1. Count the nights you really have
Write down your arrival and departure days, then count the nights at your destination. A travel day is not automatically a sightseeing day: known schedules, transfers, settling in and necessary margins all affect the plan. Separate your total leave from your time on site. Treat unknown schedules as questions to resolve; do not build the route around an assumed connection.
2. Choose the experiences that matter
List what you most want to remember: time near the lagoon, encounters, landscapes, a particular activity or a family break. Rank these wishes, then consider which places could serve each one. A place is not a compulsory stop just because it appears on a map. If two stops meet the same wish, compare their role in your route instead of automatically adding both.
3. Allow time for every change of base
For each new base, include packing, reaching the departure point, travelling, arriving and settling in. These sequences take time even when the distance looks short. Ask which combinations are feasible and what margins are appropriate for your dates. In both New Caledonia and Vanuatu, an island change must be planned around transport that can actually be confirmed, without assuming a frequency or available seats.
4. Compare two rhythms, not two lists
Draft one version with fewer bases and more nights at each, and another with more changes. Compare free time, travel days and the priority activities genuinely retained. As a planning example rather than an itinerary, removing one stop within the same trip length might leave room for an unplanned day and an important activity. The choice follows your preferences; there is no universal number of nights for every island.
5. Leave room for the days you enjoy
Say whether you like early starts, alternating activity and rest, or deciding some days locally. Expectations can differ within a group, so discuss them before fixing the route. Leaving a gap does not guarantee that an alternative will be available, but it avoids filling every moment in advance. Ask which activities need prior arrangements and which can remain possibilities to confirm.
6. Have the route checked before booking
Share both versions with the agency, together with your priorities and what you could leave out. Have the stop order, transport, nights, arrival and departure times and activity conditions checked. One useful question is: if a stop had to go, which change would best preserve the purpose of the trip? Choose a route whose constraints you understand and whose pace suits you.
