Matamanoa, Gili Trawangan, Alor and Pamalican are some of the most exotic holiday destinations in the world, home to glorious white-sand beaches, sparking crystal-clear seas and a stunning array of coral and sea life.
Many people would jump at the chance to sample the delights they have to offer. A good proportion of them would think twice, however, when they discover they are in Fiji, Indonesia, Timor and the Philippines respectively.
All of these countries are in the headlines for the wrong reasons - coups, sectarian violence, civil unrest, separatist uprisings, kidnapping of tourists, terrorism. From the comfort of an armchair in England, they all seem very good arguments for finding an alternative place to spend one's hard-earned money.
And perhaps neighbouring countries should also be included on the exclusion list. Remember, the 21 people being held hostage by Muslim separatist guerrillas in the southern Philippines were actually in Malaysia, on the resort island of Sipaden, when they were seized.
On closer inspection, though, dismissing out of hand countries in conflict means you could be missing out on a perfectly safe holiday at greatly-reduced rates. Unrest, quite naturally, breeds panic among holidaymakers who tend to flee at the first sign of trouble. But more often than not it is only a very small area that is engulfed by the upheaval.
"We were totally unaffected by the coup and, as we do not have TVs or radios in guest rooms, most people had no idea what was going on," says Reginald Raffles, who owns a resort on the remote Mamanuca islands in Fiji, in reference to the coup in the capital Suva on May 19. "Our guests stayed on. But we were hit hard by cancellations from people due to come in."
Mark McWhinnie, the manager of the Sheraton Fiji on Denarau island, who had the same problem, believes most tourists act far too hastily. "For example, Bali emptied out when there were riots and civil disorder in Jakarta [in May 1998]" he says. "In people's perception, it's dangerous because they lump it all together as one country and don't study the issues more carefully."
The occupancy rates at both resorts are currently a third of what they should be and so, with a bit of patience and determined negotiating, I was able to get discounts of up to 50%. Paradoxically, though, it is often the case that the more expensive the hotel, the smaller the discount in percentage terms. Upmarket resorts want to protect their brand name and maintain standards.
When Lombok, the island immediately to the east of Bali in Indonesia, descended into a maelstrom of sectarian violence for three days at the end of January, the tourist market was ruined. Five months on and even the best hotels are struggling to reach 60% occupancy. "However, I do not believe in slashing rates because I am offering a quality product that I know people are willing to pay for," explains Joe Polito, the manager of the Oberoi resort in Lombok. "People will come back before too long."
Polito recommends that people looking for a good deal - and there are still plenty to be had in Lombok despite there having been no unrest since the initial disorder - should head to non-chain hotels that rely solely on the destination and not also on the reputation of their product. "It's these hotels that are finding it most difficult and are glad of any customers they can get," he said.
While all three agree the danger to tourists is often exaggerated, they all stress that it is crucial to do one's homework before venturing to a potentially risky destination. "I'm not going to suggest that people should take a risk, but if you're sitting on the fence then the best thing to do is to ring up where you're going and speak to people on the ground," McWhinnie says.
Albert, an Austrian tourist I bumped into in January in the eastern Indonesian city of Ambon when covering an outbreak of sectarian fighting, had not done enough homework. He assumed a two-day lull meant it was all over and that, despite the city being partitioned and prone to random shooting, he would still be able to get a week's unimpeded diving. Twenty-four hours later, he was dodging the bullets on his way back to the airport.
Embassy travel advisories are always worth checking but not always worth obeying, as Mandy and Andrew Nicklin found out. They got married on May 27 and had planned to spend part of their honeymoon in Fiji. Even though the Foreign Office advised against "all but the most essential" travel to Fiji, and suggested that all Britons there leave, they decided to go ahead with their trip.
"We thought we were going to have to change our itinerary," Mandy says. "But we contacted the travel company which was saying that travelling round the [outer] islands as we were and not going anywhere near the capital Suva, where all the trouble was, should be okay."
The Nicklins say their greatest problem was worrying about their parents worrying about what might be happening to them, even though they were telephoning home regularly.
There are no hard-and-fast rules and no two conflicts are ever the same. But, particularly in countries as large and spread out as Indonesia and the Philippines, violence in one place does not automatically mean the whole country is on the verge of erupting into major unrest.
Then again, you can always be unlucky and end up with a much longer "vacation" than you expected, as the Sipaden holidaymakers are in the unenviable position of discovering.
Troubleshooter's guide to staying safe
1 Check how serious the unrest is.
2 Find out how safe your hotel is if the trouble has not stopped.
3 Check your travel insurance covers you. Insurers are usually the most cautious of people.
4 Don't take too much local currency and ensure you have plenty of hard currency. In times of disorder, local currencies can fluctuate rapidly and massively. Many people rely on credit cards, but in many remote areas that have experienced unrest they are not accepted.
5 Make sure you have a safe exit route just in case the trouble escalates.
6 The better deals are likely to be found at the smaller, less well-known hotels and tour operators.
7 Keep abreast of the FO's updated travel advisory. Available from the local embassy or high commission. UK tel: 020-7238 4503.
8 Don't switch off from the outside world. Buy a newspaper regularly and listen to the radio and TV news.
9 Keep in touch with family and friends back home. Remember they can't see what you're up to and so are likely to be far more worried than you.
10 Don't expect sympathy if you get shot, particularly if you ignore advice.
