No diving, no resorts - where?

Hi everyone.

I'll start a trip next March from Chile to Easter Island and then on to the Pacific Islands and New Zealand. Unfortunately I don't know where to start from and the fact that I live in Cuba (where Internet is too expensive -like 12$/hours for dial-up- and post never arrives) doesn't help towards doing making online searches. I'm not expecting anyone to organize my trip; what I'm looking for here is some basic orientation so that I can focus on the places that fit my preferences or discard those that don't. I'd be grateful to anyone who can help with any of the following:

1. I can choose when to travel between February and May. I understand that rains stop in May, but how bad is it in say March or April? Will it be a complete torture with impassable roads and non-stops rains or is it like the Carribean where rainy season means just a couple of hours of daily downpour? Should I imperatively time my tour to take place in May or April won't make too much of a difference anyway?

2. Where should I go? I had a look at the FAQ and the highlights. I am mostly interested in culture (not staged shows I mean, normal people living in a not too globalized way), anything that has to do with history and archeology, nature, far-flung semi-deserted places (but I don't dive, I enjoy snorkeling and hiking, though) and I really don't enjoy at all staying for long in the same place. I have time (let's say 45-50 days for the Pacific islands) and I don't mind moving around constantly, I pretty much hate beaches and I'm not looking for comfort at all.

3. I've seen reports of several airpasses around (like here: http://www.airtimetable.com/airpass_south_pacific.htm) but none of them seem to be available when I look for a specific one, especially the one by Star Alliance, which according to their site will be available "soon". Are they really worth it, has anyone used them, does it actually pay to just buy tickets as I go, given I won't be there in high season anyway?

4. Airfares aside, I p[lan on 70-80$/day, including boat travel. Good enough?

5. The LP guidebook I ordered should arrive in Cuba by... November, but until then if anyone can recommend any reading related to the PAcific Islands I'd love to hear about it.

I know these are too general questions and I should be doing for "forum-digging" but right now that's impossible. I appreciate even the vaguest reply.

Thanks,
Yorgos

Solomon Islands offers everything you are looking for, and can be reached through Fiji, Papua New Guinea, or Brisbane in Australia. It is large enough to offer a variety of experiences in the time you have. Look at the Exploring Solomons website for a variety of ideas. Please feel free to contact me for more information.

There are now some Cuban doctors working in the Solomons I'm sure they'd be Happy to meet a fellow Cuban so far from home.

Alright guys, so Solomon Islands is on the list, thanks for the link, it looks like it's easy to do from the Fijis.

Is there anything of exceptional historical importance in the PAcific islands? I know I won't find any Acropolis or MAchu Pichu but anything mysteriously old say like the Biminii rocks in the Caribbean?

Niue. Not much in the way of beaches. Narrow fringing reef with many pools ideal for snorkel. Some say the clearest water in the world. Some archealogical sights if you know where to look. Only about 1500 tourists a year. People shy but friendly. 68km ring road, you don't have to travel too far to take in all activities, but you need at least two weeks to cover everything. Only one flight a week out of Auckland at present but possibly two flights to and from Tonga and American Samoa by early next year.

Check out Niue Tourism

Or www.markcross.nu</a> for more info

The artificial islnads in Malaita, Solomon Islands are unique culturally, and have an interesting cultural history, written about by anthropologist Walter Ivens in the 1930s, in a book called "Island Builders of the Pacific".
These people have an interesting history of head-hunting, and blackbirding in the 19th cnetury, when they were taken as virtual slaves to work in the cane fields of Fiji and Australia.

I recall reading about a site called Nan Madol(sp) located on one of the Micronesia Islands. It is not an extensive site but one of mystery as to who and how! You could also consider Vanuatu - the outer islands will have the unique culture you are interested in. Vanuatu is easily reached from Fiji. Sounds like an interesting trip you`re planning!

Hi Yorgos,

Get me your address in Cuba and I will send you a opoy of my book on the Cook Islands. You can post it here or private message me. Always up to helping my Cuban neighbors.

Papa Mike

Great stuff, guys. What's even greater is a client came over and brought me the LP, so I'll do some reading and come back with some more questions.

I'd still like to have any ideas about questions 1, 2 and 4 at the OP.

PapaMike, check your PMs.

#1-there are no hard and fast rules climate change has affected the SP like anywhere else.

For instance in Fiji they say 55% of the rain falls in the rainy season the other 45% in the dry season.

#4-should be OK.

Yes #9 is correct. For the last 4 years there has be little to differentiate the wet with the dry season at least in Western Polynesia (Samoa, Tonga, Niue). Currently in Niue, the dry season, I'd say that its is overcast more like 70% of the time while raining about 40% of the time. Another reason to stay for 2 weeks so the odds are increased that you experience at least some sunshine.

Archeological sites in the Pacific are largely limited to the statues and ancient temple mounds in Polynesia (Easter Island stands out), and to the ruins of Nan Madol in Micronesia.

But traditional lifestyles are better preserved in Melanesia - with Vanuatu and PNG being the best in this regard IMHO.

One can get away from the resorts in just about any country that has many outer islands.

Your budget should be OK for anywhere except maybe French Polynesia.

Most airpasses are not worth it for this region.

Traditional lifestyles are less preserved in the Western Province of Solomon Islands, where most tourists go. However, get away from any of the other provincial capitals, and you will find very traditional culture. This is especially so in Malaita, especially the eastern side of the island, Makira, especially Santa Ana and the Polynesian outlyers, which are notoriously hard to get to.
However there is little infrastructire - most places are more accessible by boat than road.
As for weather, I was in Malaita April this year, and had 2 weeks of perfect weather. However, the Saturday before I arrived, torrential rain damaged 7 bridges on the road I would norrmally have travelled, so I had to follow a different route. Generally, at that time of year, it is typically tropical weather - storms in the afternoon, but most of the day fine. You would have to be very unlucky to meet a cyclone, though one of the most devastating to the country hit in May 1986. This year promises to be relatively dry, with El Nino back.

You have to go to Tahiti from EI. A trip to the Cooks is an extra afre. You basically go to NZ from Tahiti on the int'l ticket. So, be prepared for an extra ticket to get to the Cooks, Fiji, Vanuatu, etc.

Figure on a week on Easter Island. It takes a full three days to see the different areas, and it WILL rain until about May maybe half of the days you are there.

Rain does drop off in May, as opposed to Feb/March, for instance.