Explore the islands of French Polynesia, acclaimed as the most beautiful in the South Pacific. Tahiti is the largest of the Polynesian islands and home to the capital city of Papeete, a delightful blend of cultures. Papeete, meaning the "water basket," was once a gathering place where Tahitians came to fill their calabashes with fresh water. Today, it is the gateway to the country, and boasts romantic resorts, fine dining, vibrant markets, pearl shops, and boutiques. Tahiti's mountainous interior is adorned with deep valleys and scenic waterfalls, while the rugged coastal lands are home to fields of tropical flowers, and glorious white and black sand beaches.

Discover the tall, verdant peaks of Moorea, rising from the dazzling blue sea, embody a perfect daydream vision of a South Pacific Paradise. In fact, it’s said the island’s profile was the inspiration for the fictional Bali Hai. A sortie on the local Le Truck open-sided busses along the island’s roads does nothing to deflate the image, passing under great, spreading boughs of breadfruit trees, past extravagant cascades of brilliant bougainvillea and hibiscus, scented rows of pale pastel frangipani and constellations of white tiare. After an hour or two on the island, the relaxed, traditional pareu wrap starts to seem like an eminently sensible garment, which is the next thing to "going native". Glass-bottomed boats -- or better yet, a snorkeling excursion -- reveal the jewel-bright fish that dart among the coral gardens beneath the surface.

Learn about second-largest of the Society Islands, which is practically twinned with its neighbor Taha’a. Actually they are connected by a reef in the same lagoon and may have been one island in the past. The main town, Uturoa is where most of the population lives. It’s lively, although no competition for Tahiti. Called the Sacred Island, Raiatea’s name means “bright sky,” and it was probably the first human community in the islands. The ancient sacred site of Taputapuatea is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and may have been the place from which Polynesian migrations to Hawaii, the Cook Islands, New Zealand and the rest of the South Pacific started. Although less touristed than Tahiti, caring for visitors has grown in importance. Agriculture is mainly given over to coconuts, pineapples and vanilla. Vanilla orchids are hand-pollinated, since Raiatea has no insect pollinators for vanilla blossoms. South Seas pearls are farmed in the lagoon in various colors. A hike up Mt. Tapioi rewards with stunning views of the lagoon and sea, and tall Bora Bora on the far horizon. Another favorite hike leads to the island’s three waterfalls. The tallest peak, Mt. Temehani, is the place to look for the unique, five-petaled Tiare Apetahi flowers that grow nowhere else. The lagoon is dotted with tiny motus, which are mostly coral sand beach, and are popular for castaway swimming and snorkeling adventures.

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Aitutaki is the second largest of the Cook Islands, a “semi-atoll” consisting of a volcanic main island and a series of coral atolls, uninhabited motus and barrier reefs enclosing a spectacularly turquoise-hued, triangular lagoon of about 30 square miles. The Polynesian islanders arrived about 900 A.D., and thrived on the fertile volcanic area surrounding the hill of Maungapu. The first European contact was Captain William Bligh’s arrival on board the Bounty, in 1789. The sleepy town of Arutanga offers a charming, recently restored church, the oldest in the islands from 1828, with stained glass windows and carved woodwork. If possible, don’t miss an opportunity to hear the local choral music (either live or recorded). Cook Islanders are marvelous singers, and join in four-part harmonies that are positively spine-tingling. Along with the view from the top of Maungapu, their sound will live in your memory for a long time. 

Rarotonga was one of the last of the Cook Islands to be visited by European ships, but since its "discovery," it was always a favorite of sailors and merchants. Today, Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, and the location of the country's capital, Avarua. Isolated for years from major tourist routes, travelers began to arrive in Rarotonga following the opening of the international airport in 1974, many lured by the untouched beauty of pristine white sand beaches edged with swaying palms and crystal-clear lagoons.

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The island nation of Niue sits by itself in the South Pacific Ocean about 1,500 miles from New Zealand. It consists of a large coral atoll inhabited by about 1,500 souls, who hold dual citizenship with New Zealand, and speak both English and Nuiean. Nearly half of them live in the capital, Alofi. Activities for visitors are focused around the natural environment, swimming and snorkeling in the clear seas, exploring the many caves that honeycomb the limestone island, whale watching and fishing, and golf on the resort courses.

The International Date Line is an imaginary line of navigation on the surface of the earth running between the North Pole and the South Pole to demarcate a change from one calendar day to another. It passes across the middle of the Pacific Ocean approximately along the 180th degree of longitude, but deviating at various points to include overlapping areas governed by some island groups and territories to maintain internal uniformity. It is located halfway around the globe from the Prime (Greenwich) Meridian at 0 degrees longitude. Traveling from east to west, the local time gains one hour (clock set back one hour) for each 15 degrees of longitude traveled. This would amount to 24 hours gained for one circumnavigation, unless the calendar date was changed one day forward upon crossing the halfway point. Likewise, when traveling west to east, the calendar date is changed one day backward when crossing the date line. Seabourn voyage itineraries are based upon days actually spent on board, and the dates are noted for convenience, including days lost or gained in crossing the International Date Line. Departure days and disembarkation days are always quoted in local time and date.

