Vanua Levu
This site has a cryptic – and cannibalistic – history. At the entrance, there's a sacred monolith that villagers believe grew from the ground; behind is a…
Must-see attractions in Australia & Pacific
Nadi, Suva & Viti Levu
About 25km southeast of Rakiraki, overlooking Viti Levu Bay, this 1917 church is famous for its mural depicting a black Christ, painted in 1962 by Jean…
Tongatapu
The Mu’a area contains Tonga's richest concentration of archaeological remnants. In AD 1200, Tu’itatui, the 11th of the Tu’i Tonga kings, moved the royal…
memorial to Christopher Robinson
Papua New Guinea
The main thing to do on Samarai is just wander around soaking up the faded-glory. From the wharf, head toward the hill and, at the northeast corner of the…
Northern Mariana Islands
Among dive heads, Saipan is famous for this unique diving spot, a collapsed limestone cavern with a pool of cobalt-blue seawater filled by three…
Pape'ete
The Territorial Assembly and other government buildings occupy Place Tarahoi, the former site of the Pomare palace. The termite-riddled 1883 palace was…
Tafua Peninsula Rainforest Preserve
Savai'i
This preserve contains superb stands of rainforest and rugged stretches of lava coast studded with cliffs and sea arches. A highlight is the Tafua Savai’i…
Taveuni
Wahooo! This awesome natural slide is a ton of fun. Slide down on your bum or attempt it standing up, like the local kids. Either way, you’ll end up in a…
American Samoa
The most famous of Tutuila’s legends is set at this dramatic cliff-top site. According to one version, an old lady and her granddaughter were turfed out…
Savai'i
The country's most western point is not only gorgeously scenic (until Samoa hopped the dateline, it was the last place in the world the sun set each day),…
Tanna
Tanna’s best anchorage is this beautiful bay with magnificent cliffs and easy access to east Tanna's best beaches. The Ireupuow village has a basic shop,…
Suva
After visiting the museum, ponder on your new found knowledge with a wander through these compact but beautiful gardens ( M032A). The dense conglomeration…
The Marquesas
Thousands of kaveka (sooty terns) nest year-round on these islets and lay thousands of eggs daily.
Bain de Vaima & Vaipahi Spring Gardens
Around Tahiti Nui
Bain de Vaima (Vaima Pool) is where locals come from all over to bathe in the icy but exceptionally clear waters that are thought to have healing…
Nadi, Suva & Viti Levu
Fiji has the highest percentage of Hare Krishnas per capita in the world and this temple is the foremost International Society for Krishna Consciousness …
Around Tahiti Nui
Strategically situated at the narrow isthmus connecting Tahiti Nui with Tahiti Iti, the town of Taravao has been a military base on and off since 1844,…
'Upolu
Robert Louis Stevenson's final resting place is adjacent to the museum that bears his name. Follow the signs for the path – known as the 'Road of Loving…
Lae
Most people come to see a microcosm of PNG’s marvellous flora and fauna, including birds of paradise, cassowaries and tree kangaroos; although the real…
Aitutaki
After you’ve been to Rarotonga, Arutanga, Aitutaki’s only town, seems astonishingly quiet, with few signs of life even on weekdays when the shops are open…
Nadi, Suva & Viti Levu
Koroyanitu National Heritage Park is accessed via Abaca (Am-ba-tha) village, southeast of Lautoka, but you can't go alone: trails have been unmaintained…
Vanua Levu
The sacred 3m-high Cobra Rock is housed inside the vibrant Naag Mandir Temple. It's draped with flower-and-tinsel garlands, and offerings are placed at…
Around Tahiti Nui
Through the village of Tiarei where the road swoops around a black-sand beach, you’ll see a sign on the mountain side of the road for the exceedingly high…
The Sepik
Korogo has an impressive haus tambaran with a pair of carved eagles at each end of the roof, related to a local myth, as well as colourfully painted…
Kiribati
Abemama, which still has a 'royal family', nearly became the Gilbert Islands' post-war capital, but Tarawa finally won out because of the easier access…
Around Tahiti Nui
The 137-hectare Jardins Botaniques has walking paths that wind their way through the garden past ponds, palms, a massive banyan tree and a superb mape…
The Sepik
Palm trees, turquoise waters, nearby reefs and a left-hand point break (November to March) make Muschu one of Papua New Guinea’s best-kept secrets. Hidden…
Federated States of Micronesia
Yap Proper's main island, Yap Island features the tiny capital, Colonia, which wraps around Chamorro Bay, offering sea views most everywhere. Walk to the…
Vanua Levu
Deep in the mountains north of Savusavu, reachable by 4WD, lie the ruins of Nukubolu, an ancient Fijian village whose stone foundations, terraces and…
The Marquesas
Hapatoni curves around a wide bay and is accessible by boat in less than 15 minutes from Vaitahu, or by a track.
Nadi, Suva & Viti Levu
There is an abandoned battery of guns at Lomolomo, on a low rise at the foot of the Sabeto Mountains. Built in WWII to protect Nadi Bay, they are hardly a…
Guadalcanal
From Henderson airport, a track leads south to this area that's also called Edson's Ridge, after Edson's Raiders. Commanded by Colonel Merritt Edson, they…
Federated States of Micronesia
Lelu Island, connected to the larger island of Kosrae by a causeway, is where a massive walled city was built between the 13th and 14th centuries for…
Malaita
If you want to get a taste of rural life and enjoy superb scenery without travelling too far from Auki, make a beeline for Gwaunaru'u. This sweet little…
Around Tahiti Nui
Just east of the village of Papara, the Marae Mahaiatea was the most magnificent marae on Tahiti at the time of Cook’s first visit (according to Cook it…
New Britain
For a picnic spot, nothing can beat the Submarine Base at Tavui Point. The Japanese used to provision submarines here during the war. There are tunnel and…
Taveuni
Lake Tagimaucia is in an old volcanic crater in the mountains above Somosomo. Masses of vegetation float on the lake (823m above sea level), and the…
Vanua Levu
Nestled in the mountains north of Savusavu, this 120-ha reserve is home to thousands of birds, flowers, trees and plants, some of which are used in local…
The Marquesas
Experts believe that the first Polynesian settlement on the Marquesas was here, tucked away in a bay protected on the east by the impressive Motu Hane…
Around Tahiti Nui
This museum has been closed for years but hopefully it will reopen during the life of this book. The airy site surrounded by lush foliage is lovely, and…
Savai'i
This striking spot offers a fascinating glimpse at the destruction wrought by the 1905 eruption of Mt Matavanu. Most photogenic is the ruined LMS Church:…
