South Pacfic Islands- Which one?

Hey All,

After spending some time reading quite a few of the threads I’m a convinced that I want to include a stop for a bit on one of the pacific islands as part of my RTW trip. Since I am booking flights myself separately I have some flexible where I go.

I’m looking to spend between 7 days – 2 weeks + depending on living costs and hoping to stay in cheap budget accommodation and eat from markets, cook etc . I would like spend a few days on a main island and a number of days on a more isolated island – looking for somewhere which isn’t totally full of packpackers but isn’t totally cut off either as I will be travelling solo and would like to meet some cool people and experience life on a pacific island. Interested in walking and exploring, swimming and snorkelling – maybe fishing- chilling.

I’ve been looking at the Cook Islands but have been put off as the flights to other islands in the group seem very expensive and you can’t camp . Is it possible to visit other islands in the Fiji group by ferry or is it cheaper to fly than the cooks? How about Samoa is it cheaper travel round is there a ferry between islands? I have also read info on tonga and Vanuatu – budget no more than 40$US per day but would like to do it cheaper

I’d be very grateful for recommendations – it shall make my decision lot easier – where I should go for value price wise and experience – and ablity to visit other smaller islands? tips on accom would also be a massive help

Massive thanks for any help,

Cheers

Mark

Hi there.... Just a few comments.

"hoping to stay in cheap budget accommodation and eat from markets, cook etc ."

Please keep in mind that pretty well every other backpacker/budget traveller has exactly the same idea as you...

You will only be able to do this if you stay in the major towns... It's easy to find budget accommodation in Rarotonga, Cook islands; Apia, Samoa; Nadi, Fiji or Nuku'aloga, Tonga and it's also easy to self-cater... Out of the main towns though, its pretty hard (except for Rarotonga) to find a cheap place to stay that isn't far away from conveniences like markets, shopping, nightlife.
You're right... You cannot legally camp in the Cooks and it is highly discouraged in Tonga and Samoa. Meals are often included in budget accomodation on the beaches of Samoa and Tonga.

"I would like spend a few days on a main island and a number of days on a more isolated island – looking for somewhere which isn’t totally full of packpackers but isn’t totally cut off either"

"I will be travelling solo and would like to meet some cool people and experience life on a pacific island. Interested in walking and exploring, swimming and snorkelling – maybe fishing- chilling."

Again, please keep in mind that pretty well every other backpacker/budget traveller has exactly the same idea and as you...

With your budget, both time-wise and money-wise, it will be pretty hard to move around.. In Samoa, you are limited because there are no isolated islands, Tonga's isolated islands are right off the traveller's radar and you have to pretty well fly (very expensive) or take a seriously long and uncomfortable boat ride...Once you get there, you may find yourself being the only traveller and in less than paradisical surroundings... Same with the Cook Islands outside of Rarotonga. I can almost guarantee with your limited time and what I can read between the lines, you will get to a beach in Fiji, Samoa or the Cooks and will find it exceptionally hard to drag yourself away after a few days... They are that relaxing and seductive.

If you do go to these remote islands, you are not going to find interesting little enclaves of bohemian travellers living a paradisical dream on a lovely remote beach... chances are you will find only a few other scattered travellers... If I may be as bold as to suggest, unless you can integrate into island life (which you can't do in 10 days), you may find yourself bored to tears with little to entertain you after a few days... Life on these remote islands can be difficult for both residents and travellers.

And from first hand experience, there is nothing worse than getting to a less travelled island (like Uoleva in Tonga) expecting paradise, and finding instead a squalid "resort" to stay in with the only other guest being a psychotic misanthrope, a wife beater owner, bad food, brackish water and pigs in your hut.

You will meet "interesting" travellers in the packbacker hangouts... you won't find them on the isolated islands because most of them are in the same boat as you with limited funds and time-lines. You will be able to do all the activities you listed from here... You won't be able to do many of them on remote islands.

Your budget of $40 a day is a pretty bare-bottom minimum... You'll be staying at cheap places with lots of other lower budget travellers and there are limited places to stay in all the island countries you mentioned. You won't be drinking too much beer, doing tours/diving, travelling around each island group on this budget but you will still have fun.

Get some guide books from your local library for the South pacific islands... Or Google each island group seperately... Each island country has extensive visitor's websites with guides for accommodation, eating and entertainment for all budgets. There are so many accommodation options for all the islands, it's almost impossible to list them here.

Hope this was somewhat helpful...

Edited by: someone who at one time was also looking for The Beach and realized it doesn't exist...

