OZFLYER86

funny thing is on some Australia forums people say why are fares ex Australia more expensive than to Australia.

I think the reality is at certain times of the year, not the same in each direction, there are some crazy fares.

Air NZ launched Chicago/Auckland nonstop a few months back with roughly USD$500 return fares. Now air nz are not the best airline, but nonstop for that distance for USD$500 with some sort of very basic full service !!!!!!

OZFLYER86

Fiji is awesome, with the most friendly people anywhere. They have resorts from 1 to 5 star & everything in between. Maybe you went & stayed at the wrong place ?

LAXlocal

Fiji is just not for me , the resort we stayed at was nice , but I really did not get into the local vibe..,

Hey there are lots of other places to see

rankourabu

I would agree with you that Fiji is probably the least "local vibe" of all the islands I've been to in the region.

I havent been to Tahiti, but have been to New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, both Samoas and Tonga. All are different, all have beaches and a variety of accomodation.
I think Samoa was the most "local" of all of them.

Budget wise for spending $, Fiji>Vanuatu>Cook Islands>Am.Samoa>Samoa>New Caledonia>Tonga

EmailKid

Indeed, why let facts get in the way of argumets

RustyC

I had mixed feelings about Fiji. I stayed at a place near a so-so beach around Nadi and did daytrips. That main island has a certain charm and I did the bus ride to Suva one day, past the sugarcane fields with the mini-trains. Suva looked like it was frozen in the 70s.

Also did the island-hopping trip, which got to what a lot of others were really there for, i.e. the castaway experience in the Mamanucas or Yasawas. The Mamanucas especially looked like "Gilligan's Island" islands and would have a resort or two per island at varying comfort levels, with beaches.

A trip like that could be relaxing and make for a good honeymoon, I s'pose, but I dunno about the uniquness or how much of the culture you get or what the plus-value is versus going to Negril or Punta Cana or Tulum (popular places for that from ATL).

The problem in the populated areas is political tension between ethnic Polynesians and Indian-Fijians (like golfer Vijay Singh). Nadi wasn't the greatest town to look at or walk through.

freedom2020

Do you mean Fiji is the most expensive or the other way?

EmailKid

That is what the > would indicate @:-)

rankourabu

Its obviously going to be personal, because Fiji can be very expensive, or not, because it does have more budget-friendly accomodation/activities than the other islands due to a backpacker scene. But yes, in my experience, Fiji seemed to be more expensive than the other islands I listed for comparable comfort/amenities

freedom2020

Thank you. Just try to clarify. ">" could mean "preferred" or "better"

EmailKid

Well, since were talking "spending $" the ">" takes on a mathematical meaning, hence ">" would be interpreted as "greater than" sign.

Written as former math and physics major (for one year before switching to photography).

RustyC

I also give the Brits some credit for favoring/supporting the Commonwealth countries.

LAXlocal

Does the Cook islands have a departure tax ?
And do you need a Visa before you go or do you get it on arrival ?

Thanks

RustyC

Travel.state.gov has the info under their New Zealand section:

This page says the departure taxes are included in the tickets now. Back when I went you had to pay it in cash (also for NZ) and the Kiwis were saying it made 'em look a bit like a third-world country, but they got that fixed, apparently.