Lautoka to Apra

North of Nadi through sugarcane plantations and past the Sabeto Mountains is Lautoka, nicknamed the Sugar City for the local agriculture and its big processing mill. With a population of around 50,000, it's the only city besides Suva and, like the capital, has a pleasant waterfront. It's the sailing point for Blue Lagoon and Beachcomber Cruises but is otherwise unremarkable for tourists, itself having few hotels and fewer good restaurants. Locals recommend the city as a less-expensive place to shop for clothing, but note that it can take as long as 45 minutes to drive here. Legend has it that Lautoka acquired its name when two chiefs engaged in combat and one hit the other with a spear. He proclaimed "lau toka" (spear hit) and thus the future town was named.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you've been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale-watching, catching up on your reading, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shoreside.

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.

Pentecost Island is a lush mountainous, tropical island stretching over 37 miles from north to south. It was named after the day on which the first European, Louis Antoine de Bougainville, sighted it on 22 May 1768. There are no towns on Pentecost - most of the islanders live in small villages and grow their own food in small gardens. Local traditions are strong, including the age-old ritual of land diving. This unique ritual was first given international exposure by David Attenborough in the 1950’s. Later, in the 1980’s, New Zealander AJ Hackett used the idea to invent bungee jumping. Every harvest season, the people of Pentecost construct the tower using saplings and branches held together with forest vines. It can take more five weeks to complete. Each young man who jumps must carefully select his own liana vine. Men and boys as young as seven jump from 60 -90 feet with only those vines attached to their ankles. This ceremony is believed to ensure a good yam harvest. It is also a fertility rite for men.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you've been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale-watching, catching up on your reading, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shoreside.

Port Mary is the name of the bay adjacent to Ghupuna, the main village in Santa Ana. A bright white sand beach with huge shade-giving trees runs along the shoreline in front of the tidy village. The houses here are made with local materials and most are built on stilts. Islanders generally welcome visitors with traditional songs and dances performed by members of the three different villages on Santa Ana. Some local people will also set up stands offering souvenirs for purchase. The Solomons are best known for strings of traditional shell money and elegant carvings based on local stories and legends.

Marovo Lagoon is one of the world’s largest saltwater lagoons. Described by American author James A. Michener as, “one of the seven natural wonders of the world,” Marovo is home to a double barrier reef system, and is one of two sites in the Solomon’s currently under consideration for UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Residents of Marovo Lagoon make elegant woodcarvings that are often for sale on the shoreline. Marovo is also renowned as one of the best diving and snorkeling spots on the planet.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you've been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale-watching, catching up on your reading, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shoreside.

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.

The volcanic island of Garove is part of the Witu Islands and once had a 5-kilometer-wide (3.1 miles) caldera. The island was historically used to produce copra and cocoa, and in fact, still is today. Most of the villages are located around the exterior of the volcano. Steep cliffs explain why there is only one area settled on the inside. A promontory at the entrance’s southwestern corner is taken up by the school and the catholic church of the village of Widu, the only village inside the caldera.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you've been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale-watching, catching up on your reading, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shoreside.

A ring of beauty, almost lost in the immense South Pacific, this low-lying atoll on the frontiers of the Pacific is one of the world’s most remote inhabited atolls. White sands circle a transparent lagoon of irresistible snorkeling, watched over by reams of palm trees, with traditional villages nestled among them. Guests are welcomed ashore with warm Polynesian hospitality and flair, inviting you to explore an authentic culture that’s uniquely Polynesian — and thriving here in the heart of Micronesia. Time-honored customs remain alive, from wooden canoe carving and navigation to a distinct local language. Wander with local guides to identify tropical botany and rare, colorful birds calling overhead on walks through the island’s natural beauty. Once you feel at home, slip into the jewel-blue waters, where tropical fish dance among reef sharks and angelfish — an authentic and unforgettable encounter with far-flung Pacific Island bliss.

Mysterious, authentic, and elusive, Nukuoro is South Pacific exploration at its most evocative. Feel an immediate connection with the people of this distant atoll as you’re welcomed ashore with a stirring and warm cultural performance. It’s a privilege to be immersed in such a fascinating, deep-rooted Polynesian culture — enriched with its own language, crafting traditions and fishing wisdom, and expressive dances. Visit the villages within the welcoming community and allow local experts to introduce the flamboyant birdlife and diverse flora and fauna on captivating nature walks. Soak in the island’s beauty on the hoop-shaped reef, where islets and palms cluster around tranquil seas. Snorkel among biodiverse coral reefs in the sheltered lagoon, or trek to ancient stone ruins and tikis. Experience profound isolation and enduring community in the secluded beauty of Nukuoro — a true Pacific outpost.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you've been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale-watching, catching up on your reading, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shoreside.

A lost Pacific city of unknown origin — walk the ruins of one of the great enigmas of the Pacific. Wild but welcoming, Pohnpei is at once magical and mysterious. The iconic Nan Madol ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pacific legend — a labyrinthine stone city constructed atop a coral reef platform, known as the “Venice of the Pacific.” Renowned for its extraordinary basalt columns and megalithic structures, the site is slowly being reclaimed by the jungle, its origins still shrouded in mystery. One of the Pacific’s great archaeological wonders, it lies enmeshed in an island of lush greenery, fed by abundant rainfall that powers torrents and rivers through the interior. Sheer cliffs rise from tangled forests — an almost intimidating display of natural power, steeped in folklore. Hike along forest trails to discover waterfalls concealed among the rainforest. Local culture thrives through sakau rituals, oral storytelling, and intricate carving — traditions deeply rooted in the spirit of the island.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you've been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale-watching, catching up on your reading, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shoreside.

Chuuk Lagoon, also previously known as Truk Lagoon is one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia. The cluster of 16 much-eroded volcanic islands have mangrove swamps along their coasts with rich rainforests in the central mountainous areas. The islands are hugely popular with scuba divers thanks to the incredibly interesting shipwrecks which have become foundations for new reef growth.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you've been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale-watching, catching up on your reading, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shoreside.

Guam is blessed with spectacular natural beauty and a rich cultural history. Apra Harbor is a deep-water port located on the western side of the island near the Mariana Islands and the Mariana Trench, which is the deepest part of the earth’s oceans, and the deepest location of the earth itself. The port serves both as a U.S. naval station and Guam’s main commercial port. The harbour, formed by the Orote Peninsula to the south and Cabras Island in the north, is considered to be one of the best natural ports in the Pacific. Guam’s unique culture, traditions and heritage have remained intact despite European imperialism, wars and changing foreign governments. Archaeological evidence suggests that the indigenous Chamorros of Indo-Malayan descent migrated from the Southeast Asian islands and settled throughout the Marianas archipelago. Being expert seamen and skilled craftsmen, they flourished and built unique houses and canoes suited to the region. As a matriarchal society and through the prestige of the women, much of the Chamorro culture and traditions were able to survive. Since the 16th century, a wave of foreigners have arrived on Guam’s shores, including Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 who remained on the island for three days to restock his small convoy. Americans, Asians, Europeans, Micronesians and other visitors have since left their imprint on the island’s pastimes and tastes.