Journeys from the everyday to moments that take your breath away!
SOUTH PACIFIC
Most of the lovely islands of the South Pacific are volcanic in origin. For centuries they were ruled by chieftains as individual entities. Explorers started heading to the South Pacific from Europe during the 1500s. Imagine that long voyage!
The Tahitian islands are now a French Protectorate.
The Fijian islands are formerly British but gained their independence in 1970. People in Fiji are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet!
Their society is quite conservative with a more modest style of dress than many other islands.
Australia was first populated by convicts shipped there from Britain in the 1700s and 1800s. New Zealand was visited by the famous Captain Cook, who discovered the Maori culture, which was based on kinship links and land.
No special vaccinations are needed for visiting the South Pacific islands.
You are not likely to need a visa for travel to many of the islands, but always double check since some flights connect through Australia & New Zealand, which require visas for travelers from many countries.
Our word “tattoo” comes from the Tahitian word “tatau”. In their culture, tattoos are considered a sign of beauty and are first applied when a child reaches adolescence.
The South Pacific is closer than you think! Tahiti is only a 7.5 hour flight from the US west coast. Sydney, Australia is between 14 - 15 hours from the US west coast, which is perfect for a meal, a movie and a long nap!
The Tahitian islands are very quiet. There are more rooms in a typical Las Vegas hotel than in all the hotels on all 118 islands of French Polynesia! This offers you a lovely chance to really get away!
The overwater bungalow was invented in the 1960s on the Tahitian island of Moorea. Even though the overwater bungalows are so stunning, there are other wonderful options to consider for your trip to the amazing Tahitian islands.
If you were new to the Tahitian islands, you might think the boxes outside the homes on the island are for the mail. The boxes are actually for the twice daily delivery of French bread! Why don’t we do that here?
There are no poisonous snakes or insects in French Polynesia. Australia is a different story, with quite a selection of interesting creatures that your tour guide will help you see but not touch.
Australia & New Zealand are not as close to each other as many people think. Each country really deserves its own trip. Generally it takes about 3 weeks to properly visit Australia and 2 weeks to visit New Zealand, but of course shorter trips are possible.
Australia is approximately the size of the 48 contiguous United States, which explains why it takes some time to hit the high points. Australia really does have something for everyone. There are unique animals and amazing geographic sites as well as sophisticated cities.
New Zealand is all about experiencing the outdoors. If you’d enjoy zip-lining, rafting, hiking, all while seeing breathtaking scenery, you will be a perfect fit for New Zealand!
ARE YOU READY TO START YOUR ADVENTURE?
