Beachcomber: Fiji's party island?

You can walk around Beachcomber island in ten minutes, it's that small.

Pulling up to it on the Yasawa flyer it looks every inch the image of the deserted island that you conjure up when you think of Fiji. Beachcomber's got a reputation for being the party island of the Yasawa's, and yes, we did spend the majority of our three days intoxicated. But beyond that, Beachcomber has got this paradise thing down to a tee and we absolutely loved it.

Accommodation
The words '90-bed dorm' didn't fill us with much confidence when it came to the sleeping arrangements on Beachcomber. 90 girls, one room, no walls... Yeah, it sounded like hell. So, the fact that it was actually really not that bad at all, was a really pleasant surprise. Inconsiderate girls getting back drunk and shouting at each other only added to the experience.

We slept well, but then the dorm wasn't even half full; in fact there were probably only about 20 of us in there due to it being off-season. I don't really want to think about what it would be like if it was full...

Food
The best thing about food on Beachcomber was the fish. Every lunch and dinner offered a fish dish, a meat dish and something for the vegetarians. The salad was fresh, the fruit was constantly topped up and there was chocolate cake on night two. We ate well for the first time in a while and it was awesome.
Beachcomber prides itself on it's party atmosphere (and it definitely has quite a reputation to live up to.)

DRINKKSSSS

There are three happy hours a day. There are games in the evening. The music pumps until the early hours. People dance on the beach and on the tables. They skinny dip and they drink all day long. If you want to party, or at least meet like-minded people that are up for a laugh and a drinking game and chats until the early hours, here's the island to visit.

Activities 
The island might be tiny, but there is plenty to do on Beachcomber (drinking and sunbathing aside) and the staff are keen to get everyone involved in all of the free activities.
Fish feeding happens twice a day and it is a brilliant experience. Thousands of fish swarm to the boat as we pull up to the coral 5 minutes out to sea. We fed them bread and they took it out of our hands - very cool.

There's coral viewing too, and you can go and see the turtles which are kept on the other side of the island. Basket weaving, talks about the wildlife, classes on how to tie your sari; Beachcomber has got it all.

Day trips are also widely available form here, both South Sea Island and Castaway are nearby and you can jump on a day cruise.

I'd recommend Beachcomber if you are up for a good time and want to meet people that are keen to do the same. It's a tiny island with a lot going for it (and the really great cocktails certainly help.)

L, L & A. x

Swimming with reef sharks in Wayalailai, Fiji.

Wayalailai Ecohaven resort was second island we visited on our tour of paradise. Located slap-bang in the middle of the Yasawa Island group, it's famed for it's breath-taking viewpoint and authentic Fijian hospitality.
From the sea it's far greener than Barefoot, with steep cliffs rising high above the huts that make up the resort. The water is rougher, and the coral slightly further out to sea, but it's worth donning a snorkel and braving the swim; the schools of fish were huge.

Accomodation 
We stayed in a 5 bed dorm, which was big and comfortable, but had a thatched roof which attracted the biggest spiders I've ever seen. We slept under mosquito nights terrified of bed bugs and other creepy crawlies. The water is a little hit and miss on Wayalailai, the tanks need to be changed every few hours so you often find yourself waiting for showers.

Eating
We were pretty spoilt on Barefoot when it came to food: three course meals and great gluten-free options. Wayalailai was a little lacking when it came to food, and I'm not sure any of us really ate much for the three days we were there. Cereal and fruit for breakfast, a buffet at lunch which was replicated for the evening buffet. Salad, vegetables and a meat dish; no gluten free or veggie options, so make sure if you choose to stay here you bring snacks! There's no happy hour which was a shame, but the drinks behind the bar were cheap and they did make a good G&T.

Activities 
The activities were what really made our experience on Wayalailai. There was loads to do, more than either of the other islands that we visited. On the first day we made our own seashell bracelets down on the beach with some local women from the village.

We then hiked up to the viewpoint which was nothing short of breathtaking. The walk took about an hour and we sweated more than we thought humanly possible, but it was fantastic and worth every step.

On Sunday everyone was invited to dress up nice and visit the church in the village. It was a great experience (if a little long) and the singing was exceptional, real gospel.

On the morning of our final day we went snorkelling with reef sharks. It was one of the best things I did during my whole three month adventure. At one point there were 6 or 7 sharks circling underneath me, and although it was terrifying, it was just incredible.

