World Cruise: Australia & Orchid Isles Adventure

Auckland is one of the few cities in the world to have harbors on two separate bodies of water. The central part of urban Auckland covers a narrow isthmus between the Manukau Harbor on the Tasman Sea, and the Waitemata Harbor on the Pacific Ocean. In addition, Auckland’s diverse geography and warm, humid climate has inspired a lifestyle regularly ranked in the world’s top ten. A half hour drive from the city there is an abundance of activities: sailing to a secluded island, trekking through the rainforest, picnicking on a volcano, sampling wines at a vineyard or exploring a black sand beach.

Tauranga, the principal city on the Bay of Plenty, is the largest export town in New Zealand. Its name, fittingly enough, means “resting place for canoes”, as this was the landing place of some of the first Maoris to arrive in New Zealand. The 19th-century missionaries left a legacy of well-planned parks and gardens for today’s residents and visitors to enjoy. Tauranga is one of New Zealand’s primary kiwi fruit and orchard regions, and the gateway to the geothermal park, Rotorua.

Visually stunning, Wellington is nestled between a magnificent harbor and a natural amphitheatre of forest-clad hills. Its compact size, combined with cultural sophistication, makes it New Zealand’s most inspiring urban destination. Wellington’s cultural crowning jewel is Te Papa, a donation-only museum that celebrates Australasian natural history, science and culture. Exhibits include Maori artifacts, an extensive Pacific Cultures collection and interactive science exhibits. The city’s art scene is flourishing, with numerous galleries and craft markets displaying the work of the country’s top artists and craftspeople.

Picton sits at the head of the Queen Charlotte Sound and the sail into and out of town will reveal some classic New Zealand scenery. The town offer access to the Marlborough wine country, other spectacular sounds and lots of outdoor activities such as kayaking, fishing, trekking and cycling.

New Plymouth is a city on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island. It’s known for its coastal walkway stretching from Bell Block to Port Taranaki. Te Rewa Rewa Bridge has views of towering Mount Taranaki. The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery shows contemporary exhibitions. Close by, Pukekura Park has botanical gardens and birdlife. Subalpine forests and waterfalls characterise Egmont National Park to the south.

Sydney is a cosmopolitan, multicultural city surrounded by golden sand beaches, World Heritage areas, lush national parks and acclaimed wine regions. Sydney owes much of its splendor to its magnificent harbor. Arriving by ship provides an unequaled impression, showing off the city’s famous landmarks: the dramatic white sails of the iconic Opera House and the celebrated Harbor Bridge, looming over the skyline.

Sydney is a cosmopolitan, multicultural city surrounded by golden sand beaches, World Heritage areas, lush national parks and acclaimed wine regions. Sydney owes much of its splendor to its magnificent harbor. Arriving by ship provides an unequaled impression, showing off the city’s famous landmarks: the dramatic white sails of the iconic Opera House and the celebrated Harbor Bridge, looming over the skyline.

At 23 miles long and 72 square miles in area, Moreton is the third-largest sand island in the world. It is part of a sand barrier system that includes the larger Fraser Island, and separates Moreton Bay from the Coral Sea about 27 miles north of Brisbane. Moreton Island National Park encompasses 98 percent of the island, where visitors flock to experience activities such as “sand-tobogganing” down the slopes of 920-foot Mount Tempest, the highest stable coastal sandhill on earth. They also enjoy fishing, kayaking, surfing and snorkeling over the Tangalooma Wrecks offshore. Tangalooma is the largest of four small towns on the island’s west coast. It was an active whaling station from 1952 until 1962. There are no roads on Moreton Island, so visitors get around by 4WD vehicles or ATVs. A popular site to visit is the picturesque red-and-white Cape Moreton lighthouse, built in 1857 and Australia’s oldest.

