5 ultimate adventures on the Pacific Islands

5 adventures on the Pacific Islands

SCALE A VOLCANO IN VANUATU
Give it a go:
The glow of 361 metre high Mount Yasur Volcano on the island of Tanna is thought to have been what caught the eye of Captain James Cook during the first European sailing journey to Vanuatu, in 1774. It's also the world's most accessible live volcano; while it's been erupting nearly continuously for over 800 years and generally erupts several times an hour, it can usually be approached safely.
In terms of photography, the volcano is best viewed at dusk, when there's enough light to illuminate the crater rim, with the red lava producing clouds of ash at their most visible and photogenic. At night, visitors will have the opportunity to see nature's most impressive fireworks display.
Need to know:
Clients can walk metres from the rim of Mount Yasur Volcano during Adventure World's eight-day Volcano Discovery trip, which is part of its First Footprints collection. Prices start from $1169. For more information, visit www.adventureworld.com.au
PARAGLIDING IN NEW CALEDONIA
Give it a go:
What better way to take in stunning New Caledonia than from the air? There are several peaks from which to do it, but one of the best is at the southern tip of Noumea. It's called colline du Ouen Toro (Ouen Toro Hill) and it is around 130 metres in height. Panoramic views over the shore and the nearby islands are the reward for the participant, whether they're a seasoned glider or new to the sport. Arc en Ciel is one of the local tour operators offering this experience.
Need to know:
Clients seeking accommodation in Noumea can stay at Royal Tera Beach Resort & Spa, which offers 108 spacious suites, all with balcony, lounge, kitchen, and either one or two bedrooms. A one-bedroom seaside suite is priced from 215 euros per night. For more information, visit www.tera-hotels-resorts.com
SLATHER ON THE MUD IN FIJI
Give it a go:
A small stream with steam rising from it greets you at the Sabeto Mud Baths, located halfway between Nadi and Lautoka. Follow a trail (as well as your nose, with the smell of sulphur) and you'll soon arrive at a mild, medium and hot pool – where reinvigorating and replenishing your skin turns into a most enjoyable experience. Covering yourself in mud – not to mention others too – is a strangely satisfying task. A nominal entry fee is charged for visitors.
Need to know:
Topdeck offers the 10-day Fijian Fantasy, which visits Nadi, Mango, Uprising and Volivoli beaches and Mantaray Island. A dip in the Sabeto mud pools, visits to local villages, exploring pristine beaches and a jungle trek are among the highlights. Prices start from $1399. For more information, visit www.topdeck.travel
TAKE THE PLUNGE IN SAMOA
Give it a go:
From waterfalls to waterholes and cave pools, Samoa has no shortage of hidden gems of the water variety. And one of the most scenically splendid offerings is To Sua Ocean Trench, located in Lotofaga village, on the south coast of the island of Upolu (one of Samoa's two main islands). To Sua means Big Hole in Samoan – so it's little surprise that there's an on-site ladder to provide access to the turquoise waters below. Lush foliage surrounds the swimming hole, enhancing its already photogenic appearance. There's an entrance fee for visitors.
Need to know:
Accommodation at nearby Seabreeze Resort is available through Coral Seas. The property opened in July last year and offers 12 villas and fales. Rates start at $108 per night. For more information, visit www.coralseas.com.au
GO BIRD WATCHING IN PNG
Give it a go:
Magnificent and rare birds can be found in many locations around Papua New Guinea. The best known are the Birds of Paradise – not the flower, but the feathered variety. Other species to keep an eye out for include colourful parrots like the Brehms Tiger Parrot, cassowaries (pictured right), the stunning Paradise Kingfishers and Black Capped Lories (pictured above). There are local operators who specialise in bird-watching tours for the real enthusiasts, otherwise a cruise around Papua New Guinea will provide plenty of opportunities to see the amazing birdlife.
Need to know:
Orion Expedition Cruises' 11-night West Papua and Maluku visits remote and mountainous islands in the territory of Papua. A vast array of wildlife resides among the extensive wetlands and large expanses of mangrove forest.
Fares start from $6955 for departures in October 2012 and March 2013. Orion Expedition Cruises offers direct charter flights from Cairns to Rabaul or vice versa, with Alliance Air. Alternatively, Air Niugini offers flights to Port Moresby from Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns, with onward connections to Rabaul.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
adventureLatest News

Klook hosts inaugural Partner Awards with Tourism Australia’s Pip Harrison as special guest
Travel activities and experiences booking platform, Klook, held its inaugural Klook Partner Awards event in Sydney last night honouring its top-performing and best-loved merchant partners. Tourism Australia’s Pip Harrison, who was invited to the event as the guest of honour, spoke about the importance of experiences. “I think that experiences are absolutely everything,” she said. […]

APT Travel Group launches early release of 2026 Canada and Alaska Holidays
For anyone with clients craving an icy getaway, APT is serving up some steals right now.

Film, photography and so much more to explore this year in Berlin
Often known for its grungy aesthetics, or perhaps a currywurst stall, there's so much more on offer this year in Berlin.

TravelManagers welcomes two new directors to HOTA Board
We wish Narendra and Judith the best of luck in trying to remember the rest of the Boards' names.

