Category Archives: Pacific Islands

Three Memorable Meals in Rarotonga

Posted on by
Reply

So much food so little time, infact there are 30 plus places to eat dinner in Rarotonga and we went out 10 times, so that’s a lot of places we didn’t get to, but here are three of the best we did:

Sails Restaurant, Muri – lagoon side dining
Facebook
You can sit on the deck at Sails Restaurant and look out over Muri Lagoon while deciding what to order from the menu which is a mix of small and large plates, meat and seafood dishes. The Rau Rau Platter ($30) caught my eye as it was a chance to … Read the rest

Muri Night Market, Rarotonga

Posted on by
Reply

Muri Night Market is held on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday nights from 5pm – 9pm (weather permitting). The market is next to Muri Beachcomber accommodation where you’ll also find the bus stop. Take cash as there is no EFTPOS, there is an ANZ ATM nearby. Most mains are $10 – $15, desserts like chocolate eclairs and coconut cheesecake are $5+.

Do a local school as well as the environment a favour by renting a plate and cutlery for a gold coin donation, such a brilliant initiative ….

Noodle Tent – choose your noodles: udon, chow mein, vermicelli or rice … Read the rest

Isle of Pines, New Caledonia

Posted on by
Reply

If you’re visiting Isle of Pines on a cruise ship, chances are a tender will take you to shore where the sandy curve of Kuto Bay stretches out in front of you, with the seaside restaurant at Hotel Kou Bugny in the distance. It’s about an 800 metre walk to Hotel Kou Bugny and you’ll most likely pass BBQ’s and food stalls set up by locals for visiting cruise ship passengers.

If your plans involve relaxing on the beach you can alternate between the silky sands of Kuto and Kanumera Bays, they are separated by a short walk through trees … Read the rest

Mystery Island, Vanuatu

Posted on by
14

Chances are if you’re visiting Mystery Island in Vanuatu you’re going to be on a cruise, although the little island does have an airport and air strip. We were onboard the Carnival Legend, part of the Carnival Cruise Line that also owns P&O Cruises. We sailed out of Sydney late December 2017 and arrived by tender to Mystery Island on 1 January 2018.

Mystery Island is uninhabited because it is thought to be haunted, as such I was expecting sand, sea and not much else, I was in for a surprise. We booked an advanced snorkeling tour (AUD$82) on the … Read the rest

Le Petit Cafe, Samoa

Posted on by
4

Le Petit Cafe is run by a friendly bunch of women and is well known for its crepes. If you’re lucky there may also be pumpkin pie to go with your coconut cream latte.

Waffles, omelettes and homemade granola are on the breakfast menu, and there are eleven types of crepes to choose from. If you like Kit Kats you could try the Isabella crepe ($20) – Kit Kat, vanilla ice cream and more Kit Kat. For local flavour try Iris ($13) – siamu popo (coconut jam) with penu (grated coconut).

The cafe is on a verandah and has a … Read the rest

Forest Cafe, Samoa

Posted on by
2

Forest Cafe, Philipp Road, Apia (look for the sign opposite Baha’i Temple on Cross Island Road)
Have a cup of coffee with the butterflies and birds at Forest Cafe. The cafe is on a sturdy wooden platform that sits over a ravine and looks into the forest. It’s all about the atmosphere at Forest Cafe, it’s a small and simple set up but that also makes it a peaceful and relaxing place to be.

The temperature drops slightly the higher you go in Apia so it feels a few degrees cooler at the cafe, we found it a beautiful … Read the rest

Pacific Jewell Garden Cafe & Gift Shop, Samoa

Posted on by
Reply

Pacific Jewell Garden Cafe is a gem of a find in a small industrial park in Apia. There is plenty of seating and a lush garden full of tropical plants.

French toast, waffles and omelettes are on the breakfast menu, there are sandwiches and sweet treats in the cabinet, as well as a bagel menu with the option of designing your own.

I loved the coconut table accessories, the hand held fans on the tables, and insect repellent are thoughtful touches too.

We visited for an afternoon tea of coffee ($9 for a large latte), and chocolate cake ($12), it’s … Read the rest

Nourish Cafe, Samoa

Posted on by
4

There are some good cafes in Samoa in lovely locations. This blog post about Nourish Cafe is the first in a series of Apia cafes that will include Pacific Jewell Garden Cafe, Forest Cafe and Le Petit Cafe. (If you’re travelling to Samoa or are thinking about it, see our Samoa Travel Guide).

Nourish Cafe, Mulivai Street, Apia
Nourish Cafe serves good food in a modern and stylish setting. Produce is bought from local organic farmers so if you like to support local producers your money is well spent here.

The menu at Nourish includes salads, soups, local fish … Read the rest

Detour to Tonga

Posted on by
3

We recently returned from a week in Tonga and have updated our Tonga Guide. It was our third visit to the island nation and we spent our time on the main island of Tongatapu and took day trips to ‘Atata and Pangaimotu Islands.

If you’re looking for a good value destination Tonga is a good choice, although flying to the outer islands will make a stay more  expensive. We paid NZ$125 per night for accommodation and breakfast at Little Italy Hotel in Nuku’alofa and thought it was good value for money. More Tonga Accommodation.

One of things we … Read the rest