The 74 Whitsunday Islands are Australia’s tropical marine playground, scattered along the Queensland coast inshore from the Great Barrier Reef. Airlie Beach is the resort hub for exploration of the islands, the reef and the tropical forests of the region. Activities abound, from snorkeling on the reef, spectacular flight tours, fishing excursions to treks along the coastal cliffs with breathtaking views. Whitehaven Beach, a picturesque five-mile strand of pure white silica sand, is among the world’s most beautiful and famous beaches, its swirling offshore sandbars shining through the clear, aquamarine waters. Airlie Beach is a town dedicated to leisure and relaxation, with abundant boutiques, restaurants and cafes offering alfresco dining. It is a place in which to enjoy Australia’s tropical pleasures in the same casual, fun-loving style the Aussies employ.

The unofficial capital of North Queensland, Townsville is tucked inside the Great Barrier Reef in the northern tropics. Its municipal beach, The Strand, is consistently rated among Australia’s cleanest. Take a ferry to Magnetic Island, an unspoiled UNESCO World Heritage Site just offshore, or visit the Billabong Sanctuary wildlife reserve.

A cosmopolitan city flanked by pristine rainforests and golden beaches, Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Kuranda, and the Daintree rainforest, a World Heritage protected area. The city was recently renovated to enhance its image and provide a relaxing place for visitors and locals to congregate and have fun. Cairns Esplanade, once a huge grassy park, now features an excellent facility incorporating an outdoor amphitheatre, a sandy swimming lagoon, walking tracks, shops and restaurants, and an environmental interpretation center.

A cosmopolitan city flanked by pristine rainforests and golden beaches, Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Kuranda, and the Daintree rainforest, a World Heritage protected area. The city was recently renovated to enhance its image and provide a relaxing place for visitors and locals to congregate and have fun. Cairns Esplanade, once a huge grassy park, now features an excellent facility incorporating an outdoor amphitheatre, a sandy swimming lagoon, walking tracks, shops and restaurants, and an environmental interpretation center.

Cooktown is Australia’s first non-indigenous settlement, discovered and settled by Captain Cook and his crew in 1770. A small frontier town located at the far north end of North Queensland, it boasts a unique character born from its years of geographic isolation and hard living. From 1873 to 1883, Cooktown was the port for the Palmer River gold rush, which exacerbated race relations between the Europeans, Aboriginals and Chinese. The decline of the goldfields meant the decline of Cooktown. It had a slight recovery when tin was found in the area and it maintained its status for some years when vessels stopped on their way from South-East Asia to the ports further down the coast. Fortunes turned again in 1907 when a cyclone nearly destroyed the town. It was not until the current North Queensland tourist boom that it began to achieve a level of success comparable with the 1870s and 1880s.

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is the largest single structure ever created by living organisms. It consists of 2,900 separate reefs and 900 islands, and stretches 1,400 miles along the Queensland coast in the Coral Sea, and is clearly visible from space. The reef was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. The organisms in question are tiny coral polyps. There are some 400 species of hard and soft corals inhabiting the Barrier Reef. Reefs grow slowly, by means of the deposit of a calcareous remnant of a polyp. Living polyps have zooxanthellae algae living in their tissues in a symbiotic bond whereby the coral supplies materials needed for the algae to photosynthesize, and the algae in turn supply materials needed by the polyps. The algae also gives the corals the colors that we find so enchanting. The reef that mesmerizes us with its myriad colors and shapes, and which supports a fabulous variety of other life forms, is the result of millions of years of such growth. Its survival is believed to be severely threatened by a number of affects, most of which are directly attributable to human activities.

Despite its small size, Darwin is a modern, multi-cultural city, and its proximity to Asia makes it ideal for travel. Named after the famous scientist, Charles Darwin, the area was originally settled by the Larrakia Aboriginals. The Dutch arrived and mapped the land in the 1600s, followed by the British in 1939, when the town was given its English name. Darwin has a beautiful coastline, as well as numerous parks and gardens, making the city a top spot for outdoor activities.

