Although most of their national currencies have risen against the depressed U.S. dollar, Fiji, the Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga still offer good value to those of us spending American greenbacks. That's not the case in Tahiti and French Polynesia, where the local money is pegged directly to the European euro. Nevertheless, there are bargains everywhere in the islands, which I point out in the 11th edition of Frommer's South Pacific. Here's a recap of developments since we prepared the new edition, which has full details. I also post updates frequently on my personal website, www.billgoodwin.com.
Planning Your Trip
Nearly all travelers to the South Pacific islands from the U.K. and Europe stop in Los Angeles on the way, and thus must comply with U.S. immigration procedures. Citizens of 27 countries (including the U.K., most European nations, Australia and New Zealand) can visit and transit the U.S. without a visa, but as of January 12, 2009, they must register online at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov more than 72 hours before leaving home under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (www.dhs.gov). Citizens of all other countries without a visitor visa to the U.S. must obtain a C-1 transit visa from the U.S. State Department (www.unitedstatesvisas.gov), even if they don't leave the airport.
Air Tahiti Nui (www.airtahitinui.com) will not fly between New York and Papeete during the Northern Hemisphere winter, from November 2008 to April 2009. The New York-Papeete flights now stop in Los Angeles. Air Tahiti Nui still flies between Papeete and Tokyo, but it has discontinued its service to Osaka in Japan.
Abercrombie & Kent (tel. 800/554-7016; www.abercrombiekent.com) will send the 118-passsenger clipper Odyssey, which specializes in out-of-the-way places, across the South Pacific beginning in October 2008. The first stop will be a 2½-week "Polynesian Paradise" cruise to Bora Bora, the Tuamotu atolls and the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia. The ship will then make a "South Seas Adventure" cruise west through the Cook Islands and Tonga to Fiji.
Fiji
The Sheraton Fiji Resort (www.sheraton.com) will be closed until November 2008 while undergoing a major renovation, the first since it opened in 1987. All guest rooms and the outdoor pool are slated for major refurbishment. The American dive company Aqua-Trek has sold the Garden Island Resort on Taveuni (www.gardenislandresort.com) to CHI International, a Hong Kong-based company which has announced plans to significantly upgrade the hotel.
Off Taveuni, Qamea Resort & Spa (www.qamea.com) has turned its former owners' home into a "premium villa." One of its two bedrooms has a romantic four-poster canopy bed, from which you can look out at the pool and sea. It and the resort's two other premium villas now have DVD players.
Tahiti & French Polynesia
Princess Cruises (tel. 800/774-6237 or 904/527-6660; www.princesscruises.com) will be operating the 700-passenger Tahitian Princess on 7- and 10-night cruises in French Polynesia until late 2009. Its identical sister ship, the Pacific Princess, may cruise in French Polynesia thereafter. Check the line's website for more information. In its place, the 170-passenger, 300-foot-long tall ship Star Flyer is now making 7-, 10- and 11-day cruises from Papeete through the Society and Tuamotu islands. One of the Monaco-based Star Clippers fleet (tel. 800/442-0552; www.starclippers.com), Star Flyer resembles an old-time clipper ship but is loaded with modern amenities. Silversea Cruises (tel. 800/722-9955; www.silversea.com) has announced plans to send its luxurious ship Prince Albert II to French Polynesia for six months in 2009, with the Marquesas and Austral islands among its expected ports of call. The Prince Albert now has such luxuries as a Wine Restaurant by Relais & Château. It is expected to stop at Le Tahaa Private Island and Spa, a Relais & Château-affiliated resort.
On Moorea, the already moderately-priced Club Bali Hai (www.clubbalihai.com) is countering the sinking U.S. dollar with a special "Bargain Hunter's Special" which includes breakfast daily, a snorkeling trip, a rental car for two days, vouchers worth US$63 at local restaurants, and a ticket to the hotel's excellent Wednesday night barbeque and Tahitian dance show.
The venerable Hotel Bora Bora (www.amanresorts.com) is slated to close in October 2008 for a complete rebuilding. It is expected to reopen in time for its 50th anniversary in 2011. The super-luxe Four Seasons Bora Bora (www.fourseasons.com) is scheduled to open in September of 2008 on Motu Tehotu, a flat island on the eastern side of Bora Bora's spectacular lagoon. Three of French Polynesia's four Sofitel resorts have been renamed to reflect their original monikers. The Sofitel Tahiti Resort is now the Sofitel Tahiti Maeva Beach Resort; the Sofitel Moorea Beach Resort has been reflagged as the Sofitel Moorea Ia Ora Beach Resort; and the Sofitel Bora Bora Beach Resort has been renamed as the Sofitel Bora Bora Marara Beach Resort. It's less confusing, since many local residents, especially taxi and bus drivers, still refer to them as the Maeva Beach, the Ia Ora, and the Marara, respectively. In addition, the Sofitel Motu Bora Bora has been changed to the Sofitel Motu Mora Bora Private Island to reflect its recently upgraded facilities. They all share a website at www.accorhotels.pf.
The Cook Islands
The Cook Islands government will allow Air Rarotonga (www.airraro.com) to fly between Rarotonga and Aitutaki on Sunday until the end of 2008. The trial period is a result of opposition from Christian religious groups who oppose any flights on their Sabbath.
Formerly known as Tamanu Beach Village, Aitutaki's Tamanu Beach (www.tamanubeach.com) has opened a new beachside restaurant and bar serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, and staging an island night feast and dance show on Thursday evenings. The building is trimmed with local tamanu (mahogany) timber.
Samoa
Planning a trip to Samoa is a bit easier now that the Samoa Hotel Association has its own website, www.samoa-hotels.ws. You can search for hotels by price range and by date. Samoa is pushing ahead with plans to shift from diving on the right side of the road to the left. No date has been set for the change, but September 2009 has been mentioned.
Captain Chris Donato's Samoa Sport Fishing Adventures (tel. 41-069; www.samoasportfishing.com) now go offshore in search of blue marlin, sailfish, mahimahi, tuna, wahoo, and other species The boat, called the Black Pearl, is a 31-foot Ocean Master, built in Florida and customized in California.
American Samoa
High fuel costs have caused the American Samoa government to raise taxi and bus fares by 50¢. It's the first increase in 16 years. Smoking in taxis and buses is now illegal.
The Kingdom of Tonga
A new, reliable option for getting around Tonga is Chathams Pacific -- The Friendly Islands Airline (tel. 28-000; www.chathamspacific.com), a New Zealand-based airline flying comfortable, 50-seat Convair aircraft from Tongatapu to Vava'u and Ha'apai.