Escape to Vanuatu

Advantages: Lush rainforests, turquoise waters
Disadvantages: Numerous earth tremors

...Feeling stressed? Need to get away? Then imagine unwinding on a sun-drenched tropical island. Picture yourself swimming in turquoise-coloured waters meandering through lush rain forests, or mingling with exotic indigenous tribes. Does such a paradise still exist on earth? Why yes! In the remote islands of Vanuatu. Located roughly halfway between Australia and Fiji, Vanuatu is a Y-shaped Chain of about 80 islands in the southwest pacific. According to geologists, massive tectonic plates in the earth crust collided at this point to form lofty mountains that are mainly underwater. The peaks of the tallest of these rose above the ocean surface creating Vanuatu?s rugged islands. Today, the geologic crunch and grind triggers numerous earth tremors and fuel nine active volcanoes. Daring sightseers can even view molten lava at close range...

quan 31.07.2007 · Read review
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Review of Vanuatu (South Pacific Islands)

Getting hot and steamy in Vanuatu

Advantages: White sandy beaches, crystal clear ocean, coral reefs and colourful tropical fish, coconut palms, the list could go on forever.
Disadvantages: humidity from hell in the wet season

...When the opportunity to visit Vanuatu arose I jumped at it. I was aware that it was the rainy season and it would be hot and humid ( I don't do hot and humid very well) but the timing couldn't be helped as my husband was attending a seminar. Nothing I could imagine could prepare me for the initial blast of hot air.The heat coming off the plane as we walked across the tarmac made it almost unbearable and thankfully it was slightly cooler in the airport, but only slightly. We realised fairly soon that the locals pace is slow to very slow. In this heat it is basically a matter of survival. There is nothing for it but to relax and adopt " Island Time " as well. The line at immigration inched forward at a snails pace. With our passports stamped it was onto baggage claim. Another long wait in the heat here and fellow travellers were...

casnz 13.12.2004 · Read review
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Review of Vanuatu (South Pacific Islands)

Vanuatu - another time, another pace

Advantages: paradise, slow paced, friendly people
Disadvantages: expensive to travel to the outer islands

...When you step off the plan onto the tarmac at Port Vila International Airport you realise instantly that there is a whole different world you are about to explore. On entering the airport building you are greeted by a group of musicians singing welcoming songs (even at 11:30 at night). The air is warm and the atmosphere friendly. The customs officers greet you with a big smile and even some happy small talk - a far cry from the reception at customs in Australia. Depending on your holiday package, a representative of the hotel/resort you are staying at will be awaiting your arrival, also with a big smile. You will be escorted in a car or mini bus, with your driver giving you all the information you need and more about the island. There are no poisonous insects or animals in Vanuatu, something I was very, very happy to hear. If...

LTB55 22.05.2004 · Read review
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Review of Vanuatu (South Pacific Islands)

The small airline with the big heart

Advantages: Impressive route network, punctual, friendly crew
Disadvantages: If 'plane breaks down, there's no replacement

...---Introduction--- Having reviewed a couple of other airlines already (Finnair and Northwest), I decided to try reviewing this airline, which will almost certainly be unknown to most people in the UK, as it was to me before I flew with them. Air Vanuatu is the national carrier of Vanuatu, an archaepelago nation in the south west Pacific, between The Solomon Islands and Fiji. Tourism is still in its infancy there, although it is becoming a popular destination with Australians and New Zealanders looking for some south sea paradise, good diving, friendly locals and stunning scenery. In this review, as with all of the ones that I write, I am trying to help readers to decide whether it is worth flying with this airline and I have tried to keep factual and background information to a necessary minimum. ---Route network--- This is...

cladach29 04.09.2006 · Read review
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Review of Air Vanuatu

Ralph Lauren - Lauren

Advantages: cute bottle, great fragrance
Disadvantages: not so easy to get a hold of

...I first discovered this perfume when I was given a box of duty free perfumes with about 6 small bottles of different french perfumes. This was definately my favourite and it didn't last long. I searched high and low for this product but unless you buy duty free when you are travelling overseas you cannot purchase this product anywhere in Australia. Just over a year ago I went on my honeymoon to Vanuatu. I was determined to find this product, and as it was my birthday while we were away my new husband was going to buy this for me. I could not find a decent sized bottle of this perfume anywhere, so ended up with another duty free sample pack. Upon returning home I was still eager to find this perfume as nothing even comes close in my mind. I surfed the trusty internet and found a website in the US that sells perfume to most places...

