From In-Portal Developers Guide

Exotic Islands Of Vanuatu, Fiji and Cook Islands?

Today Norm Goldman, Editor of sketchandtravel.com and Bookpleasures.com is honored to have as a guest, Ian Heydon, author, travel writer, award- winning comedy writer, artist and expert on Vanuatu, Fiji and Cook Islands

Ian will be here approach us today about his expertise pertaining to these exotic islands.

Good day Ian and it is great to possess you accept our invitation to join on this interview!

NORM:

Can you tell our readers something about you plus your expertise associated with Vanuatu, Fiji and Cook Islands.

IAN:

When i first attended Fiji in 1993 and simply fell in love with the tropics, the warm, picture-postcard waters as well as the relaxed rhythm of life in general. I went back the year after and also got my PADI Open Water Dive accreditation and, after another handful of trips realised I became working basically with a goal traveling more.

Because i a fairly successful career as an author, I chose to ascertain if I really could come up with travel and kill two birds with the one pen. In 1999, we took children holiday to Vanuatu, where my wife Annie and I gave the other person a Renewal of Vows' ceremony as an anniversary gift.

I felt automatically in the home in Vanuatu and, as luck might say, Annie was offered a career teaching at Port Vila International School. We decided it can be a journey, particularly for the kids (then aged 7 and 3). Our 12-month contract extended to three fantastic years, when I managed to get to write down a good deal, including my travel book on Australia, The Small Guide to A major Country.

After leaving Vanuatu I bought a travel agent's licence to specialize in taking people, particularly honeymooners for this fascinating and rewarding place in the world. A few things i thought would be a hobby quickly became a business plus early 2004 I visited the Cook Islands and fell deeply in love with another Pacific destination.

2004 also saw visits to New Caledonia, Fiji and three trips to Vanuatu. And I'm really excited about my first pinkmontreal Samoa this season. Because i haven't any actual publications around the Pacific islands, I have three comprehensive information websites, Vanuatu A to Z, Fiji A to Zand Cook Islands A to Z.

NORM:

Could you tell our readers where these islands can be found plus an idea in regards to what differentiates one island from another from the perspective of topography, climate, and everything else you think about different?

IAN:

For me, living in Australia, Vanuatu and Fiji are very accessible, being just a few hours away. Going to the Cook Islands means a stopover in New Zealand, but it is still just two meals as well as movies. For Americans, the Cook Islands and Fiji tend to be accessible than Vanuatu (uses a remain in Fiji for connecting in order to be studied like a side trip from Australia or New Zealand). The weather in all of the destinations is analogous, tropical without any great range in temperatures nevertheless it will get very humid in the summertime months. These months are traditionally wet but El Nino seems to have changed that. From the Cook Islands, if this rains, they refer to it as liquid sunshine. The nice and cozy water temperatures mean swimming is possible throughout every season.

� Vanuatu is definitely the most primitive, you might need the best word. While Port Vila can be a modern town with good infrastructure, excellent resorts and great restaurants, on most of the outer islands the ni-Vanuatu people live traditional village lives (ni-Vanuatu ways of Vanuatu).

Cannibalism is part of a history and also the last recorded case was in 1969, the year Armstrong and Aldrin took that one small step for man. Vanuatu boasts several active volcanoes, including Mt Yasur, which is accessible and rewarding. For this reason, small earth tremors are common. Until 1980, when Vanuatu became an independent nation, the united states was referred to as New Hebrides, a condominium, jointly run through the British as well as the French. There was both French and English schools, hospitals, police forces and, for a while, they even can drove for both sides in the road!

Fiji is comparable in topography, minus the active volcanoes. To me, that is more a resort destination. To find out certainly a great explore, most visitors usually pick one or two resorts for vacation.

The Fijian folks are warm, outgoing (you can not go anywhere without greeted with a beaming smile and Bula) and so are far more akin to living on island time as opposed to Indian population. It's actually a happy mix for tourists however, as the Indians basically make the business side run smoothly.

The Cook Islands also offers rugged mountains, lush vegetation and pristine azure waters but a very different feel. The area individuals are Polynesian, not Melanesian, and comfortably marry the sensuality of Polynesia which has a Christian way of life. It had been came from here the Maori people followed migrating birds within their canoes to learn Nz. Nowadays inside the Cooks, English is spoken having a Kiwi accent as well as the currency is the Nz dollar (so that it is great value for US travelers). In comparison, the Fijian individuals are around 50% Fijian and 50% Indian. The ni-Vanuatu people are far more shy and friendly and welcoming. And, as his or her tourism slogan says, another time, another pace.

(Interviewer's Comments: Should you desire more information on Cook Islands click the link)

NORM:

How safe would it be to go to these islands?

IAN:

I have found these destinations the safest on the planet. Yes, many times petty crime, because you will anywhere, but generally speaking individuals are much less expensive materially minded and perhaps more family oriented. Our several years in Vanuatu were an indication of when the world was obviously a simpler and much more secure put the children would nip off on the lagoon to experience unsupervised and that we knew these were safe& or a father would load several children into the back of his truck and setting off to get a beach picnic no seatbelts and also no worries& it absolutely was a spot where kids were in a position to be kids.

NORM:

Why would you buying a islands great for a captivating getaway or wedding and honeymoon destination, and when you'd to pick your favorite one, which do you find it and why?

IAN:

Firstly, for that scenery there's something really romantic about swaying possession, balmy weather and green-blue warm waters (I'm yet to determine any artist reproduce these colours). But, more than this, I do believe it's that rhythm of island time that I've mentioned. You absorb the slower pace and therefore are out of the routine of computers, traffic and deadlines. Choosing one place is tough for me, however i should go with the island of Aitutaki inside the Cooks (in regards to a 50 minute flight in the main island of Rarotonga). This huge lagoon (a volcanic crater) is just stunning, a nearby folks are welcoming where there are some excellent accommodation properties and restaurants.

NORM:

Is there a best time for it to visit these islands in the point of view of weather, costs, and crowds?

IAN:

I am going to take a straightforward out and say whenever you desire to travel also to work with a local saying, whatever the weather, have a very nice day. I had been in both Fiji and Vanuatu in December 2004. Traditionally here is the hot, wet and humid season. In Fiji it hadn't rained for seven weeks and I didn't use air-conditioning either in country. A lot of people avoid driving February and March as a consequence of possible cyclones but these are pretty rare. I'm betting that 2005 will probably be cyclone free the water temperatures haven't risen much there aren't a good amount of mangoes. For whatever reason the mango tree looks like it's in tune with weather patterns and the've an over-abundance of fruit in case a cyclone is imminent. Cost and crowd-wise, I'd personally stay away from the Australian and New Zealand school holiday periods but, having said that, the 3 destinations have adults only accommodation options.