Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# sailing to deserted islands around tonga fiji samoa cook isl Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea
world_traveller08 19:55 UTC 25 Sep 2007 | hi there! i'm gonna be in the pacific region next year (around july) and i'm looking for an unforgetable trip by boat, cargo ship, sailing ship, cruise ship or whatever! if possible to deserted islands! to walk on untouched beaches and to maybe get also in touch with locals! i don't really know if it's possible what i appreciate but i will be happy about every kind of information regarding this region and this trip! also if it's also one specific route in this region, for example from rarotonga to apia, from fiji to tonga or whatever... ...and as i am a backpacker it should be as cheap as possible... time: from one week to one month... |
ozziegiraffe 20:51 UTC 25 Sep 2007 | If you want cheap, try the regular shipping routes in Solomon Islands, eg Honiara to Western province, Ysabel or Malaita. However, there are few deserted islands, and the facilities are limited (you need your own sleepng mat, food etc, though there usually are canteens selling soft drinks, hard biscuits and canned tuna.) Stock up at the market, before you leave. The views and the chance to meet the locals make up for the lack of facilities. If you are really lucky, you might get on the occasional boat to Ontong Java, which has amazing uninhabited (but owned)sand islands, but boats there are few and far between. On most of these routes, avoid high traffic periods (usually November to January and June July), when the ships are overloaded. | 1
pago 21:37 UTC 25 Sep 2007 | There's a good reason why an island is "deserted"...... | 2
raro 00:45 UTC 26 Sep 2007 | Nothing in the Cooks would fit all you ask for, esp. if you only have a month and are on a backpackers budget. | 3
ozziegiraffe 19:27 UTC 26 Sep 2007 | If you are serious, then the Solomon boats mentioned above actually all have round trips - I did the Ontong Java one several years ago when a Church of Melanesia Bishop was visiting the remote parts of his Diocese. The fare for the trip (not counting food) was less than $20 Australian, and the round trip was 5 days, including Kastom feasts etc. If you are lucky, one of the Bishops may be going somwhere interesting, but there is never any guarantee. If you want to consider this, send me a PM, and I will send you some contact information. | 4
api 18:07 UTC 27 Sep 2007 | I stumbled across this a while back: Pacific Expeditions. The captain has actually conducted archaeological research in this region (legitimate / published research too - it is how I stumbled across the link). If I wasn't currently pregnant and with a young child, I would love to go on his trip - a very interesting, off the beaten track part of the Pacific. You could also try crewing on a yacht. I know Vava'u, Tonga is a good place to look for opportunities. Also some lovely deserted islands around there. | 5
raro 11:11 UTC 28 Sep 2007 | Api, Graham has great trips, but at US$200/day they are not really for the OP: "...and as i am a backpacker it should be as cheap as possible... " But for others who can afford it, they are great trips, probably one of the only ways to get to some of these islands without chartering a yacht. | 6
5waldos 03:17 UTC 29 Sep 2007 | Go to Pohnpei and take the field ship down to Kapingamarangi- a cheap trip, about 2 weeks, and you will land on islands with few people and rarely traveled. Or go to Chuuk and take the ship that goes to Yap- another cheap on that stops at all kinds of tiny isolated islands. Neither near the Cooks, but otherwise difinately fit your criteria. | 7
api 11:47 UTC 30 Sep 2007 | Yes, Raro I guess you are right. I had forgotten the actual prices, but remembered thinking they were reasonable for where he took you when I first looked at his site. | 8