical fish and get an underwater view of the rare pearl oysters in their underwater slumber.

The Anapa Pearl Farm is the perfect place to learn about black pearls and enjoy some snorkeling in the South Pacific.

Past guest Stargazer gave this tour five stars on the Holland America Line website.

I loved this excursion. The water was clear and beautiful and the pearls are beautiful. We rode to the pearl farm in a boat and went snorkeling … The shop was beautiful and the demonstration was interesting and fun. If you enjoy pearls, snorkeling and something different, you will enjoy this. It is very limited with only 16 people for each excursion, so book before you go.

The Pearl Farm at Rangiroa, French Polynesia, also gives guests the opportunity to learn about the mysterious black pearl. Transfer from the pier by bus along Rangiroa’s main road. Once you arrive at the farm, the staff will provide an introduction to pearl farming, explaining how black pearls are produced. You’ll learn how the oysters are selected, grown and grafted. The guide will show you the criteria used for grading pearls for quality so if you’re interested, you’ll be able to pick out the perfect one for yourself!

3. Make a Date
Enjoy spending the day together at Noumea with the Scenic Drive and Cheese & Wine Tasting at New Caledonia’s capital. You will walk around Le Meridien Resort, an exclusive five-star hotel on the northern tip of Anse Vata Beach, and enjoy the sights of the local market, Port Moselle Marina and many landmarks along the way. The Mount Ouen Toro Lookout will give you a fantastic view of the world’s largest lagoon. You will then arrive at a local restaurant to taste French wines with cheeses that compliment them perfectly. You will also have the chance to do some shopping at beautiful Coconut Square.

The scenery at Noumea is stunning at all times of day and a wine and cheese date is a great way to enjoy a local restaurant.

4. Enjoy a Spa Day
You also can also enjoy some relaxation time on a cruise to the South Pacific when your ship calls at Lautoka, Fiji, with the Nature Mud Spa excursion. After a scenic drive past villages and sugarcane plantations you will arrive at the foot of the Sabeto Mountains. Here lies a collection of natural thermal mud pools. Local villagers will welcome you with fresh flower leis, music and a kava ceremony with the village chief. The Fijian people have used these pools for their therapeutic properties for generations and now it is your turn! After thermal mud is rubbed into your skin you can finish up with a dip in the hot springs, removing the mud and leaving your skin exfoliated and smooth.

5. Cruise Through Paradise
There is a reason Ile des Pins, New Caledonia, is also know as “l’île la plus proche du paradis,” or the closest island to paradise, and a lagoon cruise tour around the stunning setting is the perfect way to see it. You will board a boat at Kanumera Bay to enjoy the nearby bays and islets. You will stop at Saint Maurice Bay to see some points of interest and visit Turtle Bay, scouting the area for loggerhead and green turtles. At Brush Island you might spot sting rays, manta rays, sharks and dolphins. You’ll also step ashore here to enjoy free time, take a swim, stroll or relax. Guests can also snorkel if you have your own gear.

It’s easy to see where Île des Pins or Isle of Pines gets its name.

Guest Bigtes rated the tour on the Holland America Line website and said it was an exciting and exhilarating five-star experience.

Our tour guide found a wild but friendly Loggerhead turtle and invited us to jump off the boat and swim with it. It was magic to see it’s face with such knowing eyes … The swim and free time on the beach afterwards was highlighted with a close up view of a local sea snake found by our boat driver. We had lots of photo opportunities here. The commentary throughout the tour was very interesting and given with a great sense of humour. Our best tour of the trip and I would do it again.

If you’re taking a cruise that visits these ports, the shore excursions can be pre-booked so you get the tour of your choice.

Have you cruised to the South Pacific yet? Share some shore excursion suggestions with fellow blog readers in the comments below.