Quiet Atolls or Tiny Islands?

I would like to spend a week or two in South Pacific on a quiet, relatively undeveloped atoll or tiny island. Sort of inspiration or preparation for that "deserted island" fantasy.

Words like:

• Peaceful, Quiet, Calm Air, Calm Seas, Clear Water, Soft Sand Beach, Great Snorkeling, Light Kayaking, Warm, Solitary, Remote = GOOD.

• Nightlife, Bars, Resorts, Parties, Windsurfing, Surfing, Popular, Bustling, Shopping, Insects, Rent-A-Car, Burgers = BAD.

I was looking at the Tuomotus such as Ahe, Manihi - do they fit the bill? Or what would you suggest?

A couple of suggestions in Solomon Islands, at the opposite end of the country from the tsunami:
Pigeon Island is in the remote Reef Islands, and has western-style facilities such as bathroom and a generator.
The Lau lagoon in Malaita (see the address at the bottom of the page) has a guest house on an artificial island - no sand, but clean sea and dugout canoes (there is sand not far away on the mainland, as well as mangroves. There is no power, permanent water or western-style sanitation, though - you do what the locals do, with a few concessions to European needs.

Are you willing to spend a lot of money on transport to these atolls? If so, some of the atolls of the Cook Islands come to mind... Puka Puka, Manihiki, Rakahanga.

They are accessable, but transport there may be quite expensive.

Another option for your "fantasy" would also be some of the islands in the Ha'apai and Vava'u islands of Tonga. It would be less expensive to get to these spots than some of the Cook Islands.

There are many, many atolls in French Polynesia, but one must understand that this destination is one of the most expensive on the planet.

Also don't discount larger islands like those of Fiji, Vanuatu or Samoa. These places may have what you're looking for and may be easier and less expensive to access.

Google Cook Islands and Tonga to find out more.

I really think that to get the best recommendations, you should be a bit more specific about facilities you want on your "desert island".

I mean, do you want a totally deserted one where you can be the only human being holed up in a tent, one with local villages only, one with no villages but a small backpacker-type resort, or one with an upmarket getaway?

The South Pacific has them all, but everyone seems to mean something else by "paradise" - for some that includes total isolation, for others air-con and cold beer...

As noted before, money could be another issue - you should note where you'd depart from, and how much you'd be willing to spend.

Without knowing these things, we could all start recommending our personal favourites, but it might all just be totally off the mark.

The atolls of FP do fit the bill mostly. I've visited Tikehau, southern Fakarava and Rangiroa (that one is a no, busy and touristy).

They have small pensions but no backpacker resorts . However, sand on the beach is minimal. It is mostly crushed coral and you will need water shoes. There are insects (mozzies and nonos). Resorts spray, pensions don't. Also, while there are deserted motus, the villages and main motus are suburban in feel with many small houses. Many of the motus have houses and structures on them and "Tabu" signs.

I'll write more when I get to work.

Actually, at this point I should just say that the Tuamotus (with the exception of Rangiroa) will give you:

Peaceful, Quiet, Calm Air, Calm Seas, Clear Water, Great Snorkeling, Light Kayaking, Warm, Solitary, Remote

However be prepared for biting insects.

There are very few visitors and most of them are French expats living on Tahiti. Let me add that the colors of the water are incredible shades of blue.

I'll certainly go back again (and again).

Manihiki in the Northern Cooks could be a good option.

The owner of this small place also has a Black Pearl farm in the pristine lagoon.

Thanks for the tips, everyone! So, it sounds like soft sand and insects are the challenges.

Some follow-up questions and clarifications:

• Is it possible to show up in Papeete airport and arrange flights and accomodations to the Tuamotus? While there is a lot of general information on the web, it seems difficult or unclear to arrange everything online - especially for the less populated atolls without resorts (which is where I would like to end up). Does Air Tahiti Islands Adventures (where I've been able to get some general info online) have a booking office in Papeete airport I could just show up at and get sorted and on my way in a day or two?

