Anne

hello,<BR><BR>we are planning a trip in oct. 2002 for nine days, staying the entire time on matamanoa. my question is this for those who have stayed in a beach bure: was the humidity enough to make you wish you were in an air-conditioned room? or were you happy with the bure?<BR><BR>thank you for your input.<BR><BR>Anne

Mary

We've spent a wonderful holiday on Matamanoa. Go for the beach bure - you get great sea breezes, an overhead fan 9which is all you need) and the view!!! The air-con bures do not have a sea view & they are hotter. out on the islands the humidity is not a problem - except during the rainy season Dec-March

Anne

Mary,<BR><BR>Wonderful. Thank you for the advice.<BR><BR>Anne

Gary+Maila

Anne,<BR>We just returned from Matamanoa and stayed in beach bure #2. It was close enough to the restaurant and far enough to be away from any "traffic". I don't know if you've been there before, but this island is very isolated(which was great), so bring lots of reading materials/music to keep yourself entertained. We were fortunate with the weather, but on the last day there were some strong winds and rough seas. The locals say that these winds are frequent(last about 3-5 days straight) and are hard to predict. Also, don't expect to snorkel during low tide, because there are some painful rocks to cross. Lastly, as for the heat, the fans cooled us off just fine. Hope this helps. P.S. Make sure you bring some bugspray and tip the waitresses well(they make $1.50 U.S. per hour)

Anne

gary,<BR><BR>thank you so much for the report. i've been hoping for one.<BR><BR>anne

Chris

I would have to agree with both Gary and Mary, the bure are the best choice. The only thing I would add is to bring some drink mixes (such as Tang or KoolAid). The water on the island is from a barge (once a month) or the desalination plant which can cause it taste a little off.

Dee

October may be OK. We went there for our honeymoon in Jan'01 and after the 1st night in the bure we moved to a lovely cool hotel room! It was bliss. We couldn't have lasted in the bure.

jake

I have a question regarding Matamanoa island. We are visiting the island in July. I was wondering if there is any wait or problems using their snorkeling equipment. Will we have be put into a queue to use it. Should we bring our own snorkeling equipment so we can use it when we want. Also any general advice on what to bring to the resort or any other tips or comments would be appreciated. Thanks

Gary

Jake....Since the trip is still fresh in my mind, I think I can give you a few pointers: I brought my own snorkeling gear and found it to be more convenient; The island is isolated and provides the opportunity for lots of rest and relaxation; the resort employees will post a schedule of events for the day on a chalkboard. You can choose things such as hand-line fishing, participate in a tennis tournament, snorkeling excursions and volleyball games. They also have boats that go out and find spots for divers. If you plan on staying at the island for your whole stay, bring some books, walkman's and other things to keep you busy. There are no televisions and there is only one restaurant and bar. I hope this helps

jake

Thanks Gary, Also I was wondering how the food was on the island. Is the restuarant open all day with snacks available or it it just open for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Should I plan on bringing snacks or drinks if I get hungry between meals? Also what was the overall impression of the resort? Thanks

Gary

Jake....There is only one restaurant and it was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The meals were good(proof is from the 10pds I gained) and the selection was good. I would strongly recommend buying all of the snacks and drinks on the mainland before you head out to the island because it is much cheaper. My impression of the island is this: We stayed in a beach burie and it was great....If you are looking for a place where you can lay around and just relax, this is the place; if you are looking for a place in which there are "tons" of things to do on the island, this is not the place...I would recommend taking the sail ship over to the island where they filmed "Castaway" because you get to take some good pictures and do some snorkeling..I would also suggest taking the trip over to the natives island. If you want to buy some crafts, do it there because they have good prices. Read my earlier post about the low tide and winds. Have a good time