Keeping hydrated is very important when visiting the tropics and we are sometimes asked if the local tap water if fit to drink – the answer is ‘yes’ and ‘no’, depending on the destination

Bottled water is available in all destinations and when you are out and about that’s the easiest way to keep your fluid levels topped up.

Using bottled water is certainly highly recommended in Samoa and the Cook Islands. The locals drink tap water but they have acclimatised stomachs – those not used to it may get a tummy upset. Some resorts stock the in-room fridges with free water bottles.

The water in Vanuatu is fine from the tap but it does have a high calcium content that can sometimes result in white specks in your tea or a clogged shower rose. Nothing to worry about an extra bit of calcium in the diet and a bit of wire or a paper clip poke will get the water flowing again if it becomes an issue!

When in Vanuatu I buy one bottle of water soon after arriving and fill it from the tap each evening and whack it in the fridge so I have a chilled bottle ready next day.

Weddings can be expensive – even simple ones! And they almost never come in under budget…

According to the ASIC Moneysmart website the average Australian wedding costs $36,200 and when you are talking ‘average’ it means for every budget wedding costing under $10,000, there’s another at the high end costing over $60,000.

Cost is one excellent reason to consider a destination wedding and it could be as inexpensive as less than $5,000 for the ceremony, reception for 20 guests (two-course or buffet with two-hour beverage package) as well as include 7 nights accommodation for the bride and groom – wedding, reception and honeymoon done and dusted for a fraction of the wedding at home. Sure, guests have to pay for flights and accommodation but mostly guests see it as a terrific excuse for a tropical holiday! It can become a wedding week rather than a wedding day.

Here is a link to the wedding section on the Moneysmart website.

(Photo: Wedding set up at Erakor Island Resort in Vanuatu)

Everyone speaks English in Fiji but it’s always fun to try and use the local language (every visitor learns “bula”, but there is much more you can pick up easily!). As well as giving yourself amusement and a sense of achievement, the locals always appreciate visitors giving their language a try – and they will be more than happy to give you tips and practice.

A few pronunciation pointers – words with a ‘d’ have an unwritten ‘n’ in front – For example, Nadi is ‘Nandi’ and the marinated seafood dish, kokoda, is pronounced ‘kokonda’. You put an ‘m’ before ‘b’ in words like Toberua (“Tom-berua”) and “Lam-basa” for Labasa. The unwritten “n” also goes before a “g”, so Sigatoka is ‘Singatoka’ and Naigani is Ninegani’. And a ‘c’ is pronounced ‘th’, as in the Mamanuca Islands (‘Mamanutha’) and moce is ‘mothay’ (goodbye).

Hello/Hi – ni sa bula or just ‘bula’

Good morning – ni sa yadra or just ‘yadra’

Goodbye – sa moce or just ‘moce’ (remember, ‘mothay’)

Please – yalo vinaka or just ‘vinaka’ (this is also ‘thank you’)

Excuse me – tulou (pronounced ‘two low’)

One – dua

Two – rua

(Photo – Jack’s Retail – Fiji Hotel & Tourism Association)