Ultimate Voyage: Islands of the Pacific – Solomon, Papua & Australia’s Top End

Lautoka is situated on the western side of Viti Levu, the largest island in Fiji, and just 20 km north of Nadi. The Fiji archipelago lies just to the western side of the International Date Line. Lautoka is Fiji's second largest city. Read more about Lautoka, Fiji

Tanna is an island (40km by 19km) in the Vanuatu archipelago and one of the more populous islands in this South Pacific country. It lies 200 km south of the capital Port Vila. The island's residents are Melanesians who follow a very traditional lifestyle and which draws the attention of tourists. Read more about Tanna Island, Vanuatu

Honiara, located on the northern coast of the island of Guadalcanal, is the capital of the Solomon Islands, which lie between Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. Pijin is the principal language. The climate is tropical, and while the most pleasant time to visit is winter, July to September, the cooling sea breezes temper the humidity and heat along all coasts year-round. Read more about Honiara, Solomon Islands

Cairns is a Far North Queensland city located on the northeast coast of Australia. This laid-back city is just over a 2 hour flight from Brisbane, Queensland’s state capital. With a backdrop of rainforest mountains, Cairns is known to be the gateway of 2 iconic Australian sites, The Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest. Read more about Cairns, Australia

Lizard Island, named after the numerous large but harmless lizards living there, is a national park in Queensland, Australia. It is situated 90 km north of Cooktown at the northern tip of Australia’s World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef. It is also the location of an award-winning and internationally famous resort. Read more about Lizard Island, Australia

Cape York is at the tip of the Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland, and is at the very northernmost part of the Australian mainland, with New Guinea just north of the island-studded Torres Strait. It was named by James Cook in 1770 after His Royal Highness the Duke of York. Tourists now visit throughout the year, as facilities are surprisingly modern for such an isolated spot, and tours are always available. Read more about Cape York, Australia

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. Read more about Thursday Island, Australia

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. Read more about Darwin, Australia