Tauck celebrates 100 years of hosting travellers around the globe
Tauck would only ever celebrate its 100th birthday in pure style - and Italy is just that!

Travelglobe unveils exclusive food tour with MasterChef’s Kirsten Tibballs
Fancy brushing up on your skills making delicious chocolate and pastry-based treats? Meet us on this tour!

Fiji Airways to bring South Australians closer to paradise with third weekly flight from Adelaide in April
South Australians might say they're already in Paradise, but how can they be sure without checking Fiji out?

Bookings for Vanuatu surge with Aussies ready to support earthquake-struck tourism hotspot
In times like those Vanuatu is surfacing from, the tourism dollar goes a long way and Aussies aren't holding back.

Bullo River Station shares its first ever sustainability report
If you would like to be inspired to be a little more green, then check out what Bullo River Station is up to.

‘Fortune favours the bold’: luxury brand leader Anna Burgdorf departs Flight Centre after 6 years
Time for a pop quiz - who first came up with above quote? Was it A) Virgil B) Shakespeare or C) Aristotle?

Cruise Guru unveils Channel Nine show featuring Ponant, Viking, NCL and more
A little offended that we weren't invited on as the 'Cruise Guru' ourselves, but we'll be tuning in regardless.

Explore Worldwide gives agents a chance to win an exclusive Sri Lanka famil
It's like finding a ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! And the prize is even better than unlimited sweets.

Heathrow Airport to upgrade operations as part of multi-billion-pound cash injection
We're usually a bit scared of injections, however a 'cash injection' is one we would welcome with both arms (literally).

Club Med announces Manveer Ramdhian as new MICE manager in Pacific
Rest-assured, being a MICE manager has nothing to do with our furry little friends.

Sydney Airport welcomes daily flights from Hong Kong Airlines
To top it all off, it looks like the representatives scored a cracker of a day for the celebratory photo!

Collette’s Karen Deveson on what Aussies really want from luxury
For Aussies, we're a little bit more laid back when it comes to luxury. No gold-plated cars for us, thanks!

Intrepid Travel partners with Helloworld Travel for exclusive food tour with Luke Nguyen
Vietnamese is one of our favourite cuisines, so we're headed to the Bánh mì shop for lunch in celebration.

Quark Expeditions opens its Antarctic 2026/27 season
You'd have to be Quarking mad to not have a trip like this on your bucket list.

Federal government to purchase REX Airlines if no buyers arise, Albanese says
News that is sure to ruffle some feathers in the offices of competing airlines this morning, but we're all for it!

Topdeck discounts select 2025-26 trips with up to $1,000 off
Knowing my Gen Z sister, that $1,000 saved would be headed straight to the shopping fund.

Windstar Cruises unveils ‘Basil + Bamboo’ on Star Seeker yacht
Don't worry, we're talking about a restaurant here, not the materials used to build the stunning yacht.

Captain Cook Cruises celebrates 55 years of excellence on the water in the habour city
With a view like Sydney Harbour as your office this would be a hard job to leave.

TravelManagers’ Michael Gazal: ‘Agents are spending a lot of time on bespoke trips’
If you haven't already thrown out your cookie cutter mentality, please do so now.

JP Morgan Chase grows travel offering with tech partnership
Our inner bohemian spirit strongly objects to buying travel from an investment bank. #sorrynotsorry

Helloworld celebrates Valentines Day with Air Ticket sale
Nothing gets travel agents' hearts fluttering more than discounted air fares. It is a love language.

Agents return from Sno’n’Ski Whistler and Vancouver famil
If you want to be really jealous this lunchtime, check out what these four agents got up to in Vancouver.

2025 Taipei Lantern Festival lights up Ximending
We hope our boss currently on the ground is as impressed with the snake lantern in person as we are behind the screen.

Numbers reveal how hard it REALLY is to become ATIA accredited
If you have ever failed to be accredited by ATIA then this article will make you feel better. Dust off that form!

Travel agent STILL waiting on $15k Bamboo Airways refund 16 MONTHS after carrier left Australia
This has motivated us to stop complaining about the time we got one less chicken nugget than expected.

AIME 2025 is underway!
If you're headed down to AIME we hope you brought your networking shoes because it's going to be big!

dnata spends $17m on inflight catering centre at Western Sydney Airport
Airline food has come a long was from the days you would be given a dry roll and a long strip of cheese. Time for lunch?

AYANA Bali invites guests to experience the Sacred Day of Silence
When our Balinese taxi driver informed us that it was 'time to be silent', we just assumed we were talking too much.

Brand USA launches inaugural ‘Ambassador Panel’ for ANZ agents
Interested agents need to send in a video of them singing 'Born in the USA'. Okay we made that up...

Experience Co. calls on marketing expertise of Unique Tourism Collection for Wild Bush Luxury
You no longer need to choose between experiencing bush or experiencing luxury. You can do both!

Deserts, dates and doors: Inside the secret Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
For a trip that talks the talk, we can assure you, it certainly walks the walk!

Paw-Patrol returns to Reflections Bermagui as groups boasts $3.5m economic boost
Be careful where you leave your lunch around this holiday park, there will be plenty of noses paying attention.