Rugged Outback To Golden Beaches

Getting around Sydney is easy and accessible. You can jump on a train from Sydney airport to Circular Quay in approx.18 minutes, ride the hop on hop off bus around the city that offers multiple stops including Sydney Tower, Botanic Gardens, Australian Powerhouse and Maritime Museums, Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge or the Bondi bus. If travelling on the water is more your style, catch a ferry to visit Sydney’s amusement park, Luna Park, visit the buzzing Manly Beach wharf which is linked to the Corso mall or cruise west of the city to join a Haunted History, Crooked Character or Convict Precinct tour at UNESCO’s World Heritage Site, Cockatoo Island. The best times to visit Sydney are September through November and from March to May as they offer the most comfortable temperatures, around mid 20°C. Read more about Sydney, Australia

Dusky Sound is a fjord on the SW corner of New Zealand, in Fjordland National Park. In 1770 it was given its name by Captain Cook and his crew as that was the time of night when they found it. They encountered groups of shy Maoris, but nowadays the area is almost uninhabited. However, seal numbers have increased since the ban on seal hunting. Read more about Dusky Sound, New Zealand

For those with a little more time to spend in and around Brisbane, Head down south to the Gold Coast - only an hour away - where you can experience the iconic Surfers Paradise main beach, shop at the unmissable Pacific Fair, hold a koala and pat a kangaroo at the nearby Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary or hop on the AquaDuck for a family fun tour of the Gold Coast. Heading north-west from Brisbane, you will come across the picturesque Maleny and Montville. These towns are perfect for a day-trip or a couple of nights located high on the Blackall Range, with magnificent views of the Sunshine Coast. They are home to lovely cafes and restaurants, once-off boutique purchases and art galleries. Read more about Brisbane, Australia

For those with a little more time to spend in and around Brisbane, Head down south to the Gold Coast - only an hour away - where you can experience the iconic Surfers Paradise main beach, shop at the unmissable Pacific Fair, hold a koala and pat a kangaroo at the nearby Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary or hop on the AquaDuck for a family fun tour of the Gold Coast. Heading north-west from Brisbane, you will come across the picturesque Maleny and Montville. These towns are perfect for a day-trip or a couple of nights located high on the Blackall Range, with magnificent views of the Sunshine Coast. They are home to lovely cafes and restaurants, once-off boutique purchases and art galleries. Read more about Brisbane, Australia

Dusky Sound is a fjord on the SW corner of New Zealand, in Fjordland National Park. In 1770 it was given its name by Captain Cook and his crew as that was the time of night when they found it. They encountered groups of shy Maoris, but nowadays the area is almost uninhabited. However, seal numbers have increased since the ban on seal hunting. Read more about Dusky Sound, New Zealand

Bordered by the Great Barrier Reef in the calm waters of the Coral Sea, the 74 tropical islands of the Whitsundays lie midway up the Queensland coast. A secluded haven of natural wonders, they are Australia's answer to the cruising grounds of the Caribbean. A visit to the Whitsundays - surrounded by natural beauty, dotted with secluded beaches, and friendly towns from which to explore - is a wonderful experience. It’s no wonder that some of the largest ships on World Cruises anchor here, alongside white-sailed yachts and coral-viewing boats. Read more about Whitsundays, Australia

Whether you're snorkeling or diving on the Great Barrier Reef or exploring the luscious Daintree Rainforest, Cairns is a great base for you to start your tropical north Queensland adventure. The Cairns esplanade is the main hub with a host of lovely cafes and restaurants, waterfront boardwalks and also a swimming lagoon. A perfect meeting spot if you're catching up with family or friends. Head out on a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef which departs from Cairns. Read more about Cairns, Australia

Whether you're snorkeling or diving on the Great Barrier Reef or exploring the luscious Daintree Rainforest, Cairns is a great base for you to start your tropical north Queensland adventure. The Cairns esplanade is the main hub with a host of lovely cafes and restaurants, waterfront boardwalks and also a swimming lagoon. A perfect meeting spot if you're catching up with family or friends. Head out on a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef which departs from Cairns. Read more about Cairns, Australia