The capital of Tonga is on Tongatapu, its largest island. Learn about the history and heritage of the Tongans at the Tonga Cultural Centre, a complex of traditional buildings holding museums and artisans workshops where traditional crafts are made. In the nearby village of Mu’a, see the marvelously crafted stone tombs of Tongan kings from the past.

Vava’u is really a group of islands in the northern part of Tonga, consisting of the large island of Utu Vava’u and a cluster of some forty smaller islands. Utu Vava’u is blessed with one of the most protected harbors in the South Pacific, dubbed the Port of Refuge by a grateful early mariner, making it a favorite of yachtsmen. The capital of Neiafu is located on that harbor. The islands are all coral, either raised limestone or atolls. Polynesian mythology insists that the land was created by the god Maui, who hooked the sea bottom while fishing and raised it up. Gazing at the islands popping above the crystal-clear, azure tinted seas, it seems a logical conclusion. The town of Neiafu reflects the laid-back Polynesian spirit of Tonga. Its white church is central to the town. If you are lucky enough to be there when the choir is singing you will hear the clear harmonic blend that has made the Polynesians renowned as singers throughout the world. Activities center on the clear sea and coral reefs, with snorkeling and fishing among the most popular. The fjord-like Pulepulekai Channel is a great place for a lagoon cruise. The island also boasts Ene’io, Tonga’s only Botanical Gardens, and farms producing pineapples and world-famous vanilla. The island does have a progressive coconut products company that produces oil, soaps, cheese, and various other products in an eco-friendly, sustainable way.

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A call at this tiny (less than one square mile) island set in the midst of the Great Astrolabe Reef in the South Pacific is a rare opportunity to see what life is like for many Fijians. The island is home to fewer than 200 souls, who are uniformly friendly and welcoming. Although the island has a volcanic core, it is mostly made up of, and is a part of a coral atoll, surrounded by living reefs. Upon arrival, much of the population will be round about the island jetty to greet you and offer all manner of goods and services, from colorful wrap-around pareus waving like flags in the fresh breeze to a chance to have a brilliantly colored parrot perch briefly on your shoulder for a picture. The local primary school is one of the island’s most imposing structures, and its inmates are as charming as can be imagined. An easy path leads up to the island’s highest peak, which is less than 150 feet in altitude, but offers breathtaking views. Snorkeling is likewise spectacular on the surrounding reefs. The island is also home to a research station of the University of the South Pacific.

Welcome to the Friendly Isles! Vanua Levu, where you are, is Fiji’s second largest island, and still largely immune to the outside world. The local economy is based on copra, and tall coconut palms are everywhere. Tourism is growing, though, with popular marine activities including snorkeling and diving in the clear seas, kayaking or stand-up paddling. The island is blessed with rivers and waterfalls that invite hiking, tubing or swimming. There are also hot springs and mineral mud baths. For a treasured souvenir, consider one of the island’s varicolored cultured pearls. Otherwise, find a perfect beach, lie back and breathe the scent of tropical blooms. 

Fiji’s capital is the second largest and one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the South Pacific outside Australia and New Zealand. Located on Fiji’s largest island, Viti Levu, it was designated as the capital in 1877 after the original capital outgrew its location between mountains and sea. It has a distinctively youthful atmosphere, due to its significant population of students attending one of the island’s many universities or other institutions. The city center is a mix of modern and colonial-era structures. The main downtown shopping street, Cumming Street, is markedly narrow and lined with colonial era buildings. The Fiji Museum, located within the large Thurston Gardens park, was founded in 1904 and holds a large collection of traditional Fijian and other Pacific Islands cultural artifacts. Thurston Gardens is also a botanical conservatory and holds other important sites including the 1909 Carnegie Library. Suva’s government buildings and Parliament are clustered around Government House, a former palace built in 1882 and reconstructed in 1928 after being struck by lightning. Many visitors choose to visit a Fijian Cultural Village to become acquainted with the country’s rich and colorful traditions including handcrafts, music and dance. Others prefer to explore the large Colo-i-Suva Forest Reserve outside town and perhaps have a swim in one of the pools below a waterfall there.

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Just offshore of Tanna, the southernmost island in Vanuatu, the tiny atoll known as Mystery Island is your vision of a castaway paradise: an uninhabited ring of white sand beaches set in luminous turquoise waters, with palms and pandanus fringing the shorelines. It is not large, barely two-thirds of a mile long and a little more than a couple of hundred yards wide. The friendly folk from nearby Aneityum island come over to chat and offer handcrafts and trinkets for your consideration. Activities might include stand-up paddle-boarding, snorkeling, swimming or simply strolling some of the trails that bisect the island. 

