26 April - At sea

27 April

Vanuatu: Tanna

The island of Tanna is famous for its spectacular and easily accessible active volcano, Mount Yasur, its beautiful beaches, and fascinating cargo cults such as the Prince Philip Movement, which venerates the late Duke of Edinburgh as a divine being.

28 April

Vanuatu: Pentecost Island

Pentecost Island, named after the day it was first sighted by Europeans, is famous for its ancient custom of land diving. During this ritual, which is believed to ensure a good yam harvest, men leap from a precarious-looking wooden tower with a liana vine attached to their ankle, aiming to touch the ground with their head or shoulder.

29 April

Vanuatu: Champagne Beach

Champagne Beach is a stunning stretch of perfect white sand on the east coast of Espiritu Santo, the largest of Vanuatu’s islands. The beach is named after a bizarre natural phenomenon, in which gas escaping from volcanic rocks on the sea floor causes the water to bubble and fizz at low tide.

30 April

Solomon Islands: Lata, Nendo Island

1 May

Solomon Islands: Santa Ana

The lush island of Santa Ana, also known as Owaraha, is home to just three villages, and visitors are usually welcomed to the island with traditional songs and dances. You will find a few stalls where you can buy locally-made souvenirs, and you can also snorkel in the surrounding lagoon.

2 May

Solomon Islands: Honiara

Honiara is the capital of the Solomon Islands and the nation’s only real port, situated on the largely unspoilt island of Guadalcanal. Reminders of the famous Second World War battle that took place here can be seen all over the island, as well as under the water at the fantastic dive sites off the north coast.

3 May - At sea

4 May

Papua New Guinea: Alotau

Alotau is the capital of Milne Bay province, on the remote eastern tip of mainland Papua New Guinea. Milne Bay was the scene of heavy fighting during the Second World War, and today you can dive amongst the wreckage left behind. Alotau also serves as a base for visiting the nearby islands, including the fascinating Trobriand archipelago.

5 May to 6 May

Papua New Guinea: Doini Island

7 May - At sea

8 May

Arriving in Cairns

Cairns is a buzzing tourist hub, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. A snorkelling trip out to the reef is the most obvious excursion to take here, but other options include riding the Skyrail cableway over the rainforest canopy or swimming in the croc-free saltwater lagoon.