Looking for some ideas for a family vacation in this forum so where have you gone in the South Pacific for an international vacation over Christmas? Thanks!

Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Norfolk Island (not International, but we had such a nice time with family & friends, I had to include it.)

http://www.virtualtourist.com/hotels...d_Oceania/Fiji

fun cheaper on the right islands

www.fourseasons.com Bora Bora awesome if budget is good

www.stayhawaii.com www.konaweb.com www.hawaiiprinceresrts.com

Great beaches variety erupting volcanoes see terraforming

only place on the planet it can easily be seen.

Lastly if adventurous a Galapagos/Machu Picchu Combo

www.guanguiltagua.com with Dennis for Galapagos

good discounts for me last year

www.incalandadventures.com Flavio for Inka Trail

from $300 pp for me last

Happy Deciding,

Hubs and I live in the states and my kids live in the UK so was trying to find a place that we could meet up in to celebrate and where everything isn't closed during the week of Christmas.Thanks for the imput!

Much of Perth closes over Christmas and well into January. (Reminds me of Ramadan in the Middle East.) Christmas falls during summer school holidays, and everyone goes somewhere else, some businesses completely shut down for several weeks. It's a busy time for tourist operators though. Fortunately the beaches, National Parks and other natural wonders remain open!

The Middle East should be wide open...

I'd think NZ would be a good choice for Christmas.

Is everything in Australia (Sydney,Melborne,Adelaide,etc.) usually packed with holiday vacationers and totally full?

Christmas & Easter are very busy in Australia, as are school holidays (summer school holidays begin just before Christmas and run through January). Most folks have already booked accommodation for Christmas in the most popular areas. I personally avoid traveling during these times like the plaque. I plan my NZ and OZ trips specifically to avoid local school holidays. Kids in NZ return to school between Jan 30-Feb 7 in 2012, so it's going to be busy there too.

If you don't want holiday closures and crowds, you might consider a non-Christian country.

We will be in Sydney during Christmas and Boxing Day this year. We find that the Opera House will be pretty much closed down except for tours, but the Taronga zoo is open on Christmas. We are looking forward to seeing the start of the Sydney-Hobart yacht race on Boxing Day.

Will all the restaurants in the CBD and Rocks be closed that week?

My sister spent last Christmas in China with a girlfiend who teaches over there, and just loved it. Said it was quite strange being in a place where all the shops were open on Christmas Day.

Parts of NZ close over the week between Christmas and New Year, although the touristy spots are usually open.