The Vanuatu archipelago, consisting of 13 large islands and 60 smaller islands stretches for 450 miles through the southwest Pacific Ocean. Formerly known as New Hebrides, the name was changed to Vanuatu when the nation gained independence in 1980. An abundance of vividly colored flowers brighten the islands along with fifty-four types of native birds, among them green pigeons and multihued parrots. The warm waters, calm lagoons and miles of beautiful beaches provide the visitor to this off-the-beaten-path island with a perfect setting for a variety of recreational activities.

The second-largest city in the Vanuatu archipelago, Luganville is on the large northern island of Espiritu Santo, and has an unusually broad main street, the result of its occupation by some 40,000 Allied troops in World War II. The commander insisted that the road accommodate four trucks abreast. Its protected harbor makes the town one of the island nation’s most important ports, a center for trans-shipping of copra and cacao. The rusting relics of its WWII heritage are everywhere on the island. But today most visitors are drawn to the natural features both on shore and in the surrounding seas. Blue Lagoon is a popular attraction, where a freshwater spring fills a clear, aqua-blue pool surrounded by lush vegetation. Others opt for exploring the island on horseback, a visit to a coconut oil factory or simply relaxing at one of the resorts along the beaches. One unusual alternative is a visit to a village of immigrants from the more remote Banks and Torres Islands, who perform traditional music and dances including an enchanting Water Music dance.

Ureparapara (sometimes shortened to parapara ) is the third-largest in the Banks Islands group in northern Vanuatu. The island is among the most beautiful and memorable harbor entries in the South Pacific, being a volcanic caldera that has collapsed on one side, creating a long harbor between encircling 1,000-foot headlands. Its small population is infrequently visited, mainly by yacht cruisers and a few small cruise ships. The inhabitants are therefore generally excited and pleased to receive visitors, and respond with greetings in the form of folkloric dancing. They speak one of two indigenous languages. The lagoon offers excellent snorkeling, and the interior of the island contains some very ancient structures called Nowons and Votwos that are stone-and-earthworks remains of prior communities. These are still used for ceremonial purposes in grade-taking sacrificial ceremonies. The structures are tentatively listed for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. 

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This 32-acre slice of paradise is located on the Marau Sound near Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. It is privately owned, originally purchased in exchange for some ammunition by a party of Norwegian traders who operated a coconut plantation. Some of their gravestones are still to be found among the tall grasses. Today it is a luxury private resort, where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge vacationed in 2012. Its warm, clear waters, lush coral reefs and soft sand beaches make it an ideal spot for your ship’s hospitality staff to mount their signature Caviar in the Surf beach barbecue party. 

The Solomon Islands is a sovereign nation consisting of multiple island groups, scattered in the South Pacific east of Papua New Guinea. Its capital is Honiara, on the island of Guadalcanal. Many of the outlying islands in the nation are relatively untouched, but Honiara is a busier hub of international commerce. The islands’ recent history is scarred by the desperate battles fought between the Japanese and American forces during World War II. In 1942, the Japanese launched their last great land offensive in the islands, which culminated in the Battle of Henderson Field fought at Honiara. Of the estimated 36,000 Japanese troops on Guadalcanal at the beginning, only 1,000 survived, the rest having either been killed directly, or succumbed to disease and starvation. Ghostly evidence of this horrific warfare dots the island, and it is memorialized at the American Memorial overlooking the town and at a smaller Solomons Peace Memorial erected by the Japanese outside the city. On a lighter note, traditional arts and crafts are on display at the National Museum, which also boasts a display of eight traditional Melanesian houses from various parts of the country. Behind the museum is a cultural center. Above town there is a pleasant botanical garden, and the bustling Central Market is a great place to get a feel for everyday life in Honiara. Although English is the official language, only a small percentage of Solomonese speak it. The common language is Pijin.
 

Named for a notorious local headhunter, laidback Ghizo Island is the heart of the Solomon Islands’ Western Province. World War II buffs recognize Gizo — the island’s main town and capital of the province — as the site where John F. Kennedy’s patrol boat sank; remains of the famous PT-109 have been found along the seabed nearby. Ghizo offers some of the world’s most exciting diving opportunities, with dozens of top-rated sites nearby — from an American tank and other WWII relics to extensive reef networks renowned for their remarkably high diversity of fish and coral species. Snorkel and swim in the warm, clear waters, go hiking in the surrounding hills, and visit some of the island’s traditional markets. The province’s woodcarvers are recognized for their amazing skill, spending months to create intricately detailed carvings in ebony and rosewood. 

