South Pacific Discovery

Tourism is the lifeblood of Cairns (pronounced Caans). The city makes a good base for exploring the wild top half of Queensland, and tens of thousands of international travelers use it as a jumping-off point for activities such as scuba diving and snorkeling trips to the Barrier Reef, as well as boating, fishing, parasailing, scenic flights, and rain-forest treks.It's a tough environment, with intense heat and fierce wildlife. Along with wallabies and grey kangaroos in the savannah and tree kangaroos in the rain forest, you'll find stealthy saltwater crocodiles, venomous snakes, and jellyfish so deadly they put the region’s stunning beaches off- limits to swimmers for nearly half the year. Yet despite this formidable setting, Cairns and tropical North Queensland are far from intimidating places. The people are warm and friendly, the sights spectacular, and—at the right time of year—the beachside lounging is world-class.

Welcome on board Scenic Eclipse II, your ultra-luxury Discovery Yacht. Settle into your luxurious suite and enjoy the first destination of this incredible journey: Cairns, the gateway to tropical north Queensland. This is the only place on Earth where two World Heritage sites collide – the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.

Please book your flight to arrive into Cairns prior to 02:00 PM.

The Louisiade Archipelago is a beautiful and remote destination with stunning landscapes, rich biodiversity, and a vibrant indigenous culture. It offers a chance to immerse yourself in nature, explore underwater wonders, and experience the unique traditions of the local communities.

The largest island in the Solomon Islands is covered in tropical rainforest, with picture perfect coasts lined with palms and white sandy beaches. Surrounded by clear water and abundant wildlife, cool off in the ocean as you explore. Learn of the Battle of Guadalcanal while visiting the World War II relics and monuments.

Port Mary is the name of the bay adjacent to Ghupuna, the main village in Santa Ana. A bright white sand beach with huge shade-giving trees runs along the shoreline in front of the tidy village. The houses here are made with local materials and most are built on stilts. Islanders generally welcome visitors with traditional songs and dances performed by members of the three different villages on Santa Ana. Some local people will also set up stands offering souvenirs for purchase. The Solomons are best known for strings of traditional shell money and elegant carvings based on local stories and legends.

Enjoy your morning coffee on the Observation Terrance as we navigate through the picturesque channels on our way to Owaraha. Known for preserving ancient traditions, Owaraha is the ideal place to see the traditional dances and intricate handicrafts fashioned by the island’s villagers, dressed in ornate costumes, body paint and masks. At Nafinotoga, Spirit Houses contain ancient skulls and bones of the Snake Clan and Turtle Clan chiefs.

Also known as Santa Cruz, Ndende Island offers stunning lagoons brimming with marine life, stretches of reef, remote islands sprinkled with deserted beaches, crystalline caves, and many picturesque villages. You will be warmly welcomed onshore by a traditional cultural bamboo band and dancers.

The five islands of Vanikoro are encircled by a spectacular barrier reef that offers excellent snorkelling. French explorer Jean-François de Galaup, comte de La Pérouse, disappeared in this archipelago after his vessels, La Boussole and Astrolabe, struck the reef in 1788. Visit a monument to Le Pérouse, erected by explorer Dumont Durville in 1827.

The largest island in the archipelago of Vanuatu, north of New Caledonia, is Espiritu Santo. While its main industries are fishing and farming, you will be dazzled by the beauty of Champagne Bay, one of the world’s most exquisite beaches. A freshwater spring flows into the lagoon, creating a spa-like bubbling sensation at low tide. Espiritu Santo has been inhabited for many years by Melanesian people known as Ni-Vanuatu, who still observe many ancient traditions.

Unlike Espiritu Santo with its raised coral reefs and white sand, Ambrym is a volcanically active island with dark sand beaches. Ambrym is known as the island of magic and is the source of five local languages that all evolved on Ambrym. This handful of languages contributes to the well over 100 languages of Vanuatu. Some of Ambrym’s magic takes place in the lush greenery of the local community of Ranon. Here the people perform a very special and traditional ‘Rom’ dance. Participants prepare their masks and costumes in secrecy and the dance is reserved for special occasions.

Unlike the white sand of Espiritu Santo, the volcanic island of Ambrym is the place to sink your toes into black-sand beaches. Witness the work of woodcarvers who create art out of breadfruit trees and huge tree ferns and see intriguing displays of the local black magic. Watch the Ambrym Islanders’ famous Rom dance, performed by chanting men in elaborate costumes.

Tanna’s erupting Mount Yasur is regarded as the world’s most accessible active volcano. Known for its continuous activity since Captain James Cook observed ash eruptions in 1774, it’s considered a sacred area by members of the John Frum cargo cult, who believe their deity resides inside.

North of Nadi through sugarcane plantations and past the Sabeto Mountains is Lautoka, nicknamed the Sugar City for the local agriculture and its big processing mill. With a population of around 50,000, it's the only city besides Suva and, like the capital, has a pleasant waterfront. It's the sailing point for Blue Lagoon and Beachcomber Cruises but is otherwise unremarkable for tourists, itself having few hotels and fewer good restaurants. Locals recommend the city as a less-expensive place to shop for clothing, but note that it can take as long as 45 minutes to drive here. Legend has it that Lautoka acquired its name when two chiefs engaged in combat and one hit the other with a spear. He proclaimed "lau toka" (spear hit) and thus the future town was named.

Your voyage of discovery concludes today. Enjoy your final morning in the ultra-luxury of Scenic Eclipse II and take the chance to reflect on the incredible experiences and remarkable places you’ve visited.

Disembark in the second largest city of Fiji, Lautoka is located on the western side of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometres north of Nadi. As the gateway to Fiji’s Sun Coast, it’s a pleasant mix of sugar-cane fields, grass-covered peaks, rural villages and market towns. Farewell your new friends, the Scenic Eclipse II Captain and crew.

Please book your flight to depart out of Nadi after 12:00 PM.