Lautoka to Melbourne

To the east of the International Date Line lie the islands of Fiji, where smiling people bid you “bula,” or welcome, to their unspoiled homeland. The bustling port town of Lautoka lies cradled on the western shores of Viti Levu, with marketplaces filled with shell jewelry, wood carvings, woven mats, basketry and masi, and exquisite Indian saris. Not far from the pier are endless fields of lush sugar cane, traditional villages and an orchid wonderland.

Port Vila is the harborside capital and main hub of Vanuatu, on Efate island. Its small downtown is home to colorful market stalls selling produce and local handicrafts. The National Museum of Vanuatu, inside the Vanuatu Cultural Centre, displays artifacts such as slit-gong drums and outrigger canoes. The town is a base for diving and trips to Mele Cascades, a multi-tiered waterfall with rock pools in a rainforest.

Having served as the South Pacific headquarters for the U.S. military during World War II, the main island of New Caledonia, called Grande Terre, has played a prominent role on the world stage. These days, the island’s sunny weather and natural beauty have taken the spotlight. Noumea has a distinctly French flair with fine restaurants and designer boutiques. Off shore are the vast barrier reefs and the largest lagoon complex in the world.

Trace the history of New Zealand on the gorgeous island of Waitangi. Along with its vibrant past, find spectacular coastlines, abundant forests, and a world of natural wonders.

Situated astride a narrow, jade-green isthmus between the shimmering waters of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean on two harbors, the Waitematā and Manukau, is Auckland. This vibrant city is a gateway to New Zealand’s natural and cultural treasures: great natural beauty, friendly people, magnificent glacier-studded mountain ranges, sculpted fjords, pristine beaches, lush rainforest, an endless array of sporting activities, and, not to be forgotten, plenty of sheep and rolling farmland.

Nestled on the Pacific coastline of New Zealand’s North Island is charming Napier, a town with much to boast about. Napier is known for producing wool, growing fruit, cultivating grapes and making wine. The city abounds in art deco splendor with iconic landmarks, rivaled only by the surrounding natural beauty of Hawke’s Bay. A highlight of the region is wild and wonderful Cape Kidnappers, known for its gannet colony, considered to be one of only two such mainland colonies in the world.

Hugging the hillsides around Port Nicholson, a horseshoe-shaped bay that is one of the world’s finest, Wellington reminds many visitors of San Francisco. In cultural offerings as well as landscape – Wellington boasts the National Art Gallery and the Dominion Museum, as well as the Government Building, one of the world’s largest wooden structures.

Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria – and a global capital of trend-setting cool. Dynamic, sporty and arty, it still maintains an air of old-world grace with spacious tree-lined boulevards and expansive parks. The prosperous lifestyle of its people is both cosmopolitan and sophisticated. The heritage of more than 100 different cultures has contributed to Melbourne’s richly international character – exemplified by its range of 15,000 dining venues offering more than 50 different kinds of cuisine.