Oceania travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

This 5-star hotel is located a short drive from Ubud, Bali’scultural center. The Estate is a 15-minute drive from Ubud, and a one-hour drive from Denpasar, Bali’s international airport. It provides private suites and villas and the pampering spa, COMO Shambhala Retreat.

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Dividing Australia from Papua New Guinea, the Torres Strait is one of the frontiers on earth and is sprinkled with stepping-stone islands. Of these islands, 17 are inhabited and Thursday Island is seen as the ‘capital’. This tiny speck of an island, just visible from the Australian mainland, was once called the ‘Sink of the Pacific’, reflecting the sheer variety of people who have passed through since its pearling heydays – Aboriginal, Malay, Chinese, Japanese, Melanesian and Anglo. In this now lies its charm. Photo by: bauplenut

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Frazer Island is a World Heritage Site and much emerged as one of the Australian‘s great natural treasures. From the Queensland coast, it appears cloaked in lush, deep green forest. But for all rainforests and lakes, Frazer Island is in fact the largest sand island in the world – 120 km by 15 km – with more sand than the Sahara Desert, and with dunes up to 224 m high. There is no where like it on planet Earth. Photo by: geoffman4242

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Unpolluted and untouched Lord Howe Island is the ultimate eco-destination. There is only one road, and everyone tends to get around by bicycle, boat or on foot. Just 11 km long this boomerang shaped beauty is topped by rainforest-clad Moun Gower and Mount Lidgbird and dips down into the cool Tasman Sea. Born of a volcanic eruption, it has the southernmost coral reef in the world – safe heaven for 500 species of fish and 90 species of corals.

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Roughly 470 km north of Fiji, this small group – Rotuma Island plus four offshore islets – is a Fijian territory and home to the unique race known as Rotumans. The people there more closely resemble Polynesians. Dependency status allows the island more political autonomy than other parts of Fiji. It is possible to visit this isolated island, though Rotumans voted against opening the place up to tourism as recently as 1985. Photo by: DS355

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Micronesia consists of some 600 small islands spread across nearly 2,900,000 sq km of the Western Pacific just above the Equator. For all that Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) can only muster around 700 sq km of terra firma. The four states are Pohnpei, Chuuk, Kosrae, and Yap. Each consists of one or more high volcanic islands. Photo by: martylaycock

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Kangaroo in both, name and nature, this large island just 13 km off the South Australian mainland is relatively untouched for thousands of years. Towering cliffs protect the northern shores, giving way to more exposed sandy beaches in the south. Bushwalking is pretty compulsory and trails meander across the national parks that cover the third of the island.

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Mamanuca Archipelago is scattered off Nadi Bay on Viti Levu‘s west coast. There are about 20 islands, but be careful which one you choose – some are completely covered during high tide. The Mamanuca Islands are serious tourist attractions, offering many coral islets to explore and numerous beach resorts to suit every pocket, plus all the water-sports and diving activities for which Fiji is famous. Most resorts offer complementary kayaks, hobby cats and reef snorkeling trips. Photo by: abbietabbie

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Upolu is the most populated of Samoa’s islands, with a massive shield volcano that is 75 km long. The Samoans believe their islands were the cradle of Polynesian civilization, and Upolu is certainly the sort of place that would arrive from central casting where real people live real lives. The interior is rugged, tropical and lush with rushing rivers and stunning waterfalls. The palm beaches are often totally secluded and mostly deserted. There are no big tourists hotels and over-developed resorts and the focus of the islanders is based on family tradition and culture. The whole atmosphere is wonderfully relaxed.

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North of Rarotonga, the beautiful island of Aitutaki is the second most populous of the Cook Islands, a group of 15 lovely islands in the South Pacific. The coral atoll boasts low rolling hills, banana plantation and coconut groves. This is an archetypal desert island and a wonderful place to unwind, with palm-fringed white sandy beaches, magnificent clear sea and a relaxed place of life. Aitutaki has a main island and a string of small islets (featuring Mangere, Akaiami, and Tekopua), all circled by a barrier reef, creating the breathtaking turquoise lagoon that makes it such a perfect place for swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. Photo by: msdstefan

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