Pacific Islands possible on a limited budget ???

Hi everybody,

I am 21 years old and starting travelling in NZ this september after which I really want to visit the pacific islands....... now is the possible on a limited budget ?? Most of what I have read suggests it is more of a expensive honeymoon location such as new caledonia/cook islands than for budget backpackers or should I look else where maybe towards thailand/laos ????

The Pacific is not as cheap as Asia. Hardly surprising given the much lower population and the distance between places.Nevertheless, it need not cost the earth, as there are hostels,dorm style accom, cheap hotels and also camping

If you can afford to do NZ, then you can afford some of the Pacific Islands.
Fiji is probably the easiest country to do on a budget, as it has one of the most developed tourist industries. Lots of backpackers go there.
Samoa is reasonably cheap as well, though I'd strongly recommend Fiji over it.
American Samoa can be done cheaply, but it's not the easiest place to get to.

Vanuatu is can be done cheaply. There is hostel type accommodation and if you talk to the locals they'll point in the direction of cheap accommodation and transport between islands. Don't be afraid to get to know the locals. A push bike is an excellent form of transport across the islands - do you have one?

I strongly prefer Samoa over Fiji, because it is less touristy, but it depends on what you are looking for. [do be sure to search this thread about the wild dog problem before booking tickets] The backpackers I met were mostly medical and dental students, which was a nice change from the norm.

I found it easy to join up with groups of travelers renting cars and split the cost of the rental to get around the island. Food costs were low in both Fiji and Samoa if you are willing to stick to the local food (tuna, tarro, breadfruit, coconuts, bananas, and the like). I was able to use the bus in both countries to get around the respective main islands.

There is an expat on this board who says really good things about American Samoa--how it has been cleaned up and can be affordable. I'm not sure if Air NZ still has their once a week flight to Independent Samoa, but if so, you could catch the ferry to Pago Pago.

Come on tilos most of Fıjı's hundreds of islands are FAR less tourısty than any of Samoa's four ınhabıted ones... ıf one wants to avoıd tourısts (most vısıtors prefer to joın them) ıt ıs very easy ın Fıjı.

But prıces seem to be the maın factor here. And ın that respect Fıjı ıs the most budget-frıendly country followed by Tonga. Back when I was there Samoa was ın the same league but ın recent years all reports ındıcate prıces there have rısen quıte a lot.

But ın any case even these cheapest Pacıfıc countrıes are lıkely top cost maybe 3 tımes as much as Thaıland or Laos - no comparısıon!

BTW sorry for those sılly Turkısh ı letters - greetıngs from (the Turkısh Republıc of) Northern Cyprus! :-)

Laszlo: I misspoke, I didn't mean to imply all of Fiji was touristy. Rather, what I meant to say was that the cost of transport out of the main tourist loop can be pricey.

Are there less touristy islands in Fiji that you recommend that don't have a high transport price tag? I plan to go back someday so I can get to Kiribati.

If ou have plenty of time, and can cope with less than perfect travel conditions, try visiting Solomon Islands, travelling on local ships (and occasionally in the backs of trucks) and staying in village rest houses. Eat local food, and you can live cheaply.
Look at Exploring Solomons to see if this would suit you.

I dıd not fınd transport costs anywhere ın Fıjı hıgh - by South Pacıfıc standards anyway.
By sea that ıs... of course flyıng to somewhere lıke Rotuma would cost you.
Anywhere - lıterally anywhere! - ın Lau for example ıs lıkely to be very pretty and totally unspoılt. And you could get there by boat for under US$100 though of course ıt would be no luxury cruısıng and once there even the most lımıted facılıtıes only exıst on 2 ıslands ASFAIK.
But I found unspolıt spots even ın the Yasawas (just check your LP for what ıs NOT ın there).