Fiji or Vanuatu?

Hi

I've decided to take a week on a pacific island on the way back to Sydney in Dec/Jan. I will visit either Fiji or Vanuatu but cant decide which one. I've been to Fiji before (12 years ago) I spent 5 days hanging out on Viti Levu which I liked a lot, especially eastern kings road area.

So my question is, I want to go somewhere that is easy and not too expensive to get around on public transport (boats and buses). I'm a 45yr old solo female so not looking for back packer places where drinking etc is the main form of entertainment (which is fine by the way but just not for me) and I don't want high end resorts or places that attract families. Basic and quiet is what I'm looking for.

I'm hoping that isn't too much to ask? Also which place is the cheapest to get around on? Since I'm only there for a short time, I'm thinking $70 AUD per day? Oh and I've been traveling for years and never book anything until I get there (mainly because I never know until I get there) but its also good to know if it is recommended due to the time of year.

Any info is appreciated

Thanks

You sound like me except I usually have my daughter in toe on my trips.

I havent been to Vanuatu so cant comment but I do know how to travel independantly around Fiji and on a budget.

There is only one road that goes around so if you want to be using the local bus's then you really need to stick to the Coral Coast side of things as the Kings road side is harder to get around and not alot of bus's.

We have stayed at The Beach House and even though their website shows alot of young people, there was alot of middle aged people there as well and its not a drinking / party backpackers but lovely and in a great spot and within your budget.

Your budget of $70 wont get you much in the way of accomodation as its either 4 star resorts or budget but my pick is the beach house.

I have put up a previous thread showing some favourites of mine in the area.. thought I would add the link.

Have fun

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1882156

Fiji is definitely cheaper and easier to get around.

However, you could find basic and cheap places around Vanuatu's main island Efate, where getting around would still be cheap.

Your budget could easily be enough for either.

There is definitely more "to do" in Fiji's huge main island of Viti Levu than on Vanuatu's much smaller Efate, but I personally still prefer Vanuatu, primarily as I find the people there much friendlier - and that's quite something as I also find Fijians friendly!

Compare cheap places in Fiji and Vanuatu !

I myself never booked anything in advance in either of those countries either, and never ended up having to sleep on the streets! ;-)

you wrote "Basic and quiet is what I'm looking for".

if this is what you want then check out ths place in Fiji.

2 hrs by bus from Nadi Airport - FJD$12.00

the link has lots of 20 to 30 sec youtube video so what you see is what you get.

http://www.fijihomestays.com/dannys_village_homestay_fiji.htm

and pictures here

http://www.fijihomestays.com/fiji_homestays_photos.htm

and only FJD$95.00 per night well under your budget.

and another place I would recommend you looking at is

Matanivusi Surf Resort http://www.surfingfiji.com/faqs.html

a little more expensive but very basic and quite as well.

Fiji is easy and cheap to get around, especially with the buses.

I was at the Beachouse the past two days and it was nothing but backpackers - nobody over 25. While it wasn't a party place and the facilities are a step above your standard backpackers joint, you'd probably feel out of place. It's also kind of isolated with not much to do in the nearby vicinity, which is fine if you just want to laze around.

Since you've done Viti Levu already, I'd recommend getting off the mainland and hitting up the Mamanucas or Yasawas, although the boat transfers can be pricey. Still, if you plan things right, you could probably stay within a budget of A$70 per day. Reservations would be a good idea, but they wouldn't need to be done too far in advance.

I've been to both Fiji and Vanuatu. Hands down, Vanuatu.

Vanuatu is rich in culture. The people are extremely down to earth and nice. If you ask where the trail to the waterfall is, the people will drop what they are doing, spend the entire day with you, invite you over for dinner, and give you a gift, and ask for nothing in return. There are boats that go inbetween islands or you can take a flight depending on how much time you have. From there you can get a car ride to a village with a guest house. My favorite travel memory from all the places I've been is visiting Tanna Island and watching the volcano erupt while sitting on the rim of the crater. If you stay in the Jungle Lodge just below, you can get the honeymoon suite in a treehouse type deal and watch it erupt from the porch. It's so beautiful I extended my 1-night visit on the island to 5-nights hiking up to see the volcano each night and exploring other parts of the island during the day. There are various tours you can take that the locals give from the hostel... the cultural tour where they dress up and show their way of life is a riot and one of the best tours I've ever been on. They are good actors pretending they've never seen white people before and making fun of your gestures, and bringing you through a story line. It was good! You can go ashboarding down the volcano, see shark bay, and others. If you go to Santo island, you can get pretty remote and find village with a guesthouse (I can tell you where to go if your interested) and hang out with the locals... I spent about 6-weeks in the remote areas of Vanuatu volunteering...

After spending so much time in Vanuatu and the beautiful people then heading to tourist haven in Fiji, it couldn't even compare to my experience. Two years later, I think of Vanuatu like it was yesterday while Fiji is a forgotten memory.

... If you ask where the trail to the waterfall is, the people will drop what they are doing, spend the entire day with you, invite you over for dinner, and give you a gift, and ask for nothing in return!!!!!!!!! True? ;)

Yes it is true. It happened in a remote village off the coast of Santo. Of course, I ended up having something for them as well...It's just that they didn't expect it, nor did I. My point was that the Ni-Van people generally want to share their culture and learn from you in a genuine way. Vanuatu is not overrun by tourism so the people haven't been trained to extort money from visitors. If you've traveled around a bit you've prolly been harassed by touts. Vanuatu is the only place I didn't find any.

ha ha! just joshing as I know what you mean, but smiled at what sounded a very generic statement, happy travels!