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Alotau, Papua New Guinea. Alotau is the capital of the Milne Bay province of Papua New Guinea, located on a peninsula in Milne Bay in the Coral Sea. The town and water comprise the site of the 1942 battle of Milne Bay, in which the invading Japanese army suffered its first decisive defeat in the Pacific Theater of World War II at the hands of Allied, mostly Australian forces. A War Memorial commemorates the battle. Today the area is largely given over the palm oil plantations. The local people keep their Tawala cultural traditions alive, with the exception of the long-past ritual cannibalism. In Bibiko Village, they will be pleased to show them off in displays of prowess with Kundu drum ceremonies and exhibitions of their impressive war canoes. At the Ahioma village of Dodobana, the many specialized skills of daily Melanesian life are demonstrated in a family-style setting, such as basket weaving, grass skirt making and gardening.

Kitava is a small, unspoiled island in the Trobriand Islands group in the Solomon Sea. Its undiluted, Eden-like nature is a big part of its appeal. Visitors are treated hospitably and usually greeted with traditional dancing on the white beaches. Local crafts such as quality woodcarvings of masks, bowl and animal figures, woven baskets and other local items are offered near the landing site. Local people are also available and happy to guide visitors to the Kumagea village and show their lifestyle including the large yam gardens and the yam houses where they are stored. European scientists have conducted extensive studies of the traditional local diet, which keeps the islanders unusually healthy. They will probably also show you the ‘skull caves” related to traditional burial practices. For small fee, local boats will take to you the nearby atolls such as Nurata for very scenic snorkeling in clear, warm water. Many visitors bring small gifts such as books, pencils or little toys for the children. After asking permission of the parents, these are generally gratefully accepted.

This idyllic archipelago of 21 coral atolls off the coast of New Guinea was named after the British ship HMS Conflict by its discoverer, a most patriotic captain. The island group is privately owned by a passionate conservationist, who insists on sustainable methods for any activity within his tropical domain. Activities are therefore tailored for enjoying the exceptionally beautiful beaches, the supremely biodiverse coral reefs and the clear, warm waters. Kayaking, snorkeling and paddle-boarding are the more strenuous varieties. Simply relaxing mindfully on the sugary fringes of the lagoon are also acceptable. The area is under consideration for UNESCO World Heritage inscription.

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A cosmopolitan city flanked by pristine rainforests and golden beaches, Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Kuranda, and the Daintree rainforest, a World Heritage protected area. The city was recently renovated to enhance its image and provide a relaxing place for visitors and locals to congregate and have fun. Cairns Esplanade, once a huge grassy park, now features an excellent facility incorporating an outdoor amphitheatre, a sandy swimming lagoon, walking tracks, shops and restaurants, and an environmental interpretation center.

The unofficial capital of North Queensland, Townsville is tucked inside the Great Barrier Reef in the northern tropics. Its municipal beach, The Strand, is consistently rated among Australia’s cleanest. Take a ferry to Magnetic Island, an unspoiled UNESCO World Heritage Site just offshore, or visit the Billabong Sanctuary wildlife reserve.

The 74 Whitsunday Islands are Australia’s tropical marine playground, scattered along the Queensland coast inshore from the Great Barrier Reef. Airlie Beach is the resort hub for exploration of the islands, the reef and the tropical forests of the region. Activities abound, from snorkeling on the reef, spectacular flight tours, fishing excursions to treks along the coastal cliffs with breathtaking views. Whitehaven Beach, a picturesque five-mile strand of pure white silica sand, is among the world’s most beautiful and famous beaches, its swirling offshore sandbars shining through the clear, aquamarine waters. Airlie Beach is a town dedicated to leisure and relaxation, with abundant boutiques, restaurants and cafes offering alfresco dining. It is a place in which to enjoy Australia’s tropical pleasures in the same casual, fun-loving style the Aussies employ. 

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Once a harsh penal settlement, Brisbane is now Queensland's dynamic capital city. A blend of steel and glass defines the skyline, while riverside delights - botanical gardens, promenades, cafes and markets - mesmerize at eye level.

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Sydney is a cosmopolitan, multicultural city surrounded by golden sand beaches, World Heritage areas, lush national parks and acclaimed wine regions. Sydney owes much of its splendor to its magnificent harbor. Arriving by ship provides an unequaled impression, showing off the city's famous landmarks: the dramatic white sails of the iconic Opera House and the celebrated Harbor Bridge, looming over the skyline.

Sydney is a cosmopolitan, multicultural city surrounded by golden sand beaches, World Heritage areas, lush national parks and acclaimed wine regions. Sydney owes much of its splendor to its magnificent harbor. Arriving by ship provides an unequaled impression, showing off the city's famous landmarks: the dramatic white sails of the iconic Opera House and the celebrated Harbor Bridge, looming over the skyline.