Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The 2025 Miss Pacific Islands pageant is kicking off in the Solomon Islands this weekend with eight contestants set to compete from American Samoa, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Tonga. 

Each vying for a change at this year's crown, the competition will also farewell outgoing Miss Pacific Islands, Moemoana Schwenke. 

Miss PNG May Hasola arrived earlier this week followed by other three other contestants: Miss Samoa – Litara Ieremia Allan, Miss American Samoa – Pauliana Felise Vitale and Miss Tonga – Racheal Guttenbeil in the afternoon.

The reigning Miss Pacific Moemoana Safa’ato’a Schwenke of Samoa, also arrived this week and expressed excitement following her arrival in Honiara, “So grateful to be here. I’ve always dreamed of visiting these beautiful islands, and it’s even more special that the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant brought me here. I love it already.

“The cultural welcoming. The energy. The happiness. The music. Tagio Tumas for making us feel at home,” she said.

MPIP Solomon Islands organizing committee, supporters and members of the public turned up to witness their arrival.

The remaining contestants, including Miss Cook Islands Aotearoa Ngatepaeru Marie Maoate and Miss Nauru Charlei Andrianna Deiye, were expected to arrive on Friday.