So help me decide if will it be Tonga, Vanuatu or New Caledonia (or somewhere else).

[EJK]

I heard North Island is pretty nice too

[Banditbandit]

Tonga's off the list for now ...

https://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newsho...air-nz-flyers/

[merv]

We did New Caledonia just a few years ago staying the whole time in Noumea at Anse Vata Beach during July, our winter. It was expensive as some have said, food and drink like coffees about twice the price of here, so very French. It was pretty good except we were disappointed that the one let down (maybe it is because of it being winter there) was it was very windy a lot of the time. That we figured is why there is a lot of wind surfing at the beach.

Club Med had been closed in 2002 so when we were there the building and site was a derelict mess. I understand it has been refurbished and reopened as the Chateau Royal in the last few years.

I didn't rent a car at the airport as the rates seemed very high, but once we got sick of walking around (the infrastructure such as roads and footpaths were well past maintenance times) I rocked up to Hertz in Anse Vata and got a car for a few days much cheaper than it showed on line in the first place. Too and from the airport we used the bus which was okay.

The lagoon is big and with the winds that made going on a jetski tour quite good with some interesting waves to tackle - about a 1 to 2 metre swell.

[Blackbird]

Have been to Vanuatu and really enjoyed it - stayed at a small villa complex on a lagoon. It was run by Kiwis but with local staff and the food they cooked was excellent. Vanuatu was a bit down at heel compared with a lot of the other Pacific destinations but still really enjoyable and the people were lovely. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to go to the volcano.

We've been to Rarotonga twice too and loved it. However, our favourite is Samoa - just so much to see and do. If you're interested, there are some photos of where we stayed and some other parts of the island here: http://geoffjames.blogspot.co.nz/201...ce-in-sun.html . We had a bit of an emotional connection to the place anyway as our eldest son, his partner and our granddaughter narrowly missed losing their lives in the tsunami there the previous year. The locals were just wonderful to them so it was great to go and thank some of the people personally and spend money there.

[Oakie]

How long you going for?

Probably 7 or 8 nights.

[Oakie]

Why don't you add a poll to the thread and let people vote ...

Because the good folk of KB might think it's funny to send my arse to Bikini Atoll ... or Mururoa.

[mashman]

Probably 7 or 8 nights.

I haz jealouseez. Reckon we've got another 12 years before our next getaway

[Kickaha]

We're not into excitement packed holidays. Strolling down the beach, reading in the shade, keeping hydrated , seeing a few of the sights and having some nice meals at night is about our style.

Sounds incredibly boring, you may as well just lie in bed at home and wait to die

Isle of Man

[Oakie]

Sounds incredibly boring, you may as well just lie in bed at home and wait to die

Isle of Man

Does laps of Rarotonga on scooters match?

[schrodingers cat]

Because the good folk of KB might think it's funny to send my arse to Bikini Atoll ... or Mururoa.

Heaven forbid you make a decision yourself.

Good advice is not the basis of this website

[Oakie]

Heaven forbid you make a decision yourself.

Good advice is not the basis of this website

Don't have any problems making decisions. Just aware that the best decisions are made with a bit of background data. I'd rather base that on the experiences of those who have been there rather than the websites and their pretty pictures.

[ellipsis]

Sounds incredibly boring, you may as well just lie in bed at home and wait to die

Isle of Man

...yeah, this...the sand is yellowish, much like...sand, and they have some good fish'n'chippies...10 days in June...

[oldrider]

Sounds incredibly boring, you may as well just lie in bed at home and wait to die

Well! - what's left after you reach your use by date? - Hmmmm thinks! - posting on KB! - yes sir! - that will do it every time! What a way to go!

[merv]

Mate to further update you this was the thread I posted when we went to New Caledonia (basically Noumea) in 2008 http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...oumea-suckers?. What I forgot to mention last was back then it seemed like a bikers paradise mainly with the yoof racing around on small 'tards so it can't be all bad if bikes are accepted so well. The question is how much has it changed in 6 years?

[Oakie]

We had a bit of an emotional connection to the place anyway as our eldest son, his partner and our granddaughter narrowly missed losing their lives in the tsunami there the previous year. The locals were just wonderful to them so it was great to go and thank some of the people personally and spend money there.

Yes, our first overseas trip was to Samoa pre-tsunami. Was quite a shock to see footage after the tsunami of what was left of the resort we stayed at. They have rebuilt and it would be nice to go back.