News, Tips & Offers delivered to your inbox.

Want to maroon yourselves on a pristine beach, with no one around for miles? Set your sights on one of these remote retreats.

On a recent trip to the South Pacific, I was surprised by how much several of the islands had developed since I had last visited. Amid the blue lagoons and green volcanic peaks, I saw plenty of large, new resorts and groups of tourists. But fear not. As I discovered, it is still possible to find solitude and pristine beaches in this part of the world. Some islands remain “lost,” so to speak—in the sense that they are untrampled. While you may find luxurious accommodations there, the hotels are small and don’t intrude much on the natural surroundings. A visitor can still sit on the banks of a lagoon, watching the sunlight sparkling on the scales of a flying fish as coconut palms bow gracefully in the trade winds. Sure, these honeymoon hideaways are off the beaten path and a little harder to get to, but they’re definitely worth the extra travel time.

Kia Ora Sauvage, French Polynesia

The Kia Ora Sauvage resort is such a perfect rendition of the “castaway island” fantasy that it might have been created by a Hollywood set designer. Its five charming bungalows, which are made entirely of local materials (ironwood, bamboo, and coconut) blend effortlessly with the sand and palm trees. Inside, there are crisp white sheets and mosquito netting on the double beds, the mirrors are framed with shells and the sinks are shaped like giant shells.

Located in Rangiroa, French Polynesia ’s largest atoll, Kia Ora Sauvage sits on Avearahi, an islet that’s about the size of a football field. It’s just an hour’s journey by motorboat across the lagoon from the hotel’s mother resort, the Kia Ora Village, but there are big differences between the two properties. At Kia Ora Sauvage, there is no electricity, and the motorboat comes only once a day. This is as far away from everything as you can get without having to give up the wonderful crusty baguettes and tuna carpaccio of “civilized” Tahiti. After many hours of traveling, I tumbled off a motorboat and into the shallow water of the lagoon, then splashed onto the beach, my plastic sandals squeaking. “Welcome to Kia Ora Sauvage,” a tall Polynesian man bellowed at me. The resident dog barked agreeably from beside a palm tree. It was an appropriate greeting for such a remote place.

After dropping off my bags and eating lunch, I returned to the lagoon, and waded hip-deep into the water so I could feed my leftovers—along with some chum thoughtfully provided by the staff—to the resident reef sharks. Immediately, these small (harmless) sharks and fish of all colors and sizes swirled about my legs. Silvery-beige mullets wiggled by, along with parrot fish and sergeant majors.

Just before dusk, one of the hotel staff members left two kerosene hurricane lamps on my doorstep, one to light my cabin, the other to guide me to the main bungalow. I showered, threw on a sundress and some lipstick, then grabbed a lamp and crunched along the coral-strewn water's edge to the island's west side, stopping to lean on a palm tree and watch the sun set in an explosion of oranges and mauves.

Once inside the main bungalow, I hung my lamp from the ceiling. The room grew brighter as each guest arrived and followed suit. We dined on the afternoon's catch, speaking to one another in a mix of English, French and Spanish—a little marooned family in a thatched bungalow, far from home. But when dinner was over and we'd walked away in different directions, swinging our lamps, I forgot that there was anyone else on the island. I was alone, with the waves crashing on the reef, the moonlight setting my sheets aglow and the salty breeze fluttering through my mosquito netting (hotelkiaora.com).

Getting there Fly to Papeete via Air Tahiti Nui or Air New Zealand from Los Angeles . From there it's a one-hour flight to Rangiroa. The resort will send a representative to pick you up at the airstrip and transport you to Kia Ora Village by car. From the village, the resort is a one-hour motorboat ride across the lagoon.

Sinalei Reef Resort, Samoa

Samoa looks and feels like the land that time forgot. There are no chain hotels, and the islanders are committed to preserving the culture: Councils of chiefs settle local issues, men and women of high birth are tattooed from their chests to just above the knees and ancient knife and fire dances are performed regularly.

On my visit, I checked into the 27-room Sinalei Reef Resort. This cluster of oceanfront bungalows is the pride of a Samoan couple, the Annandales, whose tattoos are discreetly covered by Bermuda shorts and knit shirts. Every few years, they add on to the property, and the fan-cooled bungalows, made of local wood and coconut ropes, grow ever more luxurious. The new honeymoon bungalow has his and hers bathrooms and several decks ($600 per night). It's situated away from the rest of the buildings and has its own beach. The resort also has a nine-hole golf course and tennis courts, as well as snorkeling gear and kayaks.

Best of all, the hotel is a good launching point for exploring the area. After checking in, I set off on a short ferry ride to visit the nearby island of Manono, where you can see craftspeople creating indigenous art. At one village, I watched a woman weaving a fine mat from delicate palm fronds. Then, I walked onto a deserted beach, where I bobbed about in the warm water and admired the fish. The water was clear, and the beach was empty—and perfect. Fore more information visit sinalei.com.

Getting there Fly to Samoa from Los Angeles via Air New Zealand , or from Honolulu via Polynesian. A resort staff member will pick you up at the airport in Apia for the short drive to the resort.

Aitutaki Lagoon Resort and Spa, Cook Islands

As soon as I arrived on Aitutaki, I was struck by its beauty. The water is filled with countless shades of blue, and the white sand is dotted with coconut palms that have been bent permanently by trade winds, so that they arch over the water like monks in prayer.

Some people make Aitutaki a day trip. At the end of their time there, they look wistfully at the 40-room Aitutaki Lagoon Resort and Spa, wishing they had booked a room. Fortunately, I had. I stayed in one of the split-level beach bungalows. Mine was furnished with pale wood and woven matting, and had glass doors that led to a deck. While there are some tennis courts on the property, this place is really all about the lagoon. That night, as I drifted off to sleep, I listened to the water breaking gently on the moonlit sand just steps away. Every day I ate fish on the deck of the resort's restaurant. Each afternoon, I napped in a hammock by my bungalow. The rest of the time, I was facedown in the water, watching the brilliantly colored fish swim in the clear lagoon. There was nothing else to do, and that was just fine with me (aitutakilagoonresort.com).

Getting there Fly to Rarotonga , the main island, via Air New Zealand from Los Angeles . From there, it's a one-hour trip via small jet to Aitutaki. A resort staff member will pick you up at the airport; the drive to the hotel is a short one.

On my first evening, the wait staff brought me champagne and hors d'oeuvres. I put some Mozart on the CD player and sat down on my porch, feet on the railing, to wait for the Southern Cross to appear in the night sky. I was right where I wanted to be—barefoot in paradise, with a glass of champagne (nukubati.com).

Nukubati Island Resort

The 11-room Nukubati Island Resort is like a discovery you don't want to share. While drinking water at this far-flung paradise is collected during tropical showers and the property runs on solar-powered generators, all the suites have CD players and cooling fans, as well as rattan furniture, polished wood floors and a gorgeous view of the lagoon. In addition to deep-sea fishing, snorkeling and diving, you can have a champagne picnic on a sandbar that's only exposed for a few hours, at midday when the tide goes out. Nukubati also has a vast library of books.

Getting there Fly to Fiji's international airport via Air Pacific or Air New Zealand from Los Angeles. From there, you will take a Sun Air prop plane to Labasa. A resort staffer will pick you up and take you on the one-hour drive to the pier for the three-minute motorboat ride to the resort.