I haven't seen this question posted before, so I thought I'd ask.

We are going to Tahiti on the PG in a few months. Needless to say, it's been a cold winter and I'm afraid that I might blind someone while wearing shorts when we arrive.(lol)

Is it advisable to get a tan from a tanning salon before going to avoid the first exposure sunburn? Is a self-tanning lotion better? If so which brands are the most natural looking?