WHAT ISLANDS?? Seeking Richness in Culture and Exotic Wildlife!

Hey there,

We are looking into options for our honeymoon.

We want to keep things as cheap as possible, and being the backpacker variety of traveller we even don't mind camping on our honeymoon either! The problem is we have no idea what islands we would like to visit and would like suggestions from like-minded people.

We are looking for somewhere that has the following:

• Exotic wildlife (we are from New Zealand);
• Somewhere not so touristy if such a place exists;
• Rich in culture
• Somewhere we can observe or take part in a festival or festivals;
• Beautiful beaches of course!

We would love to take a month out of our schedules if at all possible (time and money wise as we are students). What would be the cheaper option, please realise we are going on our honeymoon but we do not mind doing this in good ól backpacker fashion as we have on other trips! :D

We are also looking into "island hopping" if we can afford it (ie: Papua New Guinea to Vanuatu etc).

We are looking into having our wedding around January (early) next year and going on our honeymoon nearly straight away after this as we have study. If you know the what the weather is like at this time at these islands, please let us know! :)

Thanks in advance,
Fallon and Nathan

Hi...I have been to Vanuatu and New Caledonia years ago and found them quite touristy but I was in Tonga last June for a short holiday and found it to be very untouristy...at least the places I visited. Most tourists go to Vavau to see the whales, etc and that's good but I went to the island of Eua, about a 3 hour ferry ride or 8 minute flight from the mainland.

What I found there was paradise. First of all we took the ferry across and shared the journey with not just one but two deceased persons that were being brought home to be buried on Eua. One was in a coffin, the other wrapped in tapa mats. About a half hour from getting to the island the family of the deceased starting singing and crying and it was a very moving experience. Certainly more culture than we had bargained for! We stayed at Taki's place...called the Hideaway Resort...it's more a backpackers sort of place but fantastic all the same. And Taki is the perfect host. He played reception manager and wedding car driver for my step-daughter who got married there to a Tongan man. We did a four wheel drive tour the next day that he organised as well. Such a relaxing holiday and I can't wait to go back.

We also stayed for a few days on the mainland and enjoyed the Heilala Holiday Lodge...we stayed in very cute fales and had afternoon drinks in the beautiful garden every afternoon. We travelled in a group of seven and we had such a great time. Tonga is a real surprise...yes, it is poor, it is dirty but the people are very nice and best of all the place is not overrun with tourists and you can have that beach all to yourself. Worth considering.

I'd say if it has to be in the South Pacific region, then Papua New Guinea is the place to go. Quite simply, no other island nation comes even remotely close to it in terms of cultural and biological diversity.

If it could be a bit further afield, then Indonesia could be worth considering.
It has even more islands, wildlife and cultures. And it's MUCH cheaper than anywhere in the South Pacific.

Wow, thanks so much for all the information!

We will consider both Tonga and Indonesia.

Are there any islands etc that have wild monkeys? We volunteered in Bolivia and worked with monkeys and love them to bits and would love to have an experience like this again.

Regards, Fallon

Tons of monkeys and even apes are native to Indonesia, none (other than introduced pests in West Papua or Palau) in the South Pacific proper.

In Indonesia, just Sumatra or Borneo alone have sg. like a dozen species.