Visit Every Country - South Pacific

I've recently rekindled my idea of trying to visit every country in the world before I leave this earth but I still have a ways to go (only at 43 so far). I'm just toying with the logistics of one step of such travel, and that's getting around the various Pacific islands. This would appear to be the most logistically difficult part of the trip as the distances are obviously great and from what I've read the flying options are limited/more costly. So what kind of advice can anyone offer to someone who wants to attempt to visit every country in the region while doing it in the most efficient (time and money wise) way possible?

I can dedicate a few months to this part of the venture and I've got $40,000 cash on hand but would rather not blow through all that as it will also serve as my financial cushion for the day I return home to work (possibly).

Wow I like your RTW ambitions here a lot. I look forward to seeing what you find out from fellow travellers about the logistics here.

I just had a quick look at the Lonely Planet South Pacific book (I know old school) which has a few different itineraries for the South Pacific, including a Grand Tour itinerary to get to many of the island nations but it doesn't give you an estimate of cost really.

These blogs may be helpful too. These are people who have done the whole world and blogged about it.
http://chrisguillebeau.com/places-ive-been/

http://www.theodysseyexpedition.com/

http://www.leeabbamonte.com/

What's your concept of country?

Do you plan to visit just sovereign states?

For the North (the Marshall islands, the FSM and Palau), the best may be to ask United if they are still ofering the Micronesia pass (and to see if it's cheaper than buying separate tickets). From Palau fly to Guam and from Guam to Cairns (all with United).

Once in Cairns, you can fly to Port Moresby with either Qantas or Air Niugini. From Port Moresby to Honiara with Air Niugini. From Honiara to Port Vila with either Solomon Airlines, Fiji Airways or Air Vanuatu. Once in Port Vila, you can fly to Fiji with Fiji Airways or Air Vanuatu. If you want to include New Zealand because you haven't been there you fly to Auckland (with Air Vanuatu or Air New Zealand) and from Auckland to Fiji (with Fiji Airways or Air New Zealand) although that would be a (big) detour.

It's a pity Fiji Airways isn't offering the Bula pass they offered during sometime when they were called Air Pacific. It would have allowed you to get good (or not so expensive) fares to visit many countries from Fiji. As they don't offer the pass now, you'll have to get separate tickets for each leg. In order to go to Tuvalu, Samoa and Tonga, you'll have to backtrack to Fiji each time (i.e.: to make them as side trips).

After that, fly from Nadi to Nauru with Our Airline and from Nauru to Tarawa with Our Airline too. Finally, fly back from Tarawa to Nadi with Fiji Airways. Alternatively, you could make Nauru as a sidetrip from Fiji (with Our Airline), fly from Fiji to Kiritimati and from Kiritimati to Honolulu from where you could fly home.

That would cover all the sovereign states. If you want to visit non-sovereign states too, other route would be needed. Be aware Our Airlines flights are just once in a fortnight. And verify how much time you can stay in Fiji.

P.S.: The guy of The Odyssey Expedition entered illegally to some countries. I don't recall if that was the case on any South Pacific country but I recall he made it on other countries.

Air New Zealand has direct flights from Auckland (NZ) to Rarotonga (Cook Islands), and a direct flight from Sydney to the Cook Islands. Virgin Australia flies Auckland to Rarotonga. Air Tahiti flies Papeete to Rarotonga return each week. Air NZ has a weekly direct LAX flight to Rarotonga.

Both Air New Zealand and Virgin fly from Auckland to Samoa. Air NZ flies from Auckland to Tonga, and also Auckland to Niue.

Find a yachtie with a similar ambition.

Yachts follow winds and currents, and are therefore highly unlikely to zigzag around to tick off every country in the region.

anillos_de_saturno - my concept of country is just recognized independent sovereign states. If I were to bother with autonomous regions, self governing parts of countries etc I'd probably never be able to finish the trip. I suppose there are a few exceptions like Taiwan (already been there) that I'll deal with but those are the exception.

PlanetTaz , thanks for the links. It was a similar link that got me hooked on the idea of visiting every country in the first place.

At the moment I'm living in south China not far from Hong Kong so located close a major air hub that's well placed to make my goal a bit easier (for this part of the world anyway). Thanks to the other posters too. I've got lots to think about before planning the next leg of my travel.