Adventure World

South Pacific

Fiji

The Fiji islands are an archipelago of over 330 islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, situated between the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn and are remarkable for their abundant clear blue lagoons, pristine rivers and rainforest-covered mountains. This amazing landscape makes Fiji suitable for a wide variety of recreational pursuits, including snorkelling, surfing, trekking and boating.

One of the main attractions of Fiji is surfing, thanks to the warm water, an abundance of surf and a distinct lack of crowds. However Fiji does have the third-largest barrier reef in the world, which means that the majority of Fiji's waves can only be accessed by boat rather than just paddling from the beach.

Golf is popular in Fiji among visitors and locals alike, and there are five 18-hole courses, four of which are located on Viti Levu, the largest island. Of course, many people take a Fiji holiday just to find a cosy spot on an isolated sandy beach, pick up a good book and relax.

New Caledonia

The French claimed New Caledonia in 1853 and their influence has led to the country’s unique identity today. Often described as a slice of Paris in the South Pacific, travellers to New Caledonia find themselves in a climate and location that is definitely tropical, yet the main language is French and the shopping, restaurants and nightlife feel distinctly European.

New Caledonia is made up of the main island, La Grande Terre, and several offshore islands, including the unspoiled Loyalty Islands to the north-east and the Isle of Pines to the south. New Caledonia's cosmopolitan capital, Noumea, is located on the south-east of La Grande Terre and is famous for its French ambience and fine cuisine.

Samoa

Famous as the home of the great Scottish author and adventurer Robert Louis Stevenson, Samoa is known for its natural beauty and gentle pace of life. The people of this vibrant Polynesian nation have held onto their ancient customs, and Fa'a Samoa, the Samoan Way, continues to play a huge role in village and community life.

Savaii and Upolu are Samoa's largest islands, and the collection of eight smaller islands includes Apolima, Fanuatapu, Manono, Namua, Nuulopa, Nuulua, Nuusafee and Nuutele. Spread out along the coastal highways of Upolu and Savaii, traditional villages with their neat fales lead inland where volcanic craters, lava fields, ancient archaeological sites and forest reserves beckon to be explored.

Tahiti

Famous for their magnificent natural beauty, the 118 islands and atolls comprising Tahiti and Her Islands cover a land area of 40,145sq km. There are five archipelagos altogether - the Society Islands Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora, the Austral Islands, the Marquesas, the Tuamotu atolls and the Gambier Islands.

The islands of Tahiti are known for their intriguing blend of Polynesian, French and Asian culture.

The Society Islands comprise of a group of eight islands including Tahiti, home to the country's capital, Papeete. Dubbed the Garden of Eden by early European explorers, Tahiti's natural beauty has inspired famous artists such as Gaugin and Matisse. Its sister island of Moorea, with its majestic volcanic peaks, lies 17km north-west. Further afield is the rugged volcanic island of Bora Bora, world-famous for its beautiful lagoon.

The clear waters are ideal for scuba diving with lagoons, oceanic reef slopes and reef passes to explore. Divers can see schools of manta rays and sharks which forage in the warm waters, and Morea and Bora Bora offer shark and ray feeding excursions. Inside the reefs there is excellent swimming and snorkelling.

Vanuatu

Take a holiday in Vanuatu and experience a magical land of towering volcanoes, friendly people and tropical islands. There are endless opportunities to relax, learn about the culture and see amazing scenery when on a Vanuatu vacation. A chain of 83 islands make up this tiny South Pacific nation, many of which have a surface area of under 100 kilometres. Most of the islands are mountainous and of volcanic origin.

The romantic surroundings of Vanuatu also make it a popular destination for weddings and honeymoons. The scuba diving in Vanuatu is regarded as some of the best in the world, and offers excellent reef and wreck diving for divers of all skill-levels.

Of course, no Vanuatu vacation is complete without getting up close and personal with a volcano. There are nine active volcanoes in Vanuatu and Tanna is the most popular among tourists, generally because it is easily accessible.

Cook Islands

A Cook Islands holiday is an opportunity to relax and experience white beaches, turquoise lagoons and the genuine warmth and hospitality of the Polynesian people. Consisting of 15 islands, the Cook Islands are spread out over two million square kilometres of ocean in the middle of the South Pacific, known as the Polynesian Triangle. The main island of Rarotonga is also the capital of the Cook Islands, and being only 32 kilometres in circumference it takes only about one hour to travel right around. Aitutaki is the second most visited island of the Cook Islands.

Rarotonga and Aitutaki are regarded as some of the best scuba diving locations in the South Pacific. Interesting diving sites abound, including caves and shipwrecks, and there is a huge variety of coral reef life to explore. Snorkelling, sailing, windsurfing and surfing are also popular activities during a Cook Islands holiday.

An added Cook Islands holiday attraction is the potential to see humpback whales as they come close to Rarotonga's shoreline on their July to October migration from the Antarctic.