48-Day Kimberley Expedition & South Pacific Explorer

Broome, a coastal town in Western Australia, is famous for its stunning beaches, rich history, and vibrant culture. Located on the Indian Ocean, it boasts Cable Beach, known for its white sand, turquoise waters, and iconic camel rides at sunset. Once a pearling hub, Broome retains its multicultural heritage, reflected in its cuisine and architecture. The town is also the gateway to the Kimberley region, offering breathtaking landscapes and unique natural attractions like the Staircase to the Moon. With warm weather year-round and a laid-back atmosphere, Broome is a perfect destination for adventure, relaxation, and cultural experiences.

Ashmore Reef is a sanctuary for seabirds, shorebirds, marine turtles, dugongs, and many other marine species. Each year around 100,000 seabirds breed on Ashmore Reef including great knots, crested terns and white-tailed tropicbirds. The sanctuary zone provides the highest level of protection for wildlife.

Vansittart Bay is a beautifully protected large bay with several islands and coves. Jar Island contains ancient rock art galleries depicting the Gwion Gwion style unique to the Kimberley region. Mainly neglected by, or unknown to, the early European researchers of Aboriginal culture in the Kimberley in favour of the dominant & more dramatic Wandjina art, Gwion Gwion art has in recent years gained world prominence. Join your Expedition Team ashore for a short walk, past some fascinating rock formations, to the site of the Gwion Gwion art galleries.

Rabaul, the former provincial capital, has quite a remarkable location. The town is inside the flooded caldera of a giant volcano and several sub-vents are still quite active today! The fumes of the volcano Tavurvur can be seen continually and the town suffered greatly during the last major eruption of 1994 when some 80% of the houses collapsed due to the ash raining down onto their roofs. Rabaul has a Volcano Observatory sitting atop the town’s center, monitoring the 14 active and 23 dormant volcanoes in Papua New Guinea. A small museum opposite the bunker used by Yamamoto during World War II shows exhibits relating to Rabaul’s local, German, Australian and Japanese past from the 19th century to Papua New Guinea’s independence in the 1970s.

Unlike Espiritu Santo with its raised coral reefs and white sand, Ambrym is a volcanically active island with dark sand beaches. Ambrym is known as the island of magic and is the source of five local languages that all evolved on Ambrym. This handful of languages contributes to the well over 100 languages of Vanuatu. Some of Ambrym’s magic takes place in the lush greenery of the local community of Ranon. Here the people perform a very special and traditional ‘Rom’ dance. Participants prepare their masks and costumes in secrecy and the dance is reserved for special occasions.

Samoa is a group of ten islands located in the South Pacific. The tropical climate and volcanic landscape create a picturesque location for visitors to explore, together with the experience of Fa'a Samoa, the three thousand year old way of life on Samoa.

Even high praise like the 'world's most beautiful island' from Lonely Planet's co-founder, Tony Wheeler, won't prepare you for the intoxicating intensity of the coal blue ocean, the glow of the pure white sand, and the soothing ripple of the palm-tree forests at incredible Aitutaki. Breathless romance hangs thick in the air here, especially when a riot of purples, reds and oranges are spreading across the sky, accompanying the sun's descent each evening. It wasn't until 1789 that Europeans discovered this island haven, with the HMS Bounty's crew arriving, just a few weeks before a mutiny tore them apart. The Europeans were beaten to the islands, however, by the streamlined wooden canoes of the Polynesian settlers, who arrived around 900AD. While Western missionaries would eventually visit to spread Christianity to the island - evidenced by the white, coral-encrusted walls of the many churches - their efforts to repress the people’s deep love of communal singing and dancing ultimately failed, and music forms a key component of the islanders' culture to this day.The beaches here are flawless, and swaying in a hammock, suspended between leaning palm trees, as the ocean gently ruffles the sand nearby, feels gloriously indulgent. Aitutaki Lagoon is a huge aquamarine pool of water, alive with a kaleidoscopic swirl of tropical fish, which lurk just below the surface. You may even be lucky enough to spot turtles padding across the sand, scraping themselves towards the open ocean.The snorkelling opportunities here, and on One Foot Island - where you'll want to acquire the badge of honour of having your passport stamped with the island's iconic huge footprint - are sublime. Don't miss the tiny island of Moturakau either, which is crammed full of exotic birds and crabs, who have dominion over the island's tangled, jungle terrain.