Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

two weeks or so, to Paradise... any suggestions?

Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea

hiya..
need to scratch a 30 yr old itch, to go to so. pacific. 2-3 weeks. i am an "elder" but hell -bent for leather. looking to see whats on the road less travelled. don't want to go the usual tourist route. love to experience a piece of the tuamotus, bora bora (away from the maddening crowd) moorea, Tahiti, aitutaki atui,
atolls ,motus , a bit of fiji, nuie, travelling alone . once there I '' consider travelling partly by inter-island ferry. air. limited funds. don't know how to narrow it down, i know it's an immense piece of marine real-astate. going thru stanley's travel guide to the So. Pacific is overwhelming. got maybe $6,000. amer., incl. air from Boston (.oh, and hear Somoa is breath-taking.) That's it, i want my breath taken away. would apppreciate your thoughts. am 77, in good shape. it's now or never. I want the idyllic, to see more the classic so pac. and not by pool-side, Angelo

You heard wrong about Samoa. American Samoa is breathtaking, but independent Samoa not so much except for a few parts here and there.

With only 2-3 weeks, stick to just 1 or 2 countries. Many of the places you list are some of the most popular/developed places in the South Pacific and not really on "the road less travelled." The Soloman Islands, American Samoa, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and some others sound more like what you're looking for.

Your budget should be ample wherever you choose.

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"want my breath taken away" - try Isle of Pines in New Caledonia
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/11132327
and
http://www.360cities.net/image/kuto-beach-ile-des-pins#8.60,-2.20,60.0

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There have been a slew of these trolls on this board the past few weeks.

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Yes, another one who claims he wants to go to multiple countries by ferry in 2-3 weeks ... it's getting really boring.
Claiming to be 77 makes it a bit more funny though.

In the less likely case he is serious, he should narrow it down to 1 or 2 countries connected by air, and be prepared to fly between them.
Fiji and Samoa are easy to combine, though I share tch7's opinion of the latter.
The islands of French Polynesia could fill 2-3 weeks, and there are ferries between them - but NOT to any other country from there.

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I'd include both Samoas, maybe flying over to Fiji from Apia?

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