Edited by: islandboi321

With limited time, go with the easiest flight arrangements...and I expect that will probably get you to Fiji, which is one of the cheaper destinations anyway. For a short trip (and what you can do in that limited time frame) one island group will be as good as any other. So go with travel convenience.

islandboi321's advice is realistic and makes sense, and I have nothing to add. You might not like what you read. Most visitors probably have a 'south seas fantasy' among their mental baggage. But the reality is different.

I second Fiji.

It offers both the easy travel and the possiblity of reaching more isolated islands.
It is also one country where camping is still a possiblity in places, and self-catering is as easy as it gets in the South Pacific - even villages have stores selling the basics.
It also has a better shipping network than most countries, meaning you can avoid flying.
Plus it is one of the cheapest countries in the region.

For all these reasons it is also one of the most popular/touristy, so you will have to be a bit imaginative and adventurous to get off the beaten track - if you really want to.

PS: I bet islandboi is back home, sheltering from freezing weather to bother to post such a long reply! ;-)

Actually Laszlo, once I finished it, posted it and re read it, I thought, "Boy, I'm really bored today, aren't I?" Ha!

I do think a sticky thread needs to be made and posted on this branch... It should be called "The Lowdown on the Quest for that Paradise Tropical Island... Facts and Fantasy".

Great post islandboi, I love your writing though my views of places are usually just the opposite of yours. Uoleva would have been paradise for me if only the water were warmer and there were fishes in it. But I love to be the only person staying at a "resort". (No pigs in my cabin but I had roasted pig for dinner.)

I think OP is being quite realistic. He's looking for a more isolated island (not a totally isolated one) compared to the main island where he can meet some people to hang out with.

I think Aitutaki certainly fits the bill. $40 US currently will net you about $70 NZ which is very nice. However, if U$ is not your home currency do check the exchange rates, things have dramatically changed recently. I met a nice group of people at Tom's on Aitutaki. The lagoon is just stunning . You will have to budget for a cruise or two.

Fiji, where I haven't been, is a place to look at with their ferries and many islands to choose from.

Thanks everyone for the honest advice (particularly islandboi)- one of the great things about this forum, for sure!

Being a relatively indecisive person (lets change that to very) I was finding it difficult to make my mind up between each island group. On all of your advice, I may now decide to visit more than one group and spend a month or so-

Easy to get carried away thinking of perfection when you’re sitting in the not so tropical isolated island of Ireland!

Cheers Mark

Have fun, Mark!! Regardless of my long-winded,candid advice, you'll find this is truly one of the most beautiful places on the planet!

Mark, we´ve got another Ireland boy sitting here in Tonga since 3 years and he just loves it!

In Ha'apai you can find plenty of islands off the beaten track as it hasn´t been completely conquered by tourists yet. Ha'apai can be a real retreat with some (practically) deserted islands and you will never meet a lot of people here, but there are always backpackers around, even in the low season. 40$ per day equals around 80 Tongan Pa'anga and this is certainly sufficient if you are not planning to have any extravaganza like diving. The accomodation here costs between 15T$ and 40T$ for a single room, there are plenty of locally owned guesthouses around Pangai, you can hire a bike or a kajak to get around and most guesthouses offer free use of the communal kitchen.

As islandboi mentioned though, the flights are not the cheapest (currently 144 T$), the alternative of going on the ferry can be very stressful and unpleasant, especially in bad weather or when the schedule is being changed at short notice once again. As far as fishing, swimming, snorkeling, diving and chilling goes, Ha'apai will totally suit that. For walking/hiking a few days on 'Eua, close to Tongatapu would be the place to go.
Hope you find the right little place for you!

Mark, we´ve got another Ireland boy sitting here in Tonga since 3 years and he just loves it!

In Ha'apai you can find plenty of islands off the beaten track as it hasn´t been completely conquered by tourists yet. Ha'apai can be a real retreat with some (practically) deserted islands and you will never meet a lot of people here, but there are always backpackers around, even in the low season. 40$ per day equals around 80 Tongan Pa'anga and this is certainly sufficient if you are not planning to have any extravaganza like diving. The accomodation here costs between 15T$ and 40T$ for a single room, there are plenty of locally owned guesthouses around Pangai, you can hire a bike or a kajak to get around and most guesthouses offer free use of the communal kitchen.

As islandboi mentioned though, the flights are not the cheapest (currently 144 T$), the alternative of going on the ferry can be very stressful and unpleasant, especially in bad weather or when the schedule is being changed at short notice once again. As far as fishing, swimming, snorkeling, diving and chilling goes, Ha'apai will totally suit that. For walking/hiking a few days on 'Eua, close to Tongatapu would be the place to go.
Hope you find the right little place for you!