The remote and inaccessible nature of most of Australasia means
that an expedition cruise can be the best, and often the only, way
of reaching many of the region's most interesting destinations.
The history of the Pacific islands is bound up with the vast
ocean across which they are scattered, and travelling between these
isolated communities by ship will give you a real sense of how and
why these societies developed in the way that they did, with their
unique and unfathomable understanding of ocean travel. On a Pacific
expedition there are so many histories to learn: you might learn
about the Kula Ring, the ceremonial exchange network of the
Trobriand Islands, or find yourself face to face with the islanders
of Tanna, who follow an extraordinary religiothat reveres the late
Prince Philip as a deity.
Australia and New Zealand may sound dull and predictable by
comparison, but nothing could be further from the truth. The
untamed wilderness of Australia's remote Kimberley Region is an
adventurer's paradise, and one of the best places to learn about
Aboriginal culture and its deep connection with the land, while
adrenaline junkies have long flocked to the mountains, fjords and
glaciers of New Zealand, with everything from skydiving to bungee
jumping on offer for those who like to live on the edge.
Further afield, the subantarctic island groups of New Zealand,
have an extraordinary biodiversity and dense wildlife
population.