This site came about, curiously, because the author was living in Vanuatu. Through visits back to Australia he saw his homeland through the eyes of a tourist and that resulted in the guidebook The Small Guide to A Big Country, this website, and setting up the travel agency, Small Guide Travel.

Ian Heydon has been writing for radio, television and print for over 20 years. His television credits include Kingswood Country, Home Sweet Home, Graham Kennedy's World of Comedy and Howard: The Mild Colonial Boy. Radio series include The Samuel Pepys Show, The Year My Country Broke, Getaway and How Green Was My Cactus.

Ian has written/produced travel web sites including the original Getaway site (Nine Network) and was Executive Producer for Travel Online (2000-2001). Ian has now semi-settled in South East Queensland (the South Pacific still beckons). For more of Ian's Australian stories click here.

If you would like a personal itinerary within Australia, including tours and accommodation suggestions, contact our good friend Elena Sutton at DownUnder Destinations.

Small Guide Travel now focuses on arranging travel to South Pacific destinations, particularly for romantic breaks, honeymoons and tropical weddings in Vanuatu, Fiji, Cook Islands and Samoa.

The Small Guide Crew

Jenny Cowles has worked in the travel industry since 1994 with international, domestic and regional airlines within Australia and more recently Internet travel companies. Having held positions in sales, marketing, finance, and airfare pricing systems, she joined Travel Online as a Wholesale Product Manager where she met her business partner Ian. In looking forward to the future, she decided to put all her knowledge and experience to good use, and is now an integral part of Small Guide Travel. Jen has travelled to the UK, the States, Asia, most of the South Pacific Islands and soon, a long awaited trip to South America. Jen’s love of the Tropics came about through frequent visits to the South Pacific Islands for work and pleasure. She loves the relaxed lifestyle, friendly people, and beautiful landscapes, and considers them her second home. That is when she is not living in Queensland with her husband Roland and daughter Melissa.

Laura Gant joined Small Guide Travel in early 2004. With a comprehensive background in organising travel, she took to her new role like a canoe to a tropical lagoon. Laura has travelled extensively throughout Europe, North America, Asia and Australia and has visited Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga and the Cook Islands for both work and holidays. She intends with her partner, Scoot, to continue exploring the Pacific and finding new favourite romantic places.

Margaret Laufasa joined Small Guide Travel in October 2006. Her background is Samoan and also has family in Hawaii. She has been to Samoa, Vanuatu, The Cook Islands and New Zealand and plans to travel extensively through out the South Pacific region and other romantic destinations through out the world. She enjoys watching rugby, eating (the Island way – eat till you drop!), sleeping, dancing and watching movies. In her spare time she likes to make up Samoan, Tahitian, Cook Islands, Hawaiian and R&B dances.

Emma Davies started working with Small Guide Travel at the beginning of 2007. Before joining the team Emma travelled to Vanuatu many times including the outer islands where she has stayed with the local villages as part of their family (Moso, Paama). This year she has travelled to Vanuatu and Cook Islands for work and plans to travel a lot more in the future. Emma loves socialising with friends and pretty much spends all her wages on shopping for new clothes.

Tori Rayner joined the Small Guides team in February 2007 and soon after had her first trip to Vanuatu and instantly fell in love with ‘island time’, ‘island life’ and ‘island food’.

Tori likes a bit of adventure, exploring and is a very active/outdoors person and having travelled in the past to New Zealand, Hong Kong and Taiwan, she plans to travel the world especially the Pacific!

Sonia Radel joined the Small Guide team in early 2007 to focus on our Australian products. Sonia has worked extensively in the travel industry and her love of travel has taken her to the UK, throughout Western Europe, the Greek Islands, Japan, New Zealand and right around Australia. During the past six years, Sonia has been a frequent visitor to North Queensland and the Whitsunday Islands, indulging in her love of sunshine, pristine beaches and perfect sunsets. When she's not by the pool with a cocktail, you'll find her at home with her husband Craig and toddler Jacob.

Paul Turner runs Small Guide Travel New Zealand and is based in Auckland. Paul offers personal service for Kiwi travellers wanting to explore the wonderful tropical paradise of Vanuatu. Paul is an avid diver, a keen fisherman, and always enjoys a fine meal in a beautiful waterfront setting. Paul has travelled extensively throughout the world, and looks forward to sharing his love of the Pacific with you.

Feel free to pick our brains, compare prices and let us arrange a perfect break in a Pacific paradise for you!

• Honeymoon Vanuatu - Our guide to romance in Vanuatu
• Resort Weddings - Weddings in Australia and the SW Pacific
• Tropical Honeymoons - Honeymoon resorts in the tropics
• Vanuatu A-Z - Vanuatu visitor guide
• Fiji A-Z - Fiji Islands visitor guide
• Cook Islands A-Z - Cook Islands visitor guide
• Samoa A-Z - Samoa visitor guide
• Study Vanuatu - Educational and cultural study tours

For family travel to Vanuatu there’s also Pacific Lagoon Apartments.