Seductive Isles of the South Pacific

FIJI AND TAHITI (Worldwide Travel Films, 80 minutes, 1992).

Straddling the International Dateline, between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, is a swath of tropical islands that beckon to romantics who dream of white-sand beaches, swaying palms, clear blue waters and a laid-back lifestyle.

Fiji and Tahiti, and their satellite islands, are seen by many as the epitome of idyllic isles, and Fran and Brooke Reidelberger have beautifully captured their essence. Viewers get to explore the cities as well as the unspoiled hinterland. There are scenes of colorful festivals, fire walking and scuba divers in wondrous lagoons. Lending perspective are aerial views, maps and historical notes.

The tour of Fiji’s capital, Suva, features signs of its British heritage and includes a side trip to the old capital on the historic island of Ovalau. Side trips visit Lautoka, a sugar cane center, and Valakoula, a gold-mining area. Other excursions take viewers to the Treasure and Beachcomber island resorts and to the primitive Yasawa Islands.

On Tahiti, there’s a tour of Papeete--a busy tourist town with a harbor filled with yachts and naval vessels and streets lined with bars, discos, fast-food restaurants and souvenir shops. It’s a poor introduction to Tahiti, but once out of the city, viewers catch glimpses of the beauty that stunned early visitors, including Capt. Cook, Capt. Bligh, artist Paul Gauguin and various missionaries.

A visit to nearby Moorea offers dramatic views of mountains, sea and shore, with many water-related activities plus directions on how to wear the pareu, a wraparound skirt favored by natives.

The video also covers the lovely islands of Huahine and Raiatea, the sites of many ancient maraes (temples) and the beautiful Faaroa River.

Tapes are available from Worldwide Travel Films, P.O. Box 601, Grayling, Mich. 49738, (517) 348-4227. Price: $29.95.

THE STORY OF AMERICA’S CANYON COUNTRY (Questar Video Inc., 60 minutes, 1992).

Loosely following the route of the Colorado River as it flows from Colorado through Utah and Arizona, this video beautifully captures some of the most stunning scenery in the world.

Viewers see canyon wonderlands where billions of years of geological history have been exposed through eons of relentless erosion by rivers, rain, ice and wind. Other weird and wonderful formations, created by the forces of nature, can be seen, including colorful rock spires, hoodoos, arches, domes and bridges, as well as artifacts such as Indian cliff dwellings, log cabins and tools.

Many of these sights are seen as the video tours national parks, including Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef. Others are in national monuments such as Cedar Breaks, Rainbow Bridge and Monument Valley (part of the huge Navajo Indian Reservation in the Four Corners area). There’s also a tour of Lake Powell, formed behind the Glen Canyon Dam.

Tapes are available from Questar Video Inc., P.O. Box 11345, Chicago, Ill. 60611, (800) 544-8422. Price: $29.95.

A TRAVELER’S GUIDE TO BAJA (Prickly Pear Productions, 51 minutes, 1992).

For anyone considering exploring Baja by car, this can be a useful guide. Maps show the locations of gas stations, and roads are colored to distinguish rugged trails from modern highways. Information is also given on the border crossings at Mexicali (viewers are provided with a brief visit to San Felipe), Tecate and Tijuana. Sprinkled throughout are travel tips.

As the video follows Highway 1, which zigzags for 1,100 miles down the Baja Peninsula, it explores many of the towns and villages strung along its length and offers examples of accommodations, from rustic campgrounds to modern resorts.

After touring Tijuana, the next stop is in the Ensenada/St. Tomas area to take in La Bufadora (the blowhole), Hussong’s Cantina, Mike’s Ranch and the dune buggy trails, the Meling Ranch hideaway and the old onyx mines and ruins at El Marmol. A side trip to remote Mission San Borja illustrates how rugged the roads can be.

Final stops are at San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, where the video shows samples of restaurants and night life, visits a glass factory and joins a fishing trip that ends the day in the shadow of the rock arches at Lands End.

Tapes are available from Prickly Pear Productions, P.O. Box 10535, Burbank 91505-0535, (818) 248- 8244. Price: $19.95.