We had an interesting few days on the island. The activities were great, and we did some amazing things, however the food and accommodation let Wayalailai down. If you're okay with roughing it a little bit, then you'll like it here; it's far more authentic than the other islands, especially with the village nearby. 

On to the next... L, L and A. x

Falling in love with Fiji: Barefoot Island.

Just three hours on the Yasawa Flyer, and you'll find yourself stepping onto the beautiful Barefoot Island to the soundtrack of the traditional Fijian 'welcome song'. Barefoot Island is everything you imagine Fiji to be: deserted white sandy beaches, clear turquoise seas, coral abundant with fish ever colour of the rainbow and sunshine. Lots and lots of sunshine.

Barefoot Island has two beaches about 100 metres apart: sunrise and sunset. This means you can follow the sun throughout the day, watching it rise over the horizon on one side of the island, and drink sundowners in the beach bar as you see it dip down the other side of paradise.

Accommodation
We stayed in a 4 bed 'bure' right on the beach. Clean, comfortable and private, it was pretty perfect. Cracks in the shutters gave us views over sunrise beach, and the cooling evening winds kept the mossys away. Toilets and showers were just across the path but were well lit in the evenings and hot water was available 24/7.

Food
Fresh fruit, pancakes and coffee are on the menu every morning in the simple continental breakfast  buffet. At lunch you'll sit down to a pasta based meal, that's pretty bloody tasty but a little carb-heavy for mid-day; request gluten free if you struggle like us. The evenings were the culinary highlight, with a three course, al-a-carte meal served every night in the beachside restaurant.

Soup to start, then mains including chicken curry and beef stir-fry. For afters there is always cake, and who doesn't love cake. Happy hours take place every day from 6pm, and you can get afternoon tea (which is literally just tea and coffee) at 4pm in the restaurant every day.

Activities
The staff on Barefoot Island were literally the friendlies people I've ever met; always bending over backwards to help and so keen to make sure everyone is having the best time. Barefoot is small though, so activities are limited, but the island runs a programme every day so there is always something to do.

The snorkelling was top notch. Hire your equipment from the shop for $5 per half-day and swim from one beach, round the headland, to the other side. It's beautiful.
A brief 20 minute hike into the island's jungle and you'll find yourself at a pretty impressive viewpoint, overlooking manta ray island opposite.
Every day the dive team offer 'pool splash' opportunities for those that are keen to try out diving but unable to afford the full course.

We got kitted up in all the gear and paddled around in the shallows of the beach for a half an hour; it was great fun. Harder than I thought it would be, and clearly not something that someone with a lung condition should be doing. But, I'm glad we tried it.
Volleyball matches are played every day at 5.30pm, and you can join the sunset tubing if you fancy a drink on the water.

We loved Barefoot; it was where our love affair with Fiji started. The people, the place, the food, it was top-notch and I can't recommend it enough.

Where to go and what to take to Fiji.

Booking our 8 night trip to Fiji was so much more difficult than we ever imagined it would be. After attempting to organise the trip ourselves, we reached out to one travel agent who seemed to be helping us but wasn't, really, in the end. We finally met an agent we trusted who had been in Fiji the previous month, and after a couple of hours in Happy Travels, Queenstown, were able to plan our trip to paradise. 

Where to go?

Fiji is a tiny country, spread out across hundreds of Islands in the windy Pacific. There's two main airports: Nadi and Suva. Most backpackers and holiday makers fly to Nadi and head to the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands out of Port Denarau. Each island has a different vibe, offers different accommodation and food and is a different distance from the mainland: Beachcomber is known to be a party island, Manta-ray is awesome for snorkelling, you can shark snorkel off Wayalailai or visit south sea for the day just a half hour out of Nadi.

How to travel?

These Islands are serviced by two catamarans: the Yasawa Flyer with Awesome  Adventures or South Sea Cruises. The only way to get access to the Islands is by buying a Bula Pass through either. 

Options:

Bula Pass.

A bula pass allows you unlimited boat travel between the Islands, starting from 3 days. The longer you're staying, the more you pay. Accommodation can then be booked separately directly with the resort. 

Pros: you have complete control over your accommodation with no ties and can up and down grade, extend and shorten stays as you see fit

Cons: accommodation books fast so you might end up sleeping on a beach with an empty stomach. Also, single nights in resorts can end up costing a lot so research this option extensibly before you  buy.

Bula combo pass.

A bula combo pass works the same as the bula pass, however it also includes your accommodation and food on the Islands.