Despite its small size, Darwin is a modern, multi-cultural city, and its proximity to Asia makes it ideal for travel. Named after the famous scientist, Charles Darwin, the area was originally settled by the Larrakia Aboriginals. The Dutch arrived and mapped the land in the 1600s, followed by the British in 1939, when the town was given its English name. Darwin has a beautiful coastline, as well as numerous parks and gardens, making the city a top spot for outdoor activities.

Timor is a large, curved island tucked among the Lesser Sunda Islands in the Sunda Sea. The island is divided, as it has been for centuries, with the western half a province of Indonesia and the eastern side an independent nation of Timor-Leste. In the past, these segments were colonies of the Dutch (West) and Portuguese (East). After gaining its independence from Portugal, East Timor was invaded by Indonesia, and descended into 25 years of resistance and war to gain its present state. There are 11 distinct local languages spoken by various ethnic groups on the island. The official languages of East Timor are Tetum and Portuguese. The city’s old colonial section is located near the waterfront, and contains some impressive Portuguese-style buildings including the old Market Hall, now used as a Congressional Centre. Points of interest for visitors include a very good Resistance Museum tracing the struggles of the Falintil insurgents, as well as some examples of indigenous crafts such as textiles, woven mats and pottery. Outside of town, on the Cape Fatucama headland, is a large statue of Cristo Rei, with wonderful views over the sea and the surroundings. One of the island’s best beaches, the Jesus Backside Beach, is located just under the statue. Another display, known as Chega! (Stop!) is housed in the Timor-Leste Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation, an old prison. Timor is renowned for the indigenous textiles and baskets of its various ethnic groups, which you will likely find for sale in the city’s markets and galleries.

Kupang is the capital of the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara, and had an estimated population in 2019 of 434,972. It is the biggest city and port on the island of Timor. Kupang is a part of the Timor Leste–Indonesia–Australia Growth Triangle free tradezone.

Bandanaira is one of ten small volcanic islands located in the Banda Sea about 1250 miles east of Java. These islands were the original, and until the mid-19th Century, the only source of nutmeg and mace in the world. Arab traders jealously guarded their secret source until 1511 when a Portuguese explorer stumbled onto the Banda archipelago. They became a critical part of the so-called “Spice Islands” of Indonesia, a violently contested resource for the colonial powers of the Portuguese, Dutch and English. In the town of Bandanaira, the Dutch star fortress of Belgica, from 1611, is still the largest intact Dutch fortress in the country, and is nominated for UNESCO World Heritage inscription. Nutmeg is still grown here, and you can visit orchards containing trees, some of which are hundreds of years old. The coral reefs in the Banda Sea are listed among the most beautiful in the world, resplendent with hard and soft corals and myriad vividly colored fishes. Other sites of interest include the 300-year-old Sun Tien Kong Chinese Temple, the Schelling House mansion, the 1820s Dutch mansion of Istana Mini and the house where the Indonesian patriot Mohammad Hatta, Indonesia’s first Vice President and Prime Minister, was exiled between 1936 and 1942 during the struggle for independence from the Dutch.

See the Tiahahu Monument, a tribute to a young female Maluku freedom fighter, the Siwalima Museum’s ethnic arts and crafts, visit Soya Atas village, or the “Sacred Eels” of Waai.

Ternate is the largest city in the Indonesian province of North Maluku and an island in the Maluku Islands. It was the capital of the former Sultanate of Ternate and de facto provincial capital of North Maluku before Sofifi on the nearby coast of Halmahera became the capital in 2010.

Bitung is the busy port for Manado on the island of Sulawesi. Like other Indonesian ports, it’s interesting just to see what sorts of ships turn up in the port. The narrow strait between Bitung and the island of Lembeh is famous for its colorful sea life, particularly smaller species such as nudibranchs, miniature seahorses and so forth. Manado has ample evidence of its Dutch colonial history, but many visitors are drawn to the remarkable nature preserves such as Tangkoko, where achingly cute, saucer-eyed tarsiers and endangered crested black macaques are the main attractions, along with toucan hornbills. The village of Airmadidi has remarkable carved stone sarcophagi dating from the pre-Christian Minahasan culture.

