The places I mentioned happen to have beaches (they're all islands). I am not looking for beaches per se. I am a 10 min walk from the beach. More than anything, I want to reconnect with Polynesia. Maui was Polynesia when I moved here. It's now more California.
That all said, I feel the consensus is don't risk going elsewhere. We'll find a culturally different place to visit in the Philippines. As I understand, once she arrives, she needs to somehow apply for the ability to travel. Once she acquires whatever she acquires, do all these problems disappear??