How long to spend in South Pacific islands on a budget

Hi folks,

Me and my partner are planning a trip next year and a few South Pacific islands look set to be on our itinerary! Wahey!! We're ending up in New Zealand in mid October but leaving the UK in mid June, so we have 4 glorious months to fill. Oz is looking likely but we will probably have to avoid South East Asia due to my girlfriends peanut allergy (doh!)

So what I'm wondering is what is a realistic timescale to spend in the islands? We're after some downtime on the beach, but would like to spend a decent stint on the islands we visit and get a feel for them. Does the small size and relative inaccessibility of the different islands mean they are 'exhausted' quickly? I know thats down to how you spend your time but if anyone has any insights for a south pacific virgin that would be great! We're definitely on a budget so we're not bothered about creature comforts, but I understand that theres not such a 'roughing it' backpacker scene as in Asia, say. Is that right? I'm guessing 4 months in the south pacific would be heavy on the wallet? Is 2 months more realistic, perhaps? What are the cheaper islands? And what are the less touristy destinations (forgive the hypocrisy! ;-)

Thanks in advance for any info

Dave

One can easily spend four months in the islands, or two months, as you imply it all depends on what one likes to do.
There are a few main things to keep in mind.
If you are coming via LAX, then you have a choice of a few destinations, but NOT all of them. There are kind of channels for the flights these days. One goes from LAX to Tahiti and then to NZ. Another goes to the Cooks and then NZ. A third goes to Samoa and Tonga and then to NZ. A fourth goes to Fiji and then NZ/Austr.

It is very difficult, or impossible in some cases, to go from east to west or west to east, at least from Fiji eastwards. This has gotten worse over the last couple of years, with Air New Zealand dropping it's "Coral Route service that when from Fiji to the Cooks to Tahiti and back.

So, if you don;t want to pay for extra flights on smaller airlines, such as Air Tahiti between Tahiti and the Cooks, you can only pick one or two island groups, at least in one direction. you could take a different route on the way back to the UK if you are returning via LAX, and then catch a different island country etc. But it sounds like you are concerned about just the way down.

So, you have to kind of pick which country or country you can visit, based on you airline. check out Air New Zealand, Air Tahiti Nui, maybe Qantas, etc.

Four months, or even two months, is a long time for the Cooks. It's a small country. It's nice, friendly people, etc., but after three weeks or so you may have seen most of the accessible islands (by air).
Fr. Polynesia is about 50 times larger than the Cooks, but in is, in general, a lot more expesnive. But, yuo can get ferries between a lot fo the islands, so that can keep the costs down.
Fiji is also huge, like FP, and since almost everyone speaks English it may be a good choice for you. It is also one of the cheaper destinations, but none are really as cheap as SE Asia.

Tonga is only worth a couple of weeks. I haven't been to Samaoa, so I'll let others comment on that.

The islands west of Fiji are Melanesia, like Vanuatu, Solomons, New Caledonia, and Papua New Guinea. I haven't been to those, so I'll let others comment.

One can stay cheaply in almost all countries, there are plenty of backpacker hostels, etc. It can be anywhere from uS$10-15 more or less for a bed in a dorm.

If you have until June, I'd suggest you get a copy of David Stanley's South Pacific Handbook and read it cover to cover. By then end you'll have a good idea of the places tat you really want to see. But just understand that the airline info has changed a lot in the last couple of years, and is changing every 6 months or so, so David's book should not be taken as the final word on the current flight routes.

Have fun!

Nice one Raro, thanks a lot for the thorough reply. Its most appreciated.

We can definitely get a flight via Raratonga, Fiji, Western Samoa and/or Tahiti with one ticket I've found thats within budget (actually a ticket from London to Oz but allowing stops in the islands mentioned plus NZ, so we'd go london - south pacific - NZ - Oz - london). Other flights allow island stops in both directions so that might be worth considering.

Shame about the lack of flight options from NZ and within the islands - thats the impression I got from my hours on google, too! Are there still any multiple journey fares that are worthwhile? The Triangle Fare with Air Pacific has been mentioned a few times but I can't find mention of it on their website.

I recon we could handle Fiji for a couple of months! English speaking is good for the sort of break we're after, and cheap is ideal. Glad to hear there are backpacker options. What would you say is a realistic daily budget for a budget backpacker in Fiji who wants to do a few cool things along the way?!

Thanks again

You're welcome. Sorry for all the typos! (one expects them on the TT!)

When you said "We can definitely get a flight via Raratonga, Fiji, Western Samoa and/or Tahiti with one ticket" I hope you don;t think you can hit ALL of those on the way down. A couple of years ago one could hit Tahiti, cooks and Fiji, but now the cooks and Tahiti are on their own on the way down.

