Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

Where is a great tropical island to hang out during the winter months?

Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea

Hi, I am an American searching for the a relaxed tropical island to live on during the winter months. Preferably inexpensive accommodations and offers healthy food options. Thanks for any recommendations or suggestions.

The most inexpensive islands in this region are Fiji, followed by Tonga.
Away from the resorts, neither is particularly noted for its choice of food, especially healthy options.
Fish and fruit should be available in most places though.

You may find more options in SE Asia which is considerably cheaper for eveything and offers a wider variety of food to choose from.
There is everything there from super-touristy islands in Thailand to the amazing, largely undeveloped marvels like Raja Ampat or Maluku in Indonesia.

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Fiji

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That's a great idea to find a lovely Pacific island to live on during the winter months. This blog mentions some of the cheapest South Pacific islands. There was a thread discussing this topic years ago. If you wanted a cheap place, Fiji would very possibly be your destination, while if you wanted a very special place, I would recommend Tahiti.

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