Pros: everything is paid for (most of the time), and you don't need to worry about booking beds as-hoc. 

Cons: the pass is pretty pricey, so it's a large outgoing. Also, some of the Islands have an additional premium to be paid on departure ($75 on Bounty!) so watch out for that.

Full Monty packages.

These are pre-planned trips varying in length that can be booked through awesome adventures. Everything is included: your accommodation, your food and a load of activities on each island.

Pros: the only thing you need to pay for is booze. 

Cons: there's no freedom; you have to stick to the itinerary, which can mean you miss stops you wanted to make or have to leave somewhere sooner than you'd like. Also, the activities are cheap on the Islands; we were unsure whether you really needed the full Monty package. 

What to take?

- Water is mostly drinkable on the Islands, but can taste really odd and we did hear stories about upset stomachs. You can buy it on the Islands but it's expensive; about $5 a bottle. We might have looked completely ridiculous lugging 6 litres of water each onto the boats and across the Islands, but we didn't go thirsty the whole trip and didn't spend a fortune on water: 6 litres cost a just $6 each on the mainland. 

- Booze. Drinks are the only thing you'll really spend money on while you're on the Islands, apart from activities, so stock up for cheap in land if you're planning to be as intoxicated as we were for the trip. Happy hours are available on each island, but it's worth it.

- Bug spray. You'll be bitten alive on beachcomber, but other Islands vary. Take it, just in case.

- Mask and snorkel. Some Islands offer this for free, but others charge so if you're a keen snorkeller it's worth buying your own. 

- A camera, with a spare battery. You'll want to photograph Fiji to within an inch of it's life. 

Now, relax as hard as you like. 

L, L & A. X

The best hostels in New Zealand.

New Zealand is really well set up for backpackers. There's so many hostels to choose from at each stop it's hard to know which are the best bunk beds in town. Fear not, I've done the research and would recommend checking in to the below...

First, some advice:

Wifi isn't free in a lot of new Zealand's hostels, particularly up north. Many of them use pay-to-use networks which require regular top ups which, although can handily by done via your card, really start to add up. We were paying $4 for 24hr access to the Global Gossip network. You can buy a 7 day pass for $12 which I would recommend because you can keep signing in at your next stop.

Key deposits are popular, ranging from $10-20 per key. You can pay on card for these but it's handy to have cash, and I'd advise only taking as many keys as are necessary - we'd get one between the three of us.

Label your food. People stay for weeks in these hostels and really start to make themselves at home. Make sure your stuff doesn't get lost in the fridge by clearly labelling. This'll also ensure your stuff isn't chucked out during the weekly fridge clean.

Where to stay.

Roturua: Rock Solid.

Rock solid is a huge hostel, ideally located in the centre of town just minutes from the bus stop and round the corner from the main restaurant/bar strip. Set across two floors, it boasts a large kitchen, two lounges, communal bathrooms, a DVD room and free wifi. The lounge overlooks an indoor climbing wall below where you'll receive a 20% discount as guests. This place has loads of potential and is set up to be a great hostel, however the atmosphere fell a little flat when we were there. The main reason for my recommendation? Rock solid had the comfiest beds we slept on in our month in NZ. $26 per night, 4-bed dorm communal bathroom.

Taupo: Taupo urban retreat.

The large 16 bed dorm at the Urban Retreat is located in the roof of the wooden chalet-style building. It's social,  in an excellent location, offers $5 chilli every evening, cheap bike hire, a DVD room and free computers in reception. The bar is the cheapest happy hour in town with pitchers of beer for $12 and g&t's for four. Wifi is extra, $4 for 24hours or $12 for a week's pass on global gossip (see above). The staff were really friendly, there's a large garden area for al fresco dinner and a free phone to check the status of our skydive while you're there. $23 per night, 16 bed dorm communal bathroom.

Wellington: Base.

I didn't want to recommend staying at Base, because it's a chain that is everywhere and it's set up reflects that: packages for weekly stays, meals for $3 every night, tours operated from the hostels, fines for drinking in the room etc.etc. But Base was the cheapest place we could find in Wellington and we actually enjoyed our three night stay. Location wise you can't really beat it, as it sits at the end of Courtney Place. Set across five floors, Base attracts long stayers and our three roommates were all staying in the city and looking for work (Craig had been staying in the same bunk for 7 weeks.) Socially though this was one of the better places we stayed; it was buzzy at most hours of the day/night, the kitchen was packed at meal times, there's a bar downstairs with happy hour from 8-10pm and, despite the squeaky beds, it was comfortable and the showers were hot. $23 per night, 4 bed dorm communal bathroom.

