An Escapade in the Heart of Melanesia

Discover Darwin, the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory and the region’s largest city. Explore a diverse community where more than 50 cultures contribute to the city's character and daily life. Visit notable landmarks, including Parliament House, a modern example of tropical architecture, and Admiralty House, a heritage-listed residence built on stilts. Learn about Darwin’s recent past while exploring sites that have endured cyclones and wartime events.

Enjoy a full range of onboard facilities and activities while sailing between destinations. Unwind in the spa, keep active in the fitness center, swim in the pool, or relax on deck. Attend presentations and live performances, browse the onboard boutique, or view photography displays. Head to the upper deck for ocean views and watch for marine wildlife along the way. Spend your time at sea balancing leisure, recreation, and discovery.

Located at Australia's northernmost tip, Thursday Island is one of more than a hundred in the Torres Strait, between Cape York Peninsula and Papua New Guinea. The historic military fort of Green Hill offers magnificent views, and you can discover more about the region and its pearling history at the Gab Titui Cultural Center.

During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, do some shopping in the boutique, or meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. It is an enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest, and entertainment.

The Samarai islands are located in the China Strait off the south-eastern tip of New Guinea. In its colonial heyday it was said to be one of the most beautiful places in the PacificDeclared a “National Historical Heritage Island” by the government of Papua New Guinea in 2006, the islet was - at the time of English administration - a compulsory stop for all merchant ships sailing between Australia and South-East Asia, making the island the country’s second commercial port. Founded in the 1800s, the town quickly attracted gold miners and other traders, who helped shape its history.

Alotau became the provincial capital of Milne Bay in 1969 and today has a population of approximately 16,000. It serves as your port of entry into Papua New Guinea. Missionaries, miners, pearlers, and Japanese and American warships contributed to the History of Milne Bay. Perhaps the most significant history surrounds the Battle of Milne Bay. Here, the invading Japanese army suffered their first land defeat in the Pacific War in 1942. A memorial park at the battle site commemorates the event. The warm and welcoming local people resulted in one of the most relaxed, secure, and easy-going towns in Papua New Guinea. Join your expedition team to tour the town markets and WWII memorials.

Lost in the heart of the Pacific, the Conflict Islands were discovered in 1886 by the British warship HMS Conflict. They form an archipelago of 21 islands encircling a vast lagoon, the remnant of a submerged volcano. Surrounded by unspoilt reefs, they are home to unique natural environments and rich marine life.

During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

Honiara is the capital city of The Solomon Islands, administered as a provincial town on the north-western coast of Guadalcanal Island. Honiara comes from the local Ghari Language “naho-ni-ara” meaning 'facing the ara', the place where the southeast winds meet the land. Discover this city, its beautiful landscape, and the significant role it played in World War II. Particularly The Battle of Henderson Field, the last of the three major land offensives conducted by the Japanese in 1942. 

During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

On the northern coast of Espiritu Santo lies Champagne Beach, a place of striking natural purity. Its remarkably fine pale sand borders striking turquoise waters, with the light of the Pacific revealing the full softness of the landscape. This setting, ideal for relaxation, swimming or discovering the marine life, offers a moment marked by simplicity and enchantment.

Luganville, Vanuatu’s second-largest town, located on the southern coast of the island of Espiritu Santo, owes its name to the Breton sailor Armand Lugan, who found it in 1870. Turned into an American military base during the Second World War, the town has retained traces of its history, such as the wide Higinson Boulevard, designed to allow four tanks to pass side by side. Today, Luganville invites visitors to experience a welcoming local community living in harmony with nature, and is a gateway to unspoilt landscapes where traditions and tropical beauty blend with authenticity.

Port Vila is the cradle of an insular harmony where time seems to stand still, a tropical pearl in Vanuatu emerging from the turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean, a place that inspires contemplation and daydreaming. Beneath an azure sky, the colorful markets reveal the very essence of Vanuatuan culture. The stalls here are overflowing with tropical fruit bursting with sunshine, while the artisans showcase their talents, weaving vegetable-fibre baskets and sculpting traditional masks with enigmatic faces. On the lush heights in the inland region of Vanuatu’s capital, the waterfalls whisper secret songs, creating an aquatic symphony that resonates in the heart of travellers in search of magic.

Originally known as Inyeug, Mystery Island is an uninhabited island with a discreet charm, located in the southern part of the Vanuatu archipelago. During the Second World War, the island was used as an airstrip, and its isolated location made the arrival of Allied aircraft mysterious to the enemy, hence its name. Today, the island is a truly idyllic haven, where white-sand beaches, wind-swayed palm trees and turquoise waters form a pristine refuge in which the beauty of untouched nature is revealed.

During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji. Located on the western side of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometers north of Nadi. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar City. Lautoka is the gateway to Fiji’s “Sun coast” a land of abundant sunshine, azure skies and dramatic grass-covered peaks chequered with sugar-cane fields, rural villages and quaint market towns.