• (Just curious, but I always thought that the further one gets from "mainland" and stagnant freshwater, the lesser the likelihood of mozzies and such - so why are such insects so present even on remote islands and atolls lacking freshwater sources? Thanks for the education!)

• For LASZLO #3: I will not have a tent. Will prefer beach bungalow or basic hut or something. No village life - I prefer a more solitary situation. (I was looking at Ahe specifically because it appears to have the lowest population of the atolls Air Tahiti regularly flies to.) Not upmarket. More isolation, no air con, no cold beer. Running water and flush toilet in the area would be nice. Money not an issue - I would spend more to get closer to all my preferences. Will depart from U.S. west coast. So with these specifics, what are your suggestions?

There are several small islands in Fiji which are uninhabited other than the bungalow operation existing on them.
They range from cheap ones like Leleuvia or Caqalai to the really exclusive ones like Turtle Island.

I do think Fiji offers the best range of facilities and prices in the region.

However, you probably won't be alone at any of the above places.
That should be easier to achieve in French Polynesia, where high costs keep visitor numbers relatively low on the outer island.

Or in Vanuatu, which is cheaper than FP, Aneityum/Mystery Island could be your thing. However getting there from the US West Coast would involve 3 flights, as opposed to 2 to the Tuamotus, or 1 or 2 to Fiji.
I would go for the Vanuatu option, personally - note what they write: <blockquote>Quote
<hr>At most times you will be alone on Mystery Island except for service visits by your hosts once a day. The airport phone was dead in August 2004 and again in April 2005 so there was no communication link to the outside world - perfect isolation.<hr></blockquote>

There is an Air Tahiti office at the airport as well as travel agency office (Tahiti Nui Travel) there which sells the Island Adventures (Sejours dans les iles).

The thing about Lelevuvia and Caqalai is that everytime someone asks about an "off the beaten path" place in Fiji those two places come up. I would think they fall under OP's No category of Popular. OP's post is the very first on this branch, in the 4 (?) years that I've been here, that mentions Ahe or even Manihi. On the busy Tahiti Explorer forum Ahe has only been mentioned once (someone stayed at Cocoperles and loved it), no one has ever mentioned staying at a pension on Manihi (though the the Pearl Beach resort there is popular, it's on the other side of the atoll from the pensions).

I mentioned those Fijian islands because he wanted ones with no village but bungalows, and then added that he probably wouldn't be alone there (though I think someone on this forum wrote of being the only guest in Lelevuvia).
Places with pensions in FP are usually on islands with villages, aren't they?
I personally actually prefer islands with villages, but OP said he did not.

In any case, my main recommendation went to that Vanuatu island - though of course there's a catch with that one, too... ;-)

There are a few pensions that are on different motu than the villages (that's the case in Ahe and Manihi).

Another thought is to go to Aitutaki in the Cook Islands and rent one of the two places on Akaiami Island, Gina's Beach Lodge or Akaiami Teal Lodge (very expensive).

The cons are that there are two places on the island, some of the tour boats stop there during the day with their passengers wandering about, you would see other tour boats go by in the lagoon . The weather? Lots of people have had lovely weather on their trips to Aitutaki but not me. It rained and rained though it was lovely when it wasn't pouring. I would check their "winter" temperature (I like it hot).

The pros are easy access from the States (non-stop flight from LAX-RAR, easy to book Air Raro flight), easy to book accomodations. They are self-catering so you are not trapped by a particular meal schedule. Nothing else is on the motu or the nearby motus, I was truly stunned as I traveled in a boat 1.5 hours from Fakarava airport to see house after house after house by the side of the lagoon. (It seems that though the atolls of FP have few people they like to spread out.) The kayaking opportunities should be wonderful with other motu to explore (however, neither place mentions kayaks so you would have to arrange to rent on Aitutaki and have them transported out). Probably will find a softer/sandier beach than in FP, Maina motu on the other side of Aitutaki lagoon had a sandy beach.

