I've joined this list recently and have enjoyed it immensely. I've learned a great deal from all of you and now would like to ask for advice. For our vacation this summer, my life partner and I would like to go to the south Pacific for two weeks. Right now our first choice is Vava'u in Tonga, because humpback whales are there in our summer. We want to do the trip on our own, but one guidebook suggests that camping is no longer permitted in Vava'u. Has anyone on this list been there recently, or know the regulations? If Tonga is not a good fit, Fiji is now our second choice, but we are open to any place in the South Pacific where we could be mostly alone. We have a Nautiraid folding double and have extensive canoe/kayak camping experience. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. Dean Koga | Don't die wondering. dkkoga_at_panix.com | *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> Fiji is now our second choice, but we are open >to any place in the South Pacific where we could be mostly alone.hor. Pacific islands aren't all that good for "alone". All land etc. is owned which is a bit of a contrast to our way of doing things here where we have the "Queen's Chain" and can camp fairly much as we wish (within reason). A group of us paddled round Vanua Levu about 6 years ago, a few places we were totally alone on a deserted beach and didn't know where we'd have had to go to ask permission. In 650 km there are a few beaches like that. Alex . . Alex (Sandy) Ferguson Chemistry Department University of Canterbury New Zealand *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Dean Koga wrote: > For our vacation this summer, my life partner and I would like to go to > the south Pacific for two weeks. Right now our first choice is Vava'u in > Tonga, because humpback whales are there in our summer. We want > to do the > trip on our own, but one guidebook suggests that camping is no longer > permitted in Vava'u. Has anyone on this list been there recently, or > know the regulations? > > I think your problem with camping is the Friendly Islands Kayak Company, www.fikco.com/kayaktonga who are based in Vava'u, and run trips in Ha'apai as well. As the only licenced sea kayaking operator they have camping rights on islands which are otherwise off-limits. Their web site contains information and links that might be useful to you though. Last July we went on one of their Ha'apai trips, see www.voyager.co.nz/~alsjfs/tonga.htm It would be possible to do a private trip here by staying at "resorts" on different islands, e.g. fly to Lifuka, stay at Mele Tonga's for a day or two while exploring Lifuka, Foa and Haano to the north, shift to Diana's on Uoleva, then on to the 'Esi-'O-Ma'afu Homestay at Felemea on 'Uiha. From here you could explore uninhabited islands further south. These "resorts" are fairly primitive and you could probably cook most of your own meals if you wanted to. If you were persuasive at Felemea you might be able to get permission to camp on one of the uninhabited islands. Sorry, but no first hand information on similar possibilities in Vava'u. Allan Singleton Hamilton NZ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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