You might pick Fiji as your main stopover, then get one of those Air Passes on Air Pacific, or air NZ, etc., and fly to Samoa, Tonga, etc, or even west to maybe Vanuatu or the solomons. Fiji is the main hub for much of the S. Pacific.

You'll have to do a bit of research for these air passes. They seem to change a lot every few months. E-mail the airlines, or even go to a travel agent where you live for info.

You also said "Shame about the lack of flight options from NZ". There are actually PLENTY of options from NZ, but most involve a simple RT to and from NZ. But there are some good fares to the Cooks, Tonga, Samoa, etc. on Virgin Blue (or whatever it's called for that particular route!). So, you can always stop in Fiji for a while, go to NZ, and then come back up to the Cooks, Tonga, Samoa, etc. for a couple of weeks. But it will cost more than if it were a stopover, of course, maybe US$400 to $600 RT from NZ, (rough estimate).

Budget? Well, there is downright survival cheap, then mid-cheap, then splurge a bit cheap. Lowest would be about US$20/day, assuming about US$10/day for a dorm bed and US$10/day for meals (cook at the hostel) and local buses. But if you go up to maybe US$40/day for each of you, you can actually enjoy it a lot more. I would suggest not going rock bottom for four months, instead, spend twice as much per day and go for two months. Some things will cost a bit, like ferries to outer islands, a traditional show, etc. (but often you can just pay to watch the show, and not opt for the feast with it, etc.).

David Stanley also has written Fiji Handbook, so if you are considering Fiji get a copy of that. I think it's better than the LP one. The LP one used to be good when one guy (Rob Kay) always wrote and updated it, but most LP guides are now written by "sequential committees" so to speak. what one author thought was cheap, the updater thinks is expensive, etc etc so you get a lot of mixed information now in the LP guides. Too bad.

Lots of TTers have been to Fiji (and all the other places you mentioned) , so you should be seeing some of their suggestions here soon.

Raro

Indeed making Tahiti or Rarotonga your stopover one way, then Fiji the other way, should be possible on an Air NZ ticket from Europe to NZ/AU.

If you must pick just one, make it Fiji, as it still has the most connections to other island nations by far.

The triangle fares do exist, but you must specifically ask for them.
Email Air Pacific if you want the latest, or else simply wait till you get to Fiji, where you can buy them.
They are great value.

Another reason why Fiji is a good base is that all the CHEAPER island countries of the region, eg. Tonga, Samoa and the Solomons, can be reached from there - as can what I consider the "nicest" one: Vanuatu.

And as a budget traveller, I still found it was necessary to spend more like 30 USD/day in the region.
20 USD might just be enough if sitting around a lot in the cheapest countries like Fiji or Samoa, but not if moving around and seeing places.
In fact even with 30/day it's still very much "roughing it".

And I second the recommendation of Stanleys South Pacific Handbook over LP!

We did the triangle route last year from Fiji that took us to Vanuatu and New Caledonia. We flew Air Vanuatu and Air Calin for the flights. If you go to their web sites you can have a look at schedules, routes and fares. I worked out our schedule but had our travel agent book for us(I would suggest one who is familiar with the South Pacific). There is a great contrast between these two places. Vanuatu is more 3rd world with a great opportunity to experience a culture that is so different - New Caledonia is more sophisticated, sort of like a tropical France, although you can also experience the Kanak culture. Vanuatu has the amazing Mt. Yaser volcano on Tanna and Ile de Pins in New Caledonia is well worth a visit. Cost wise - Vanuatu would be better to do on a tight budget, New Caledonia is more expensive but some budget options are available - Mandja could help you there. It is too bad the airlines have dropped some of their routes - we were able to fly Tahiti - Cooks - Fiji last year, this year we would not be able to do the same trip. We were able to fit 5 island groups(only 4 nights in the Cooks as we had been there before) into a 7 week schedule which is a bit much, but being mid 60's we didn't know if we would ever get another chance to see all these places. As Raro suggested, check out the information available on the islands you are interested in to see how much time would be best for your needs. Good luck with your plans!

On Fiji there is no backpacker scene as in SE Asia. The South Pacific is more difficult/expensive to get to, and more expensive generally. You do find so-called backpacker resorts on Fiji, but the crowd is still of the 2-week holiday sort. Whatever your island destination (Fiji or otherwise), holiday tourists tend to clump together in a few locations. Easy enough to avoid if you wish.

Finding things to do for 2 months on Fiji will not be a problem. Many islands to visit, a lot of activities, from doing nothing to water sports to hiking.

