Darwin to Lautoka

Australia's capital of the north is a uniquely tropical city and a historically isolated outpost of this vast diverse country. Reaching up towards the equator a full 2 000 miles from Sydney and Melbourne the city was named in honour of Charles Darwin by the British settlers who established a frontier outpost here. With a unique history beautiful islands nearby and a palette of sizzling Pacific flavours colourful Darwin is an enchanting and exotic Australian destination. Crocodiles patrol the jungled waterways and tropical rainforests around Australia's gateway to the Top End. Explore via airboat to look down on the veiny waterways of the mist-laced Kakadu National Park. The sounds of chattering birdlife and the gentle splash of fountains and waterfalls will fill your ears in George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens. Soak it all in before kicking back and relaxing with a picnic and a crackling barbecue. The sunshine and famous tropical pink sunsets mean many visitors naturally gravitate to the city's soft sands to relax at spots like pretty Mindil Beach as evening approaches. The adjoining market is filled with souvenirs and crafts stands and is the perfect great place to enjoy some fiery Asian flavours. Stroll the stalls grab some food and crack open an ice-frosted beer as the sunset show begins. It may be remote but Darwin found itself on the front line during the Pacific War as the Japanese air force unloaded their bombs onto the city in 1942.

The Raja Ampat region of West Papua, with its multiple islands and intricate system of reefs lies in the heart of the Coral Triangle. This region has been called the most biodiverse area of ocean on the planet. One of the four larger islands is Misool, and the mystery and beauty of the deep aqua lagoons and mysterious vertical jutting rock formations defy description. Underwater surrounding Misool are steep coral walls and drop-offs that are festooned with table corals, staghorn corals, and orange and purple sea squirts. Snorkellers may see giant clams nestled into the coral formations while fish in rainbow colors sprinkle the reef above. On land visitors may enjoy beach activities and bird watching, or a nature walk to observe the marsupial fauna that live on Misool.

The very first houses of Madang were located on a small peninsula jutting into the Bismarck Sea –the land between today’s port and the Forum Park. The site had been chosen for its deep harbor and the fresh sea breeze. Found some 40 kilometers south of Cape Croisilles, the northern point of Astrolabe Bay, the port and station were originally called “Friedrich Wilhelms-Hafen” after the Prussian Crown Prince. The station had been built in 1891 to be the provincial headquarters of German New Guinea from 1892 onwards. After WWI and the eviction of the Germans, the town’s name was changed to Madang. Madang was occupied by the Japanese during WWII and to honor the coastwatchers working behind enemy lines, the Coastwatchers Memorial Lighthouse was inaugurated at the entrance to Madang Harbor at Kalibobo in 1959. Not only is this a shining light for shipping, it has also become an iconic feature of Madang. Today the town has a population of some 36,000 inhabitants and is connected by road to Hansa Bay in the north and Lae and the highlands to the south. Cattle, cocoa and copra are important produces from Madang Province. With more than 170 languages spoken in the province, the small museum holds interesting pieces relating to the history and cultures of Madang and surrounding areas. Several of the trees along Modilon Road show hundreds of resting fruit bats waiting for the evening’s flights, some of them find their way to the Main Market.

If surreal and unique experiences are your thing, then the Papua New Guinean town of Rabaul should tick your travel boxes. Found on the north eastern tip of New Britain Island (the largest island off mainland PNG) Rabaul, the former provincial capital, has quite a remarkable location. The town is inside the flooded caldera of a giant volcano and several sub-vents are still quite active today! The lively city was almost entirely devastated by Mount Tavurvur in 1994, covering the city in ashfall, but thankfully costing no lives. Since then, thanks to Rabaul's deep-water port, commerce has been on the up, and a few shops and hotels have managed to find an audience. However, Rabaul's remote location together with the volcano still being one of the most active and dangerous in Papua New Guinea means tourism in not rife.Rabaul has an impressive WWII history which includes a 300-mile network of tunnels dug by Japanese POW designed to conceal munitions and stores. After the Pearl Harbour bombings, the Japanese used Rabaul as their South Pacific base for the last four years of WWII, and by 1943 there were about 110,000 Japanese troops based in Rabaul. Post war, the island was returned to Australia, before it was granted independence in 1975.It should be noted that patience is a virtue here. However, that is not all bad. The slow pace of transportation allows travellers to marvels at the quite astonishing landscape. Divers will also be richly rewarded – the marine life of the island is extraordinary.

As world famous beaches go, Champagne Beach is one of the big hitters. In 2003, CNN ranked it number nine in its list of top 100 beaches and independent travel specialists permanently include it on their list of 50 best beaches worldwide. It’s one of the world’s greatest natural beauties: picture-perfect beach white sand, turquoise water and nothing – save for the occasional cow or curious turtle - around. With only coconut plantations and a few friendly locals to keep you company, this might just be the island of your dreams.The glorious name “Champagne Beach” was given to the island in the 17th century, when Pedro de Quirós believed he had reached the famous unknown southern land or the “Tierra Australis Incognita” (or Australia as we now know it). He believed the effervescent bubbles of volcanic origin that bubble up from the crystal clear waters were reminiscent of the bubbles of Champagne. Additionally, the coastline is shaped like an art deco Champagne saucer, so the name stuck! The beach is located on the largest yet least populated island in the 40-island Vanuatu archipelago, near the village of Hog Harbor on Espiritu Santo Island. If you want to venture beyond the beach, then Espiritu Santu is also famed for its blue holes. The island is home to some of the clearest waters on Earth, benefiting from natural filtering from underground limestone caves. Ride or paddle your way through emerald green rainforest amid the sound of birdsong for an experience that will make your soul sing.

It doesn’t get much sweeter than arriving on the sun-soaked shores of the Sugar City. Fiji’s second-biggest settlement opens up a world of blissful beaches and turquoise seascapes while its dense jungle lures the adventurous deep into its embrace. Experience rich Fijian life and see dramatic displays like warrior dances and remarkable local practices like firewalks which kick up burning embers into the night's sky. Legend says the city took its name after two chiefs faced each other in a duel. A spear pierced one of the chiefs leading to the shout of 'lau-toka!' or 'spear hit!' Sugar is Lautoka’s main trade but its botanical gardens are a sweet insight into the tropical plant life that thrives here - from pearl white lilies to tall fragrant orchids. Explore temples charming cafes and mills - or barter for some of the juiciest mangoes you’ll ever taste at the city’s lively market. You'll only be able to resist the beaches for so long and it doesn’t get much more stunning than the Blue Lagoon - a heavenly blend of woven together turquoise shades. Remote wild and unspoiled these are some of the best tropical beaches in the world. There's more rejuvenating relaxation at the mineral-rich mud pools and spas fuelled by the volcanic activity below. Savala Island is a teardrop of sand offshore and another beautiful place to wander with the soft powder between your toes - along sandy spits that peter out into the water. Or swim and snorkel among its envied reefs thronging with fish life.