Quick visits to several S Pacific Islands - April 2012

We will be stopping on the following islands during a cruise (end of March) from New Zealand to Vancouver, BC. Before you answer with negatives about cruises, know that we also travel by bicycle (and will in N Zealand before the cruise).

Obviously we will only get a quick look at these places, but I'd appreciate any suggestions for one day at each port. We can also take our bikes and cycle if that is a good idea.

Apia, Samoa
Suva, Fiji
Noumea, New Caledonia
Ile des Pins
Lifou
Fanning Island

We'll also have 3 stops in Australia - 1 day each

Burnie,Tasmania
Melbourne
Sydney

New Zealand stops:

Tauranga (N island)
Grisborne
Wellington

Picton (S Island)
Akaroa
Dunedin

I'm at the beginning of my research with the guidebooks (LP/RoughGuide/etc), but personal suggestions are helpful.

Thanks, Kahtrav

Edited by: lpkaren

Go to the museum in Suva.

Cheers,
Peter

The museum in Noumea is even better! ;-)
In fact that's the best one on the whole South Pacific.

Well, I think the Lp will give you a good list of places to see in the 3 capital "cities", while on the other 3 islands just go cycling to explore away from the crowd of your fellow cruise-mates for whom a real circus is likely to be put on upon their arrival at each island.

Hi,
Fanning Island is a Bare-bones affair. Elevation 1 Metre.. No electricity....no sanitation system...(think about it) 1 farm tractor and 3 buildings, other than the 1-room stilt dwellings scattered amongst the palms. You will 'tender in' to a concrete dock....walk down the trail surrounded by LOTS of little children and pigs...then you will turn around and walk back. Birth control is not on their radar apparently. You can buy some local souveniers carved by locals. You DO have your tetanus shot..yes?? It's the one place in all of the Pacific you won't mistake for any other. I liked it actually.....in a reality-check sort of a way. Go to CruiseCritic on the Web for their Forums and Reviews. Locomotiveman