Kiribati vs Cook Is. / Samoa / French Polynesia

Hi

I am considering a trip to Tarawa, Kiribati.

I have already been on Rarotonga & Aitutaki in the Cook Islands and Tahiti & Moorea in French Polynesia.

How do Kiribati compare to Cook is. , French Polynesia and western Samoa ?

I am guessing that it is less touristy and more basic.

Will I be in for a major shock ?

Also, would it be possible to combine Kiribati with western Samoa, Cook Islands and or French Polynesia or will it be too expensive, difficult ?

I appreciate any info

Start by reading the thread 'Weird Thing Happened...' dated 18 January 2009 and see if that throws up more questions.

It depends what you want out of your trip there. There are few tourist activities and what there is is largely based on experiencing the culture. The islands have little variety in terms of flora and fauna and have no mountains, waterfalls or other such features. North Tarawa is fine to while away a few days doing very little as are some of the outer islands. Accommodation is basic but staying in a decent traditional guesthouse can be really nice....Swimming in the lagoon, exploring the islets, swinging in a hammock....not adrenalin type of activities. There is fishing trips and surfing available, if you can arrange it but little else in the way of tourist activity. Some people hate it others go back year after year for the experience.......

The thread to read

Thanx everyone for your replies.

Yes I Know that Kiribati is'nt the average tourist destination and I have heard that there is'nt really anything prepared for tourist activity.

What I have heard is that Kiribati is dirty, that the lagon is basically a sewage, that airtransport to and from this island group to the outside world is on an off and that you can't be sure if there is any tourist daytrips / services going on on a regualre basis. etc.

At the same time I have browsed the internet and seen that they have an official tourist site. I don't know what to think....

http://www.visit-kiribati.com/

http://www.visit-kiribati.com/kiribati/export/sites/KTO/to_do/tarawa_gilbert/

Kiribati is a country of three seperate island groups scattered over (roughly) 3.5 million square kilometres, the country cannot be called 'dirty'. Let's narrow it down a little: the main chain of islands (15 from memory) is the Gilbert Chain, which I guess you are talking about?

Tarawa is the main town which some have described as 'dirty'.... but 'dirty' as opposed to what? 'Dirty' as opposed to the outlying islands? Yes. 'Dirty' as opposed to most modern cities? In my opinion, no way. The main towns in many island group attract population from outer islands, in most places this leads to overcrowding and pressure on such local facilities as there are. In this regard, Tarawa is little different from, say, Majuro in the Marshall Islands.

I wonder if by 'dirty' people mean 'simple'? As in not built up, few shops a Western tourist would find interesting, a few very simple restaurants serving fairly basic food,. If so, Tarawa is so 'simple' most people would find it boring.

The lagoon is 'a sewage'? This is a very, very long lagoon we are talking about. Most of it is cleaned by the sweep through of the tides and is pristine. The main anchorage at Betio is not particularly inviting but so are most ports used by fishing and commercial vessels.

There are some areas where I wouldn't swim. For instance, the closest beach to the main anchorage is deeply strewn with litter. Most of this comes from nearby houses which, even if there is no garbage collection service, are walking distance to the main garbage tip..... But the rubbish stays on the beach because the wind and tides cast it back and forth and no-one has ever organised a 'clean up day'. That said, there are many areas I would swim. You could spend a whole holiday doing 'nothing' but lie in a hammock and swim and fish.

'Air transport to this island group is on and off?' I flew out of Tarawa last November, as far as I am aware air links are no worse than to many other Pacific countries.

'Any tourist/day trips on a regular basis'? Tarawa is not a place much visited by tourists so there are, indeed, few organised tours. If you do manage to find a local tour, there won't be many other tourists on it.

Kiribati and Tuvalu are places where you rely upon your own resources, on getting to know the local people and (with luck) being invited to join their lifestyle. It cannot compete with places (such as Fiji, the Cook Islands or even Tonga) that are used to dealing with tourists and have - in varying degrees - places to stay in, restaurants to eat in, organised activities and transport.

There are few (if any) organised tours out to or around the outlying islands of the Gilbert group. You have to meet people, be invited to stay in their homes, eat their food and share their activities. Maybe someone in the links you give can help you organise this kind of thing.

You know what? If if was you, I'd skip the whole idea. Me? Later this year I'm heading back for my third visit, which I hope to extend for many, many weeks. With any luck - I'll get to Fanning Island.......

Around South Tarawa you are advised not to swim in the lagoon but elsewhere the water is fine for swimming. The government is trying to improve things in south tarawa but it is a slow process. Air Pacific now have reasonably good services to Tarawa - twice weekly from Fiji and there is a new domestic airline starting up which should hopefully improve reliability. Much is done on an adhoc basis in Kiribati but if you book things in advance before your trip or through one of the inbound operators once there then you shouldn't have many problems.