| Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of and | | | | |
| Bookpleasures.com, is pleased to have as a | | | | societies are socially conservative and |
| guest well known author, travel writer and | | | | scanty dress is frowned upon. Women traveling |
| expert on the South Pacific, David Stanley. | | | | alone should avoid staying in isolated |
| David is the author of Moon Handbooks South | | | | bungalows or wandering off on deserted |
| Pacific.Good day David and thank you for | | | | beaches.NORM:Could you give our readers an |
| accepting our invitation to be | | | | idea of the costs involved if travel |
| interviewed.NORM:Please tell our readers | | | | originates from the USA or Canada and how |
| something about yourself, your expertise and | | | | accessible is it to fly to the South |
| the | | | | Pacific?David:One-month roundtrip airfares |
| | | | from Los Angeles or Vancouver to Tahiti, |
| books you have authored pertaining to the | | | | Rarotonga, or Fiji start around US$1,250 in |
| South Pacific.David:I've earned a living from | | | | the low season, provided you book at least 14 |
| travel guidebooks since 1979, when Moon | | | | days in advance and are willing to accept a |
| Publications of Rutland published the 1st | | | | 35 percent cancellation fee. If you fly on |
| edition of SOUTH PACIFIC HANDBOOK.In November | | | | shorter notice during the high season |
| 2004, Avalon Travel Publishing of Emeryville, | | | | (December to February), you'll pay around |
| | | | US$2,000. The weekend travel sections of |
| | | | major newspapers carry ads for discounted |
| California, brought out the 8th edition of | | | | fares, and websites sometimes sell tickets |
| Moon Handbooks South Pacific. I've also | | | | for considerably less than the prices quoted |
| written Lonely Planet guides to Eastern | | | | by airline agents over the phone.For example, |
| Europe, Cuba, and Canada's Maritime | | | | I recently flew from Vancouver to American |
| Provinces. Lately I've been exploiting the | | | | Samoa for US$700 roundtrip on an Internet |
| power of the Internet with sites like SOUTH | | | | special. Such offers are routinely announced |
| PACIFIC.ORG: MAP SOUTH PACIFIC and | | | | in the newsletter of the South Pacific |
| | | | Tourism Organization, available at SOUTH |
| CUBA PICTURES.NORM:When we talk about the | | | | PACIFIC TOURISM ORGANIZATION.NORM:If you had |
| South Pacific what exactly are we referring | | | | to choose 6 unequalled venues in the South |
| to and where is it situated in relation to | | | | Pacific for a romantic getaway, honeymoon or |
| the USA or Canada?David:The "South Pacific" | | | | wedding destination, what would they be and |
| brochures printed by tour operators often | | | | why?David:My first choice would be:Tahiti and |
| focus on Australia and New Zealand, but those | | | | its neighbours Moorea and Bora Bora.The |
| countries are quite different from the | | | | soaring green peaks and brilliant reefs of |
| tropical Pacific islands. Moon Handbooks | | | | these islands are unsurpassed, and the |
| South Pacific covers 15 insular countries and | | | | "exotic" French atmosphere combines well with |
| territories from Easter Island to the | | | | the charm of Polynesia.Fiji is a very close |
| Solomons. People tend to consider this region | | | | second for its stunning variety and |
| remote, yet it takes only two hours longer to | | | | friendliness.Then there's Rarotonga in the |
| fly from Los Angeles to Tahiti than it does | | | | Cook Islands. |
| to fly to Honolulu. Fiji is midway between | | | | |
| Hawaii and New Zealand, to the west of | | | | This is long a favorite holiday destination |
| Tahiti.NORM:Would you consider the South | | | | for New Zealanders. Rarotonga is small enough |
| Pacific a good choice for a romantic getaway | | | | to explore in a week, and the facilities are |
| or wedding and honeymoon destination? | | | | excellent.My fourth choice is Easter Island. |
| Why?David:All of the main South Pacific | | | | Although for those into hiking or |
| destinations have attempted to market | | | | archaeology, it should come first. Travel |
| themselves as wedding or honeymoon | | | | agents often book three-night stopovers on |
| destinations. Fiji and the Cook Islands have | | | | Easter Island, but only the highlights can be |
| been the most successful as weddings can be | | | | seen during such a short stay.Finally, I |
| arranged locally with little fuss.In French | | | | should mention Vanuatu for those looking for |
| Polynesia, marriages can only be performed | | | | something really different. This little known |
| for persons with 30 days residency, which | | | | Melanesian country offers a colorful mix of |
| excludes most tourists. Instead, French | | | | scuba diving, tribal culture, active |
| Polynesia has developed an active honeymoon | | | | volcanoes, and the South Pacific's most |
| industry with Bora Bora highly favored by | | | | beautiful capital city, |
| bridal magazine writers who enjoyed the | | | | |
| hospitality of luxury resorts. In my opinion, | | | | Port Vila.NORM:What resources are available |
| | | | on the Internet pertaining to weddings and |
| | | | honeymoon vacations in the South |
| Moorea is Bora Bora's equal in all but name | | | | Pacific?David:Obtaining independent |
| and is far less expensive. For a romantic | | | | information on weddings and honeymoons isn't |
| getaway, I recommend Rarotonga in the Cook | | | | easy as resort and tour company websites only |
| Islands. There is a lot to see and do within | | | | promote their own products. That said, |
| a compact area, and prices are fair.NORM:What | | | | HONEYMOON FIJI and HONEYMOON VANUATU are |
| is the best time to visit the South Pacific | | | | worth a look, and TRAVEL MAXIA is useful in |
| from the point of view of weather, costs, | | | | that it covers the entire South Pacific. It's |
| crowds, and the availability of flights from | | | | also well worth perusing the official tourism |
| the USA, Canada and Europe?David:Officially, | | | | websites of the island visitors bureaus, all |
| the hurricane season in the South Pacific is | | | | of which are linked to SOUTH |
| from December to April, although with global | | | | PACIFIC.ORGNORM:Is there anything else you |
| warming it's starting earlier and ending | | | | would like to add that we have not covered |
| later. Winter (May to October) is generally | | | | |
| cooler, drier, and less humid throughout the | | | | pertaining to the South Pacific?David:The |
| region, the best time to go. May to August is | | | | South Pacific should be recognized as a |
| the off-season in Australia | | | | straightforward, trouble-free destination. |
| | | | None of the countries included in my book |
| and New Zealand; hence Air New Zealand's low | | | | require visas of North Americans, Europeans, |
| season South Pacific airfares apply those | | | | Australians, New Zealanders, or Japanese. |
| months. So by a happy coincidence, you can | | | | Obstacles like erratic pricing, corrupt |
| enjoy the best weather for the lowest price | | | | officials, violent crime, and security |
| if you schedule your trip at that | | | | glitches are generally absent here. This |
| time.NORM:How safe is it to travel to the | | | | sprawling region is best characterised by its |
| South Pacific?David:Very safe. "Terrorists" | | | | amazing variety, with many distinct cultures, |
| would stand out like sore thumbs on these | | | | cuisines, histories, and environments to |
| small islands. Violent crime (muggings, etc) | | | | experience and enjoy. At US$24.95, Moon |
| is almost unknown, but petty theft does | | | | Handbooks South Pacific has the potential to |
| occur. Nothing will go astray if a few simple | | | | save vacationers hundreds of dollars, while |
| precautions are taken. Contrary to the image | | | | assisting them in making the best choices. |
| fostered by Hollywood and in the tourism | | | | It's all in there.Thanks David for accepting |
| brochures, the island | | | | our invitation to be interviewed. |