9 grand journeys to experience in the Pacific

From trekking through Fiji’s remote grasslands to witnessing a living heritage in Vanuatu, dive into these stunning journeys in the Pacific.

1. Hike Te Araroa in New Zealand

Travelling with: Ricky French

The Tararua Ranges on the Te Araroa Trail in New Zealand. (Image: Ricky French)

With a network of nearly 1000 backcountry huts linked by a web of mountain trails, no country is better built for hiking than New Zealand/Aotearoa. Te Araroa – ‘The Long Pathway’ in Māori – is a 3000-kilometre track that spans the length of the country and runs the full gamut of landscapes, taking in everything from alpine peaks to sandy beaches and native forests, and includes a section paddling the Whanganui River. Allow four to six months to complete the whole trail, or pick out the best bits, such as the Richmond Ranges or Nelson Lakes National Park.

2. Go beyond the pool lounges of Fiji and Samoa

Travelling with: Imogen Eveson

Explore the Giant Clam Sanctuary in Samoa.

For a South Pacific experience that goes beyond the classic flop-and-drop, Intrepid Travel’s Fiji and Samoa Adventure invites travellers to connect with the region’s rich cultures and landscapes. Created in partnership with the Market Development Facility, which supports tourism growth and economic resilience in the Pacific, this small-group journey offers one-off experiences such as: seeing Suva through the eyes of a local poet and activist, trekking through Fiji’s remote grasslands before staying overnight in a traditional highland village, and joining a day of cultural ceremonies, feasting and warm Samoan hospitality in the village of Vava’u.

Retreat into the Taufua Beach Fales on Lalomanu Beach.

3. Horse riding with New Caledonia cowboys

Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

New Caledonia cowboys on horseback. (Image: Valentin Pacaut The Explorers)

Cross a tropical island with the Wild West and a touch of French flair, and you get something uniquely New Caledonian: the broussard – a cowboy, or someone who generally loves a rural life out bush. Broussard culture takes centre stage each year at the Bourail Agricultural and Crafts Fair, where livestock breeders and farmers gather in Stetsons and blue jeans to rodeo, race and drift cars.

Camping de Moara is a tropical hideaway on Thio Island. (Image: Oneye Production/Thomas Boucher)

4. Cruise across French Polynesia

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

The pristine waters off Tubuai Island. (Image: Lionel Gouverneur)

The ocean around the Austral Islands is like a swirling mix of colours sampled from a Dulux swatch. Cyan, Cerulean, Hawaiian Blue, Teal, Lagoon Blue and Bright Skies. The archipelago is home to five uninhabited islands – Rimatara, Rurutu, Tubuai, Raivavae and Rapa – and has a colourful history dating back to the mutineers of HMS Bounty. Arrive in style onboard Aranoa, the new mixed passenger-freighter vessel cruising French Polynesia’s south from 2027.

Dive with whales in Rurutu. (Image: Lionel Gouverneur)

5. Resort-hopping in Fiji

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

A dreamy over-water bungalow at Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay.

Trade one sun lounger for another, flopping and dropping at pace while surrounded by the same impossibly turquoise seas. Start with sunset cocktails at the chic Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay before swapping it out for some barefoot bliss on Malolo Island Resort, Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island, or Likuliku Lagoon Resort Fiji. There’s a bed strewn with petals in an overwater villa that has your name on it – literally.

The adults-only Likuliku Lagoon Resort on Malolo Island.

6. See New Zealand by rail

Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

Journey through New Zealand’s North Island with the Northern Explorer.

World-class wine. Vibrant Māori culture. Landscapes that range from snowy mountains to rainforests and golden beaches. New Zealand has a lot to get through, so pair your sightseeing with the ease and romanticism of rail travel. Great Journeys New Zealand runs three scenic train itineraries that form a triptych of Aotearoa’s spectacular scenery: the Northern Explorer that weaves through the green pastures and volcanic hinterland of the North Island, the Coastal Pacific that hugs the Kaikōura coastline and the TranzAlpine that traverses the magnificent Southern Alps. Best of all, you can combine all three on a Great Journeys tour.

7. Cruising the South Pacific

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

Cruise further in the South Pacific.

The beautiful, welcoming islands of Fiji, Vanuatu and New Caledonia are immortalised in family photo albums across the country. These destinations are Aussie holiday classics. But what about the mysterious 900-strong collection of moai statues on Easter Island? The extraordinary marine biodiversity of Raja Ampat off the tropical coast of Papua? The mutineer history of the Pitcairn Islands in the southern Pacific? Silversea’s collection of South Pacific cruises venture to islands few travellers have visited; experience them all on a 77-day Grand South Pacific Expedition from Fremantle to Chile’s west coast. The island-hop across 11 countries includes powdery white beaches, kaleidoscopic coral reefs, exotic birdlife and remote shores rich in history and culture.

Watch a fiery fire dance show. (Image: Kris Markovska)

8. The Kokoda Trail

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

Hike the Kokoda Trail. (Image: Ryan Stuart)

The Second World War battleground of Kokoda has become a pilgrimage for Aussies who wish to pay their respects to the fallen and challenge their mental and physical strength, while honouring the ‘Four Pillars of Kokoda’ – mateship, sacrifice, courage and endurance. The 96-kilometre-long track cuts through rugged and isolated Papua New Guinean jungle and takes between four to 12 days to complete. Indeed, you shouldn’t go this gruelling route alone: World Expeditions offers a nine-day group trek; Australian Kokoda Tours does the trek in eight days; and Adventure Kokoda offers eight- to 10-day options.

9. A cultural tour of Vanuatu

Travelling with: Emily Murphy

Meet the villagers from Yakel. (Image: Emily Murphy)

If you want to understand Tanna, you need to be familiar with kastom culture, the traditional customs and beliefs that govern the lives of the ni-Vanuatu. In Tanna, kastom villages are still alive and well and can be visited with local guides. It is a way to experience Vanuatu’s culture and traditions as they were before white settlement, mass tourism and the arrival of modern technology. This has never been more apparent than in Yakel, home to one of Tanna’s most well-known cargo cults, which are belief systems that emerged around the arrival of Western goods and are rooted in ancestral spirituality. We witness the Yakel tribe gather to perform a stirring cultural song and dance, expressing their connection to the land and honouring their ancestors. It’s a powerful experience – a window into a way of life that is deeply spiritual, proud and enduring.

The Louniel Waterfall on Tanna Island in Vanuatu. (Image: Emily Murphy)