Marahau (Abel Tasman): The Barn.

In the summer The Barn is a huge camping and caravaning site, spreading across a number of fields and overlooking the gateway to Abel Tasman National Park. We were there off-season but would still recommend it, despite the slightly inflated pricing. We shared a 4-bed dorm which had recently been renovated. It was clean, warm and comfortable (no bunk beds either!) The large communal area boasts a huge DVD room, a big kitchen and a free phone. Toliets and showers are in outside blocks but were remarkably mosquito-free and the showers were hot. The shop stocks over-priced must-haves for your trip into the park including wine and beers, they also rent camping gear and will help out with booking your trip into the park. There's luggage storage too, for a dollar a day, but the water taxi guys will store this for free so I'd do that... $30 per night, 4 bed dorm communal bathroom.

Nelson: Paradiso.

We were pretty gutted to have only been here for one night. The hostel was probably one of the best we stayed in, and we could have stayed put. The pool and hot tub were definitely part of the attraction, along with free breakfast, free soup at 6pm, free wifi and clean, comfortable rooms. The place had an awesome vibe about it, with spontaneous games of volleyball taking place every now and again and a busy, communal kitchen area. $26 per night, 4 bed dorm en-suite bathroom.

Franz Josef: Chataeu Franz.

We had four nights in Franz Josef and chose Chateau Franz as our temporary home. Sit Cedric's is an independant chain of hostels which are spreading across the South Island. They've got a refreshing approach to hosteling, are fun, affordable and don't have the stingy attitude that the successful, large chains do. Wifi was free, breakfast was also free, soup was served (for free) at 1pm every day accompanied by hot rolls and breads from the bakery. The DVD room is big and busy, the hot tub is open until 9 every day, and over the weekends and during the summer the fire pit is lit and BBQs take place. Benjamin, the manager, has big plans for the place, telling us about climbing walls and extensions. I couldn't really recommend here more. $25 a night, 4 bed en-suite.

Queenstown: Southern Laughter 

We stayed here, and I can't not recommend it because it was perfect for us: great location, affordable, free soup, free wifi, hot showers etc. Having stayed at the other Sir Cedric's hostel in Franz Josef, we were able to secure a good rate for our five night stint. Beds were comfy, kitchen was big and tea was free. There's a great roof terrace which gets sun most of the day too. The only downside is that it's not Nomads and I fear it won't ever be.

$23 per night, 3 bed communal bathroom. 

Queenstown: Nomads

We didn't stay here because it was expensive, and it really is compared to other hostels in town. Thing is, these guys get away with the inflated pricing because it is the best place to stay if you want to see the best of Queenstown. It's based in the centre of town in a modem multi-storey building, and it's where people go and end up extending because they're not ready to leave. 

$30+ per night 

Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand.

We cheated in Christchurch and stayed with my dad's oldest friend, Tom, for our two night stay. 

That does mean that in terms of recommendations etc, this blog is pretty light. That said, we did spent a day in the city and were able to take a look at the massive amount of rebuilding work that has taken place since the earthquake in 2012, and the work that is still to be done.

So many people told us we wouldn't like Christchurch. They said it was a soul-less building site. It can't be denied that parts of it did feel eerie; rubble still lines the roads and everywhere restart and rebuild projects are underway. Souvenirs relating to the quake are readily available, museums and exhibitions are open to peruse. 

Re:start mall sits right by the memorial bridge in the centre of town. It's made up of a group of old industrial crates housing boutique clothing shops, souvenir vendors, book stores and independent coffee shops. Go, it's a very cool place. 

Up the road is C1 coffee shop, which backs onto the cinema (you walk through a sliding bookcase.) The coffee is great the brunch looked incredible and you can order a 'burger pod' which is delivered to your table via old pharmaceutical tubing that snakes across the ceiling. 

Akaroa is about 90minutes out is Christchurch by car and takes you over the beautiful Darles Pass. On the way back, take the less scenic route and stop in at the local vineyards along the road. 

We visited The Farm, which boasts, along with an award-winning Pinot, the second oldest building in New Zealand (which closely resembles a cowshed...) 

Our final day in New Zealand was spent at Addington Races in the sunshine. We drank bubbles, snuck in gin and all lost money on horses with silly names. 