I was averaging about US$30 a day. That covered private rooms (I never stayed in dorms), local eateries and transport, a couple of internal flights, a dive or two -- basically, mid-cheap with a few splurges. The cost for two people will probably be less than 2 x single.

Rock-bottom cheap on Fiji would not be a good way to enjoy the islands. I'm basic/budget minded, and $30 was cutting it close to my own comfort zone. As a price comparison, I could get as good or better in SE Asia for around $20-25.

Some photos on my BLOG..

The Melanesian countries are generally larger and more diverse within each country than the Polynesian ones. I have only been to Solomon Islands so far (though I have Fijian, PNG and ni-Vanuatu friends), but I would suggest you could easily spend several months there, using very cheap local ships to visit a variety of islands. Travel in Solomon Islands can be a bit serendipitous - i managed to get to the Polynesian outliers of Ontong Java because a friend in Auki (Malaita capital) told me a ship was leaving the next day (the return fare was about $20 Australian , plus a food contribution, and we got to share island feasts etc), as we were travelling with the Bishop.
You can stay for up to 3 months on a visitors visa, provided you have a return or onward ticket.
This time frame allows for serendipity.
Accommodation in Honiara at Chester House is roughly $30 Australian a night, twin bed room, shared bathroom and communal kitchen, with the added advantaage of contact with locals from all over the country, who can give you all the travel advice you need, and may well invite you to their islands and villages.

thanks one and all for the replies, they've been really helpfull. 30 USD a day is within our budget which is cool. I am going to invest in David Stanleys book today and am fairly certian that a couple of months in Fiji and maybe the Solomons is in order.

Regarding food in the region, like I said in myt 1st post my girlfriend has a peanut allergy. From what I can tell peanuts are not a prevailent ingredient in Fijian / Polynesian food. Can anyone confirm this?

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<hr> I hope you don;t think you can hit ALL of those on the way down<hr></blockquote>

Raro - The flight I mentioned does actually hit all those islands but you have to pay an extra fee per stop. Its still a cheap way of doing it though by the looks of things.

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>Whatever your island destination (Fiji or otherwise), holiday tourists tend to clump together in a few locations. Easy enough to avoid if you wish<hr></blockquote>

Oldpro - any suggestions as to where to go to aviod the tourist clumps you mention?

The majority of holidaymakers going to Fiji want to stay close to the international airport at Nadi. This means that the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands get a lot of trade, as well as several resorts along the south coast of Viti Levu. The latter have little to recommend themselves except as a place to spend a week's vacation (not a bad thing for many people).

That said, I'd still take a look at one or two of the Yasawa islands. The one I visited -- Waya island -- had a very low tourism profile, with a couple of backpacker 'resorts', one midrange, and three or so local settlements. A nice mix.

Obviously, you'll find travellers/tourists of various types at all resorts spread over Fiji, but their numbers drop dramatically out of the immediate Nadi/coral coast area. I spent several days at Lautoka, just north of Nadi, and tourism presence was almost zero (mainly because of no class beaches or resorts -all depends on what you're looking for). But Lautoka is a decent base for exploring some of the immediate interior of Viti Levu..

Ovalau is good for the mix of remnant colonial times at Levuka and the nature, and a couple of small-scale basic resort islands at Caqalai and Leleuvia. Taveuni is good for the nature generally (jungle hikes, waterfalls, reefs), Vanua Levu is very much off the conventional tourist trail. And there are several other islands I didn't even get to in my 2 months.

Hi Bedlam---good to see things are coming together.

You said "Raro - The flight I mentioned does actually hit all those islands but you have to pay an extra fee per stop. Its still a cheap way of doing it though by the looks of things."

There is NO WAY that any one flight hit all of those islands!!! Whatever website you were reading is totally wrong, or you misinterpreted it. A lot of the airline websites, like Air NZ, seem to be written and/or designed by idiots, so it's not a reflection on you if you were mislead!

For Fiji, as Oldpro and others mentioned, there are "lots" of tourists really only in a few places, where the resorts are. When you read up on the many islands of Fiji---which is a lot of fun!---then you can pick out several places to go.

i'd suggest you try to spend a week or so in a couple of places, or longer. After a week in a small town area you start to get to know some of the locals, may get invited to local things, etc. Of course, this will happen more easily if you are there for two or three weeks, in the same spot. So, just an idea, pick a place like Ovalau, or Taveuni, or Savusavu, etc, and set up shop in a friendly backpakcer place, and it will become a much more interesting trip. You'll find that the place you are staying often dets the tone for how well you like an area. A friendly manager and guests is a lot better than a cranky manager and drunken louts sharing the premises.

