TOPIC – BREAKOUT
A Guide to the Pacific — How to Get From A to B & Practical Advice
Getting to the Pacific is one thing. Getting between its islands — through limited flight schedules, patchwork visa rules, and currencies that change every few hundred miles — is another challenge entirely. In this fast-paced 30-minute session, David Langan draws on 42 years and dozens of trips across every Pacific country and territory to deliver the practical playbook most travelers never get: how to actually move through the region, what to expect on the ground, and where to spend your limited time once you arrive.
Expect straight-talking, guidance on flights and inter-island connections, visa requirements and entry logistics, currency and money matters, where to stay when options are scarce, and the sights and experiences that make each destination worth the effort. No fluff, no filler — just hard-won intel from someone who’s made every mistake so you don’t have to.
BIO
David Langan was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, where he has lived his entire life. His fascination with travel began in his early teens, poring over maps — a habit that grew into a lifelong love of geography.
His other formative interest was philately. In the mid-1970s, he began collecting postage stamps from the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, which would later become the independent nations of Kiribati and Tuvalu. These stamps functioned as miniature travel brochures, offering glimpses into the history and daily life of remote island communities — and they sparked a curiosity he couldn’t ignore. In 1980, he set off to visit Hawaii, Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Nauru, at a time when tourism to many of these islands was virtually nonexistent. He fell in love with the culture, the way of life, and the warmth of the people he encountered.
In the years since, David has returned to the Pacific on ten separate trips, and has had the privilege of visiting every country and territory in the region, including Wake Island, Midway, and Tokelau. His travels continued steadily, if intermittently, around the constraints of a full-time career.
After 42 years of pursuit, David completed the full list of both the UN members and all 330 of the TCC with a visit to Laos in 2022 — a milestone decades in the making.
Throughout his travels, David found a way to merge his two great passions: seeking out a post office in every country to mail postcards home, a tradition that has produced some of his most memorable experiences on the road.
David credits the broader travel community for much of his journey — for introducing him to destinations he might never have considered and for opening his eyes to the richness of the world. He shares the same drive and determination he sees in fellow dedicated travelers, and above all, credits a simple philosophy for his success: enjoy the journey, smile often, and laugh a lot.