It's been an amazing month, full of the highest highs at 15,000ft and the lowest lows in Nelson Hostpital. The country's beauty is unrivalled. It is clean, calm, spacious and there to be explored.

Sun, sea, sand and cocktails are calling though... Fiji here we come. 

Queenstown and Milford Sound

We were in Queenstown for 5 nights, so got to see a lot of the place. Here's our highlights to make things easy.

Milford Sound.

Wow, what a place. The ever-changing and varied landscape is unlike anywhere I've visited. The vast snow-capped mountains, the fresh water flowing down the most pristine rivers ever I've seen, the waterfalls cascading from the towering rock, I can understand why people rave about the place. 

We opted for a coach-cruise-coach option because of our lack of car. It costs $109 each to join the Jucy trip, which is the cheapest of those offered in town. A glass topped bus'll cost you $40 more, helicopter and plane options are considerably more again. 

We had an amazing day, but struggled with the length of time spent on the coach. We departed Queenstown at 8.30am and didn't get back until 9pm, with a 2hr cruise in the middle of that, that's about 8hrs on a bus. The guide was great though, offering interesting information and stopping at key sites for photo ops. 

Take snacks, you'll need them (and plenty of charge on the camera.)

Gin.

Drinking in Queenstown gets pretty messy and there is a plethora of bars to choose from. Organised bar crawls run on most nights but, keen to avoid 'organised fun', we met with a friend living out here and followed the locals lead. 

Start in either 1876 or Brazz, both have a good 'pre-drinking' vibe and serve good food too. 1876 does mini bottles of bubbles for $6 so that was an obvious choice. From there, the town is your oyster.

Cowboys was a highlight, with western saddles for bar stalls, a bucking bronco in the corner and huge steins of beer for $13. We went to Searles a couple of times. On a Thursday g&t's are $4 and Fridays the dance floor gets pretty rammed.  Winnies, Buffalos and The Find all have good happy hours, love backpackers and stay busy til the early hours. 

Below zero.

We embraced our tourist status and headed to the ice bar for the mandatory photoshoot. 

On bookme tickets are $15 with a cocktail - bargain. Take advantage of ever layer offered to you, you won't regret it. 

On yer bike.

Cycling around Queenstown is really easy and ridiculously picturesque. We paid $22 for 2 hours from the bike shed by the park and headed to Frankton. For those in it for the long haul there's a vineyard in arrowtown which is cyclable and a waterfall at sunshine beach, which is along the main road towards Glenorchy. 

Luge races.

You've got to ride the skyline while you're in Queenstown because the views of the town are stunning.

The cable car alone coats about $30, so you might as well ride the luge while you're up there. We paid $42 for three runs and laughed the whole way down. 

Video to follow.

Inkin'.

It was inevitable that Lou and I, once we got together, would end up adding to our tattoo collections (I'm surprised it took so long.) I couldn't recommend Scott at a White Tiger tattoo enough. It's the oldest shop in town and has a starting rate of $110, which is average for Queenstown. We went in with pictures which he re-drew. That's 2 very happy customers right there. 

Fergburger.

I've a confession to make: I didn't actually have a Fergburger. The girls did, on two occasions, join the long queue to sample what is widely-regarded as New Zealand's best burger. Both had the kids chicken burger and it was pretty great, but none of us could quite face even attempting to consume the whole, full-sized thing.

We did eat just about everywhere else.

There are so many restaurants in queenstown it's near impossible to choose which to try. Monty's has a nice pub garden and offers $12 lunches so we had chicken and prawns salads there on one day. Directly opposite you've got Johnny Barrs which does amazing wraps, salads and soups if you're keen for something fast and healthy (get the small soup, it's pretty filling). At Thai is widely regarded as the best thai in town, there's take away sushi in the main arcade and if you want to try New Zealand green lipped mussels visit the caravan on the edge of the park. Mr Whippy specialisises in frozen yogurt (go for small, the medium weighs as much as me), and there are free tasers at Cookie Time if you're feeling peckish. We had coffee at Vudu, which happens to have one of the best spoon collections I've come across... 

Lake Tekapo.

We stopped at Tekapo for a lunch break on our drive from Queenstown to Christchurch, so I'm technically cheating by putting it on the list. That said, it was the best bus ride we've had saw far. The views were stunning and the lake, which appears to be a vivid turquoise blue when the sky is clear, is beautiful.