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>a couple of months in Fiji and maybe the Solomons is in order.<hr></blockquote>If you fly between them with Air Vanuatu, you should be able to get a stopover in Vanuatu as well. Or use Air Pacific's triangle fare linking those three countries.
I actually prefer Vanuatu to both Fiji and the Solomons, so why not stop and see for yourself.
It can be more expensive than the other two if you do it the "touristy way" (eg. staying in resorts, eating French food, etc), but for those with time on hands budget alternatives definitely exist. More on that here.

If you have "a couple of months" in this region, and your kind of budget, there is no reason to limit yourself to one or two countries.
While I fully agree with oldpro that 2 months could easily be spent in Fiji alone, I would also add that some of it could be better spent in more diverse and less touristed Vanuatu or the Solomons.

Few people have several months to spend in this region, so if you do, try and see a bit more.

Some info on the Air Pacific Triangle Fares on David Stanley's website

OK, it's from 2006, but these fares have been around for many years with the same conditions.

It's a pity that the one involving New Caledonia is no longer on offer though - good that I used it while it was!

A can of peanuts is a common breakfast in Tonga-a place where much of what's on offer food wise is very ordinary.

As to your GF's problem the preponderance of Indian influenced food in Fiji means she shouldn't have much problem-but keep that Epi Pen handy-there are no guarantees.

Kadavu, the remoter parts of Taveuni, and especially Lau are all worth a week apiece.

There are Air Pacific flights from Brisbane or Sydney that go through Nadi and Vanuatu to Solomon Islands and return. They have rules about stopovers, but might work for you. Depending on when and where, they can be the cheapest option between Australia and Solomon Islands.
Meanwhile, you can buy raw peanuts at the market in Honiara, but they are not used for cooking - just a stand alone snack

Wow, cheers again for all the info everyone! Its nice to find so many people willing to give their time and advice on a forum.

I had to buy the LP book in the end as the shop didn't have the Stanley one. Will probably get it online in the future, though. I don't know if its LP's researchers choices or what, but Fiji sounds much more expensive that I was imagining. Maybe they're including more mid and high range places than budget? Hmmm...

Lazlo - I think we're sold on Vanuatu, it sounds gorgeous!

Raro - I will definitely double check the flight then. If there's only 1 stop allowed then I guess Fiji would be the best base from which to get elsewhere. Staying in a place for a while and integrating a bit more with the locals sounds great, too.

Speaking of which, are there any places that are recommended for a decent dose of culture? Beaches, treks and waterfalls all sound wonderful but we'd also like to get a taste of the local ways of life.

Thanks again! I'm really itching to go now!! :-)

Getting between Fiji and Vanuatu seems very expensive though... around £250 (US$500) return. That adds a considerable amount on to our flight budget

List prices (rack rates in hotel parlance) in Fiji are expensive, but the recent political probs mean that in real life resorts aren't charging nearly as much.

Also check out the backpacker places listed on Rob Kay's site he has a forum up and running but not much going on there yet.

Local transport/food are cheap, well not SE Asia cheap.

Unfortunately passengers on Air Pacific flights from Fiji to the Solomons are not allowed to stop in Vanuatu, even though the plane stops there, dropping and picking up people who are flying on it with Solomon Airlines or Air Vanuatu tickets (it's a codeshare - or was 2 years ago).

Have you checked Air Pacific's Bula fares on their website?
Sure it's just NOT going to be as cheap as flights in Europe these days, but Vila is still the 2nd cheapest flight from Nadi (after Tonga) ASFAIK.
But if it's an extra 500 USD RT (with tax), I would say it's still worth it.
And so will you, if you make the trip! ;-)

Re: are there any places that are recommended for a decent dose of culture?

This is where Vanuatu really stands out!
It is the most traditional place in the South Pacific by far, even more so than Papua New Guinea or most of West Papua - and that's saying something!
Add to that that it's also the friendliest, and you've got the reasons why I'm so fond of it.

Thanks Lazlo, I will check out the Bula fares. Interesting what you say about Vanuatu being the place to go for culture, I did a trek in West Papua a few years ago which blew my culture scale so it sounds like Vanuatu is the place I'm looking for this time round! I'm going to do some proper budgeting this week and see what i can afford.

Oldpro, you wrote: "was averaging about US$30 a day. That covered private rooms (I never stayed in dorms), local eateries and transport, a couple of internal flights, a dive or two -- basically, mid-cheap with a few splurges. The cost for two people will probably be less than 2 x single."

When was this? Looking around at the links on Rob Kay's website I can't see any rooms in the $US10-15 range. Would love to hear of your recommendations because I don't like dorms either. It just seems impossible to do it so cheaply not staying in dorms. Did you stay with local people in their houses?

Thanks.