Warmly welcoming you to the natural wonders of the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns is a treasure trove of rich tropical beauty and incredible sea life. Swathes of rainforest spread out to the north, where you can soar over the canopy in a cable car, before looking down over narrow channels of water plummeting down gorges and crocodile-filled waterways. The diverse lands of the Atherton Tableland lie to the west, but it’s the crystal-clear waters – and life-filled reefs – of Cairns’ remarkable underwater world that draws universal adulation. Priding itself as the Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, explore Cairns’ constellation of colour, as you dive into the world’s largest and most spectacular underwater universe. Head out on a glass-bottomed boat tour to explore the 3,000 coral reef systems, and let hours drift by appreciating the waving corals and life-imbued reefs during exceptional scuba diving and snorkelling sessions. Cairns is huddled in amongst abundant swathes of rainforests, which give way to glorious crescents of golden beach. Kuranda – with its scenic railway and heritage market stalls – waits to be discovered, cloaked within the depths of the rainforest. Learn of the indigenous people of North Queensland during cultural performances, and hear the throaty reverberations of digeridoos, as you hear eternal stories handed down through time, from generation to generation. Back in Cairns, there’s always time for a coffee or a beer, or a feast on fresh oysters with glasses of Cairns’ white wines – boldly flavoured with mango and banana notes.

Founded in 1864, Townsville is one of the focal points of North Queensland. A pleasant climate and relaxed lifestyle rank among the town’s great attractions. Townsville is the port for the agricultural and mining production of the vast inland region of North Queensland as well as the starting point of the main road to the Northern Territory.

Perched overlooking the life-filled reefs of Noumea Lagoon, Noumea is the vibrant and colourful capital of New Caledonia. Catch some shade in the city’s centre, below Coconut Palm Square, and absorb the vibrant fusion of French and Kanak cultures. Or take a leisurely open-air stroll along the waterfront, where white boats bob and jostle on the lapping waters. Bring your tongs – the local word for flipflops – there will be plenty of time to swim, sunbathe and leaf through paperbacks on dazzling beaches. View less Noumea is a perfect jumping-off point for serene island adventures too. Enjoy a voyage to the island paradise of Amedee Isl – a tiny green land with a narrow historic lighthouse rocketing up from its centre. Climb 247 steps for the stunning view of the blotchy blue waters all around. Or, explore the waters to swim among turtles and orange clownfish. Set among the New Caledonian barrier reef, there are incredible diving opportunities, and glass-bottom boats offer you a dry window into the underwater world. Kick back on some of the softest sands imaginable and enjoy glorious sea views from the inviting shade of coconut palms. More island jaunts like Illot Maitre – which translates as the Master Isle – tempt, where you’ll find idyllic strings of stilted bungalows laced across the crystal-clear, shallow waters. Swim in the sparkling sea, and sprawl across the white sand beaches that are waiting. Back in the city, try soft coconut crab, following a starter of New Caledonian prawns. Bougna is the traditional Melanesian meal of choice, and a social experience where locals share a mix of vegetables and chicken in coconut milk, slow-cooked for hours in a bed of banana leaves.

Lifou Island or Drehu in the local language is the largest, most populous and most important island of the Loyalty Islands, in the archipelago of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. With a total area of 1,207 square kilometers Lifou is located east of Australia at 20.9°S

An archipelago of smiles and warm welcomes, Vanuatu enjoys a reputation as the happiest place in the world. With an abundance of stunning isolated beaches, and endless reefs offering idyllic escape from the humdrum, it’s easy enough to understand why. Green-clad volcanoes rise from the depths of the South Pacific Ocean, creating 83 lush islands. Port Vila is the capital of this scattering of geothermal isles, where mountains brood, hot springs gurgle, and thick rainforests sway. View less The sounds of water rushing – as you cut through rainforest trails – offers a clue that you’re getting close to the Mele Cascades – one of Port Vila’s most dramatic and spectacular natural sights. A remarkable collection of plumes rolls through the jungle, and down into the refreshing splash pool waiting below. Jump in, to experience the cool hit of the fall’s pure waters. Offshore islands offer exemplary snorkelling opportunities, and glass-bottom boat rides give privileged windows into the swirling worlds of colour below the waves. Explore more of the islands, to encounter traditional villages and Vanuatu island culture, or to seek out secluded beaches of crystal-clear water – where worries you didn’t even realise you had will drift away. Set on Efate Island, Port Vila is close to a selection of marvellous beaches like Eton Beach and Crystal Blue Lagoon. Visit one of the many restaurants serving food from across the globe, to try fresh Spanish mackerel and meaty chunks of seared tuna. Or the adventurous can pound through the jungle on horseback, kayak on the river, or hook fish from the island’s sparkling waters.

Inyeug Island, better known as Mystery Island, is part of the Tafea Province of Vanatu, the southernmost collection of islands. This is a picturesque island with large rounded cliffs jutting from the water. The cliffs create protected lagoons with some of the lightest, clearest waters in the world. The island is, with the exception of an airstrip used twice weekly, made up entirely of beaches and reefs. This place is ideal for relaxing, swimming and snorkelling in the tranquil waters, where many diverse tropical fishes hide between the corals.