LTB55 14.06.2004 · Read review
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Review of Ralph Lauren Ralph Lauren

Grumpy traveller's Pacific paddlings

Advantages: Wit, wisdom and penile fungi
Disadvantages: He's a bit grumpy (but what's wrong with that?)

...visits 51 (count 'em) islands in the process. The book's subtitle 'Paddling the Pacific' tells you the ostensible purpose of his trek - to launch his collapsible 15-foot seagoing kayak from as many beaches as he can - much to the puzzlement of the hotel porters and customs officers who handle the huge canvas bags containing his boat. He begins his journey in Australia and New Zealand. He has to visit them on a book promotion tour but, at the first chance, he's off, away from the cities and speaking engagements to wander the outback and the wilderness. From there, he heads east via the Trobriands and Vanuatu through Samoa and Tahiti, the Cook Islands and Easter Island, before heading north to end up in Hawaii. Right from his first foray into the New Zealand interior, we get the book's main uniting theme: the ugly, corrupting nature...

Silverback 08.02.2004 · Read review
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Review of The Happy Isles of Oceania - Paul Theroux

Pulau Sipadan

Advantages: One of the best in the world. Even recomended by Jaques Custo!
Disadvantages: A slog to get to and certainly not cheap. No nightlife.

...I was introduced to Sipadan Island by a friend of mine in a Biology set from school who wanted to dive there but had no one to go with. Everything just seemed to fall into place and so less than two days after my flight landed in Kuala Lumpur I found myself on this Island. Sipadan Island lies in the Celebes Sea about 50 km off the East Coast of East Malaysia and it is argued that it lies amongst the top five diving sites in the world. The thing is a lot more than five dive sites claim that they fall in that category, you name it: French Polynesia, The Azores, other islands in Malaysia, Australia and Vanuatu to name just a few. All the brochures promise superb diving and everyone who comes back from there raves about it, I think though Sipadan rises above these and does indeed fall in at least the top ten. When I say top ten I'm not...

Briz_Hatchings 09.02.2001 (05.02.2001) · Read review
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Review of Malaysia (Dive Sites)

The Majestic Theatre (Pomona)

Advantages: A unique experience
Disadvantages: A long way to travel

...The Majestic Theatre - Pomona It was December 2003, and through a series of fortunate events I had been given a free return ticket to Sydney. It came from a very close friend who was also going on a work related trip. My luck was in and to make things that bit more interesting my flight took off Christmas Eve and landed on Boxing Day. I know. It was an unforgettable Christmas Day. I stayed at a small, affordable hotel with friends in Sydney for a couple of weeks. Until the time came that they had to go and work' in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands (Vanuatu). Alas my money couldn't take me that far, but my ticket was good for a couple more weeks and my spending money could manage a quick jaunt up the east coast. Anyone who knows me knows I'm seriously into films, and I'd done a little reading in the guidebooks. I'd naturally...

ThePolarOne 19.03.2005 (19.03.2007) · Read review
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Review of General: Queensland (Australia)

Gone Cruisin'

Advantages: see fantastic places, value for money, meet great people, lots of beer
Disadvantages: helps if the weather's good

...was cancelled due to the weather conditions (I was really looking forward to "an informative talk on the cultivation of the vanilla bean" as well). However, the tenders took us ashore to explore ourselves but there was little there other than a meeting place near the wharf. We went for a walk round though and ended up getting some of the best photos of the trip from some cliffs overlooking the sea with the ship in the background. Next stop off was Port Vila, Vanuatu (we are now around 1000 miles East of Northern Australia). Before coming to Australia I had never heard of it but constant TV adverts for holidays there made me think it was the Australian version of Benidorm. I have since found out that tourism is not its main source of income and it's main claim to fame would appear to be as an off shore tax haven for dodgy people hiding...

TheWizardsSleeve 22.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of Norwegian Cruise Line

sun, sea, chickens, island life and lessons

Advantages: get a tan and learn to appreciate everything
Disadvantages: you may end up at a placement that has no cake

...I chose to take a year off because I didn't really know what I wanted to do after college and I felt I had earned a break, that amount of time at school can't be good for anyone! I chose Gap because they appeared to be one of the cheapest and they had been doing it for so long i figured they'd know exactly what people like me needed. I was right. I had an interview in Reading where I was told the basics about the organisation and the placement possibilites. The interview also meant that they could try and pair me with someone who was similar to me. By this point I had chosen three possible locations for my year out: Nepal, Vanuatu and India, all teaching placements. After a talk with my parents and friends i decided on Vanuatu because no one seemed to have heard of it, I guessed anywhere that was in the South Pacific couldn't be...

henrikie 28.04.2004 · Read review
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Review of GAP Activity Projects