Another suggestion in the Solomons would be Uepi Island (www.uepi.com) which apparently has not been effected by the earthquake at all. Would meet all you "Good" points and more. Good luck.

I've been to the outer (leeward) Society Islands which were very nice - but - I reckon the Tuamotus fits your bill - I am aiming to sail through there in Jun aboard tallship Soren Larsen (adventure voyage ship).

As mentioned - places to stay within a sane budget may be the issue.

Altern - what about northen Cook islands or Samoa??

Did anyone answer your biting insect question? Broken coconut shells are great for mosquitoes to breed in. I have found the worst mosquito problems on uninhabited islands with a good number of coconuts. You need pristine islands where humans haven't planted alot of coconuts to really avoid them (or wind).

At the risk of sounding crass and blunt, I have to give some suggestions after reading this.

Here are the realities of living solo on a "deserted island"... Even if it is "just" for a week or two.

First of all, if you want total isolation on a deserted atoll, then you are going to have NO amenities... period. There will be NO BEACH HUT, NO FLUSHING LOO (Hell, there won't BE a loo period!), NO RUNNING WATER, NO ANYTHING.

Beach Huts, running water, flush loo = Other Humans in close Proximity (maybe not so bad..read on)

You will be camping and surviving... rustically and realistically.

You will be on your own. There are going to bugs and mosquitoes... lots of them. You are going to need lots of repellant, a mozzie net and some preperations to deal with bites and stings.
Heck, you are going to need a FULL first aid kit.

You are going to have to get to this isolation (Transport to remote locations = big bucks).

You are going to have to GET PERMISSION to go these isolated beaches or atolls where ever they may be... they belong to someone... You can't just go and set up shop... It could be really unpleasant if the "owner" of that atoll or beach comes along and finds you tresspassing.

You are going to need to let people know where you are and make arrangements if something happens and to pick you up when you are ready to come back. What if you get a serious cut? or get ill? Or get attacked by a shark? What if the weather takes a turn? Are you going to have a radio to get updates? What about communication with the "outside world" if you need assisstance or evacuation? These things happen and suddenly "paradise" will turn into a "living hell". (Emergency evacuation = big bucks)

I would be less concerned with your kayak than with how good of a bush knife you are going to need. You do know how to handle a bush knife, right? It will be your new best friend. Can you tie knots? You will need to learn. How about a fire? I am assumming you will want to be cooking that fish you catch. ( I am assuming you have the skills and gear to catch fish whether it be by angling, spearing or otherwise)
You will need a good tent and even better gear. Do you know what to do if you become a victim of hyperthermia or dehydration? You will have to know how to purify water and know what you can and cannot eat out of the sea and off the land (and on a coral atoll that wouldn't be much, I'm afraid). You may not have a lot of time for kayaking casual snorkelling as oppossed to living and eating.
You will have no access to drinking water on a deserted atoll.... You will have to haul this in (or you have survival skills to know how to open coconuts or catch rainwater)

And last but not least, the best talcum soft sand will probably already be discovered and there will "probably" be development on such beaches. It is getting pretty rare to find a "perfect" beach that someone else didn't discover and exploit a long time ago. And if you do find this perfect beach, then you need to head the above advice because you will be far away from civilization.

If you do continue to want a beach hut, then there are going to be other humans nearby.... at least a village. The only place I know of where you can have a hut all to yourself (and that's still a big maybe) would be up in the Canadian rockies or something.

There are lots of places where you can have the hut and still have some degree privacy... especially if you have the bucks. I really don't think this would be so bad for you. I don't know how many times I have read the following on the South Pacific branch of folks just like yourself wanting both paradise and isolation but with "some" degree of comfort (you did mention running water and flush loos would be nice).
You can't have both... sorry.

Sorry for the reality check but the romance needs to be knocked out of this... This is what you are going to be up to... Gilligan wouldn't have had it so good.

Good luck with your dream....