Ra'iatea & Taha'a
On Taha’a, if you’re willing to take a bit of a walk you can get to deserted Joe Dassin Beach, on the southwest side of the island, a 15-minute walk along…
Must-see attractions in Australia & Pacific
Nuku Hiva
Most tours stop in Taipivai to visit the Paeke archaeological site, which lies on a hillside at the exit of the village on the way to Hatiheu (the path…
Huahine
The coast road turns inland beside narrow Faie Bay to the village of Faie. Huahine’s famous blue-eyed eels can be seen in the river just over the bridge –…
'Upolu
Secreted beneath the campus of Piula Methodist Theological College, Piula Cave Pool consists of two blue-green, fish-filled freshwater grottoes, only…
Lae
The Lae War Cemetery, just south of the Botanical Gardens, is meticulously maintained by the Australian government. There are 2808 graves here, 2363 of…
Guadalcanal
At 63m, these waterfalls are spectacular. They are a fairly easy four-hour walk (return) from a tiny settlement about 2km south of Tenaru Village. It's…
Huahine
Right on the southern tip of Huahine Iti, Marae Anini was a community marae made of massive coral blocks. The comparatively recent construction was…
Mo'orea
At last, a public beach! Ta’ahiamanu (Mareto) Beach is one of the few public access beaches on the island. This narrow stretch of white sand is a popular…
Savusavu & Around
Those vents of steam you see along the water’s edge are evidence of the volcanic activity that simmers below Savusavu's surface. The main springs are just…
Vava'u Group
Developed by Tonga's former Minister of Agriculture, these gardens are brimming with botany (550 different plant varieties!). Access is via guided tour:…
Hiva Oa
Anyone with an interest in ancient Marquesan civilisation shouldn’t leave Atuona without a visit to the Tehueto petroglyphs. You’ll find a massive rock…
The Sepik
Fourteen kilometres west of Wewak, this is the site of a wartime airstrip and the war memorial marks the spot where Japanese Lieutenant General Adachi…
Grande Terre
Once a convict centre, Prony sits in a lush hollow surrounded by forest beside Baie de Prony. A stream runs through the village of corrugated-iron…
Taveuni
At 1195m, this is the island’s second-highest mountain. On a clear day the views from the peak are fantastic: it’s possible to see Lake Tagimaucia and the…
Port Moresby
A turnoff near Fourteen Mile takes you to the large and carefully tended Bomana War Cemetery, where 4000 unknown PNG and Australian WWII soldiers are…
Pointe du Taharaa – One Tree Hill
Pape'ete
At the top of the hill at around PK8, pull off to the lagoon side of the road and park in the lot that once belonged to Tahiti’s very upmarket Hyatt…
Savai'i
Cyclones Ofa and Val struck the peninsula in 1990 and 1991, completely destroying the village of Falealupo. The decision was made to rebuild the village…
Cook Islands Library & Museum Society
Avarua
Inland behind the Para O Tane Palace, this collection of Pacific literature incorporates a small museum. Intriguing exhibits include an old whaling pot,…
Hiva Oa
In Hanapaaoa, ask a local to take you to the Tiki Moe One, hidden on a hillside. One of the quirkiest statues in the Marquesas, it features a carved crown…
Port Moresby
Past the docks to the north lies Hanuabada, the original Motu village. Although it is still built over the sea on stilts, the original wood and thatched…
Marshall Islands
If the heady pace of Marshall Island life is getting too much take a very pleasant drive along the palm-lined road to Laura. Found at the far western end…
Rarotonga
Te Vara Nui combines a purpose-built village showcasing local culture including traditional medicine, carving, tapa making and legends, with one of…
Ovalau & the Lomaiviti Group
This stone shell was the South Pacific’s first Masonic lodge (1875). This was once Levuka’s only Romanesque building, but it was burnt to a husk in the…
New Ireland Province
The closest thing Kavieng has to a regular 'sight' is the Bagail Cemetery, where Baron Boluminski was buried. The tough guy's grave is right before you as…
French Polynesia
Raivavae’s stunning lagoon, brimming with marine life and ringed by ironwood-covered motu, is one of the treasures of the South Pacific. Motu Piscine …
The Sepik
This peace park marks the mass grave of many troops. The soldiers’ bodies were later exhumed and returned to Japan. Here you'll find a memorial and a fish…
Tongatapu
Tongatapu’s most famous cave is an over-loved, slightly eerie place full of stalactites and stalagmites, and blackened from the soot of flaming-frond…
Grande Terre
Captain James Cook became the first European to discover New Caledonia in 1774, on his second voyage. He landed at Mahamat Beach, and it was on climbing…
Mo'orea
At PK21, a cement road veers inland and makes a very steep climb to a lookout called ‘Magical Mountain’, at a height of 209m. It's an arduous, 45-minute…
Rabaul
A worthwhile site is the Vulcanology Observatory, about 900m off Tunnel Hill Rd, from where you can enjoy million-dollar views over the bay and the…
Pape'ete
Taking pride of place in the centre of town is the Cathédrale Notre-Dame.
Fakarava
A handful of inhabitants also live in Tetamanu village, a tiny settlement on the edge of Tumakohua Pass, which is as backwater as backwater gets (despite…
Bora Bora
The island’s main settlement, Vaitape is not the most evocative town, but it's a great place to do a bit of shopping, take care of banking needs and just…
Port Moresby
The Old Parliament Building was never an architectural wonder, but its opening as the House of Assembly in 1964 was a significant milestone on PNG's road…
Port Moresby
Some kilometres down the rough Kokoda Track road (barely navigable in a 2WD in the dry season only) is a turn-off left (west) back towards Port Moresby…
Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Apia
Looming over the harbour, this lofty cathedral is breathtakingly beautiful. Originally constructed in 1884, the building was recently rebuilt at an…
The Highlands
A motorable track just off Wisdom St climbs to an excellent lookout, Mt Kis, so-called because it’s the lovers’ leap of Goroka. There are two large water…
The Sepik
The main, two-storey haus tambaran features three garamut drums with pig, crocodile and hornbill carvings. Upstairs is a treasure trove of shell-inlaid…
Noumea
Wander along a network of paths through gardens of native shrubs and trees, cactus and forest with a changing backdrop of sea views in the distance. You…
Marae Raitoro, Haunarei & Harii
French Polynesia
More than 200 marae have been found in Tubuai and the few that have been cleared are among the most fascinating in the country. Raitoru and Haunarei Marae…