This independent city occupies the mid-section of Palawan island in the southern Philippines. It is a center for eco-tourism in the archipelago, with notable coral reefs offshore including one, Tubbataha Reef, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the most famous of its sites is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a national park and the longest navigable underground river in the world. A boat ride into the karst limestone passages, lined with dramatic stalagmites and stalactites, is a must when visiting the island. The river was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999 and recently was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

Coron is the largest town on Busuanga island in the province of Palawan. The town and the islands just offshore are a magnet for visitors seeking crystal-clear waters, fascinating sea life and no fewer than ten well-preserved shipwrecks from WWII. Coron Island is a popular choice, with numerous spectacular snorkeling sites, including Siete Pecados, the Twin Lagoons and Atuwayan Beach. One interesting phenomenon here is a reverse thermocline, with the water being warmer at depth, where it is heated by the volcanic activity that lurks beneath the islands, and cooler nearer the surface. One place where this is dramatically evident is at Busuanga Island’s Maquinit Hot Springs, one of the very few saltwater hot springs in the world. A visit here should include a dip in the spa-like set of pools that vary in temperature from hot to cooler.

The port of Manila is the largest and most important in the archipelago. The city of Manila proper, which boasts the densest population in the world, is really only the center of a larger urban cluster called Manila Metro, housing over 12 million people. Most visitors will be attracted to the oldest section, called Intramuros, to see Spanish colonial architectural icons such as the Manila Cathedral or the ancient San Agustin church. The city’s Binondo neighborhood is the oldest Chinatown on earth, predating the arrival of the Spanish in the mid-18th Century. Rizal Park, in the area called Ermita, is home to many museums, themed gardens and other notable sights. An overnight stay will enable you to enjoy the renowned Manila sunset along the Baywalk, and also leave time for a visit to the important historical site of Corregidor Island in Manila Bay, the site of an Allied surrender in World War II, and then the triumphant return of General Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines.

The port of Manila is the largest and most important in the archipelago. The city of Manila proper, which boasts the densest population in the world, is really only the center of a larger urban cluster called Manila Metro, housing over 12 million people. Most visitors will be attracted to the oldest section, called Intramuros, to see Spanish colonial architectural icons such as the Manila Cathedral or the ancient San Agustin church. The city’s Binondo neighborhood is the oldest Chinatown on earth, predating the arrival of the Spanish in the mid-18th Century. Rizal Park, in the area called Ermita, is home to many museums, themed gardens and other notable sights. An overnight stay will enable you to enjoy the renowned Manila sunset along the Baywalk, and also leave time for a visit to the important historical site of Corregidor Island in Manila Bay, the site of an Allied surrender in World War II, and then the triumphant return of General Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines.

Visit the Dutch colonial Old City of Zuoying, or enjoy the scenic seafront at Sizihwan and see the pesky Formosan rock macaques at the Shoushan Monkey Mountain nature park.

Keelung is the second largest port in Taiwan, and a booming trade industry has turned it into a very prosperous city and international seaport. However, the main reason for calling here is to travel inland to visit the contemporary metropolis of Taipei. Not long ago, the scenic valley of the Tanshui River was home to rice and vegetable farmers, but today it is the site of Taiwan’s bustling center of culture, commerce and government.

Keelung is the second largest port in Taiwan, and a booming trade industry has turned it into a very prosperous city and international seaport. However, the main reason for calling here is to travel inland to visit the contemporary metropolis of Taipei. Not long ago, the scenic valley of the Tanshui River was home to rice and vegetable farmers, but today it is the site of Taiwan’s bustling center of culture, commerce and government.