Dusky Sound is a fjord on the SW corner of New Zealand, in Fjordland National Park. In 1770 it was given its name by Captain Cook and his crew as that was the time of night when they found it. They encountered groups of shy Maoris, but nowadays the area is almost uninhabited. However, seal numbers have increased since the ban on seal hunting. Read more about Dusky Sound, New Zealand

Read more about Alotau, Papua New Guinea

Port Moresby, situated on the Gulf of Papua on the SE coast of New Guinea island, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. The Port lies on the underside of the Bird’s Tail Peninsula with Australia’s northernmost tip 500 km to the WSW. Before colonisation the local Motuan people traded their pots for food (sago) in large scale canoe expeditions to the west. Their language was the basis for an official language Hiri Motu, the other being English. Read more about Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Dusky Sound is a fjord on the SW corner of New Zealand, in Fjordland National Park. In 1770 it was given its name by Captain Cook and his crew as that was the time of night when they found it. They encountered groups of shy Maoris, but nowadays the area is almost uninhabited. However, seal numbers have increased since the ban on seal hunting. Read more about Dusky Sound, New Zealand

Thursday Island, or 'T.I.' as it's usually known, is the name of the island and the town that is the administrative and commercial centre of the Torres Strait Islands. The island group is off the far north Queensland mainland in Torres Strait, just 39 km north of Cape York Peninsula. The lucrative pearling industry founded in 1885 attracted workers from around Asia, particularly South Pacific Islanders, and this has resulted in a fascinating cultural mosaic. Green Fort Hill provides views over the town of Thursday Island, and provides fascinating insights into the local history that dates back to 1880 when it acted as the defence centre for Australia. Read more about Thursday Island, Australia

Dusky Sound is a fjord on the SW corner of New Zealand, in Fjordland National Park. In 1770 it was given its name by Captain Cook and his crew as that was the time of night when they found it. They encountered groups of shy Maoris, but nowadays the area is almost uninhabited. However, seal numbers have increased since the ban on seal hunting. Read more about Dusky Sound, New Zealand

The new Darwin cruise ship terminal at Fort Hill Wharf is adjacent to the convention centre, only one kilometre from Darwin’s CBD. Modern amenities, hotels and parking are there, plus a mini-market with beautiful local productions – Aboriginal art and crafts, diamonds and opals, and eateries, distinctive of the Top End. Darwin is a home port for the small luxury vessels Coral Princess and Coral Discoverer that explore the Kimberley coast to Broome. A score of cruise ship lines include Darwin in their itineraries for Australia, Indonesia, South-East Asia and World Cruises. Read more about Darwin, Australia

Dusky Sound is a fjord on the SW corner of New Zealand, in Fjordland National Park. In 1770 it was given its name by Captain Cook and his crew as that was the time of night when they found it. They encountered groups of shy Maoris, but nowadays the area is almost uninhabited. However, seal numbers have increased since the ban on seal hunting. Read more about Dusky Sound, New Zealand

Komodo Island may be closed to visitors throughout 2020, following which numbers may be limited to 5000 annually. The decision will be made in mid 2019. Komodo Island lies in the Wallacea Region of Indonesia, identified by Conservation International as a global conservation priority area, and is located in the centre of the Indonesian archipelago between the islands of Sumbawa to the west and Flores to the east. It makes up part of the Komodo National Park that consists of generally young, oceanic volcanic islands that are constantly rising, eroding and subsiding in the sea. Read more about Komodo Island, Indonesia

The Gili Islands, consisting of Trawangn, Meno and Air, are the most popular tourist destinations of Lombok in Indonesia. In a rare display of foresight, all forms of motorised transport are banned from the islands. There are bicycles for rent, but the numerous horse-drawn carts, known as cidomo, are very popular. There is good diving here and while it is known as a teaching centre, there are arrangements for experienced divers as well. Read more about Gili Islands, Indonesia, Indonesia

Bali is an Indonesian island at the western-most of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of Indonesia’s 33 provinces, with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the island. Bali is home to the most of Indonesia's Hindu minority, and also the largest tourist destination in the Archipelago. Activities on offer include white water rafting, jungle trekking, river kayaking, mountain cycling and scuba diving. Read more about Denpasar (Bali), Indonesia