Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# Which Island in the South Pacific? Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea / Samoa
nantydrdeath 21:10 UTC 06 Feb 2013 | Hi This might seem a basic question, and you will have to excuse my ignorance. Im thinking of possible travel options for 2014 in the South Pacific from the UK. My time period will be about 25 days, and my initial options are Samoa, Tahiti Cook Islands or the Marshals. At present I think the cheapest option is to fly to Auckland, and onto the desired Island. We are looking at somewhere with plenty to do. Nice beaches, Friendly people and not too expensive. I have previously traveled through Fiji and loved the place. Any advice would be greatly appreciated Cheers |
dannyyyyboyyyy 07:27 UTC 08 Feb 2013 | hey! I'm after the same information really..looking at travelling to Fiji, Samoa, Cooks islands (Raro & Aitutaki) then finishing off with Tahiti! how much to take with me per day for budget accommodation/food | 1
nantydrdeath 13:39 UTC 08 Feb 2013 | I went to Fiji 9 years ago. I did the Fiji experience for 7 days and I loved it. Fijians are some of the friendliest people on the planet. We started off in Nadi the capital and traveled by bus through the main island of Viti Levu. Accommodation and activities were included in the price. I also possessed some old rugby clothing, which I gave out to some of the locals, cause they are rugby mad. | 2
ozziegiraffe 02:59 UTC 09 Feb 2013 | The previous post is not exactly accurate. Suva is the capital of Fiji, and Nadi is where the international airport is situated. Both are on Viti Levu. | 3
ozziegiraffe 03:01 UTC 09 Feb 2013 | If you are looking to avoid spending money, rule out Tahiti. If you like rugby, Samoa could be a good choice. | 4
Laszlo 09:11 UTC 16 Feb 2013 | Of the countries listed, Samoa will be the cheapest one. Other relatively cheap countries in the region are Tonga and the Solomons, both of which I personally prefer to Samoa. Or if you loved Fiji so much, you could just return to see other islands there - there are hundreds to choose from. | 5
rheingauner 13:23 UTC 26 Feb 2013 | Samoa would be the cheapest of the islands groups you have mentioned, both in terms of air transport & daily cost ( especially in comparison to Tahiti ). Samoa, being somewhat "bigger" in comparison also offers the widest range of scenery in terms of beaches, waterfalls, mountains, forests and picturesque villages. I can't speak about the Marshall Islands, as I haven't been there, but I also found that in Samoa you can get somewhat closer to the local people and their, in some ways still quite traditional, way of life. Unless you are a keen diver ( in which case the other islands have more to offer ), I would recommend Samoa. Unlike, the previous poster I personally enjoyed Samoa more than Tonga and Fiji ( only been to Viti Levu, however ), but I guess this is down to ones personal experience in each place. | 6
budgetkiwi 05:46 UTC 11 May 2013 | My vote is Samoa first, good value - about 50$US per day for fale accommodation, breakfast, dinner, bus transport and a couple of beers. Samoa is friendly but not pushy, traditional and relaxed Tonga is a bit more expensive - and travelling between islands can eat your budget. Forget Tahiti, its overpriced and often rude. Fiji can be great in places, good value, but can often be really touristic, untraditional, pushy and over priced. Vanua levu and taveuni were less touristy but expensive to fly to and the ferry trip isnt that comfortable and takes all night. I like fiji , but samoa is still my favourite. So far Tonga x1 visit, Tahiti x1 visit,Fiji x 2 and samoa 6 visits and planning my next... | 7