An island paradise of rich colours and verdant scenery, Savusavu is a staggeringly beautiful, and gloriously undeveloped South Pacific island. Fiji’s more tourist-orientated Viti Levu island is close by, but the joy of Savusavu comes in venturing off the beaten track and delving into the heart of a tropical idyll, where hidden villages welcome you with open arms. Revelling in its nickname as Fiji’s hidden paradise, the country’s second-largest island is a place of adventure – and geothermically fuelled relaxation. View less Mud baths burble and hot springs simmer across the island, adding to the sense that the land itself is alive and breathing. Trek the rainforests, with parrots chattering overhead, and see the colours splashed across the green landscapes and gardens by orchids and water lilies. Gardens overlook the gorgeous Savusavu Bay, and you can walk between hundreds of palm varieties and trees that droop, laden with exotic fruits. The sprawling rainforest opens up briefly to reveal Savusavu, the island’s compact main town. Thriving coral reeds add yet more colour and life to the surrounding seabeds, with spectacular snorkelling opportunities, and the chance to spot bottlenose and spinner dolphins skipping and skimming acrobatically across the tips of the waves. The fertile environment also encourages black lip pearl oysters to thrive here, leading to the development of one of the island’s treasured exports, beautiful black pearls. Visit the bay’s farm to find out more.

Lautoka is often described as the sugar city. Sugar cane is the major industry of Fiji and Lautoka is its main base. Here are the industries’ headquarters, the largest sugar mill, modern loading facilities and a large wharf. It features 70 miles of roads, almost all paved, a wonderful botanical garden and royal palm trees decorating the city’s main street, Vitogo Parade. The municipal market is another attraction from both outside and inside. Fiji typifies the image of paradise. The people here live as they have done for centuries, retaining their ancient traditions and simple and carefree lifestyle supported by the harvest of a generous land and bountiful sea.

The Tasman Sea on the west and the Pacific Ocean on the east meet at the top of North Island at Cape Reinga. No matter what route you take, you’ll pass farms and forests, marvellous beaches, and great open spaces. The East Coast, up to the Bay of Islands, is Northland’s most densely populated, often with refugees from bigger cities—looking for a more relaxed life—clustered around breathtaking beaches. The first decision on the drive north comes at the foot of the Brynderwyn Hills. Turning left will take you up the West Coast through areas once covered with forests and now used for either agricultural or horticulture. Driving over “the Brynderwyns,” as they are known, takes you to Whangarei, the only city in Northland. If you’re in the mood for a diversion, you can slip to the beautiful coastline and take in Waipu Cove, an area settled by Scots, and Laings Beach, where million-dollar homes sit next to small Kiwi beach houses. An hour’s drive farther north is the Bay of Islands, known all over the world for its beauty. There you will find lush forests, splendid beaches, and shimmering harbors. The Treaty of Waitangi was signed here in 1840 between Māoriand the British Crown, establishing the basis for the modern New Zealand state. Every year on February 6, the extremely beautiful Waitangi Treaty Ground (the name means weeping waters) is the sight of a celebration of the treaty and protests by Māori unhappy with it. Continuing north on the East Coast, the agricultural backbone of the region is even more evident and a series of winding loop roads off the main highway will take you to beaches that are both beautiful and isolated where you can swim, dive, picnic, or just laze. . The West Coast is even less populated, and the coastline is rugged and windswept. In the Waipoua Forest, you will find some of New Zealand’s oldest and largest kauri trees; the winding road will also take you past mangrove swamps. Crowning the region is the spiritually significant Cape Reinga, the headland at the top of the vast stretch of 90 Mile Beach, where it’s believed Māori souls depart after death. Today Māori make up roughly a quarter of the area’s population (compared with the national average of about 15%). The legendary Māori navigator Kupe was said to have landed on the shores of Hokianga Harbour, where the first arrivals made their home. Many different wi (tribes) lived throughout Northland, including Ngapuhi (the largest), Te Roroa, Ngati Wai, Ngati Kuri, Te Aupouri, Ngaitakoto, Ngati Kahu, and Te Rarawa. Many Māorihere can trace their ancestry to the earliest inhabitants

Blending beachy recreation with all the delights of a modern, diverse and thoroughly multicultural city, Auckland sits on the lucid blue-green waters of New Zealand’s north island. Known as the ‘City of Sails’, its two harbours will tempt you with waterfront walks, and the chance to breathe fresh sea air deep into your lungs while absorbing spectacular views of Auckland’s grand harbour bridge’s span. Take in the true scale of Auckland’s magnificent cityscape by ascending 192 metres to the Sky Tower, and looking out over the city’s gleaming silver towers, which reflect on the abundant waters below. Views over the bay and adjacent islands await, and you can share elegant cocktails at this dizzying height, above the mingling yachts of Viaduct Harbour. Immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of the area at Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki. Set beside tranquil fountains and handsomely landscaped flowerbeds of Albert Park, the French-Renaissance building houses New Zealand’s most extensive art collection, and exhibits works from Māori and Pacific artists. New Zealand is world-renowned for its captivating natural scenery, and day trips across the sparkling bays, to nearby islands like Waiheke, Tiritiri Matangi, and Rangitoto, are always tempting. Discover lava caves, grape-laden vineyards and flourishing wildlife in the Hauraki Gulf’s islands. You’ll also find an exceptional 360-degree panorama over the city, to the horizon beyond, from the heights of ancient Mount Eden. The spectacular dormant volcano rises improbably from a city suburb, and also lends its name to Eden Park – the unusual, translucent stadium of New Zealand’s mighty All Blacks.