Oceania - Travel Highlights and Travel Tips
Travel Highlights
- Pick an activity and explore part of the 350,000km2 that make up the Great Barrier Reef. Snorkel, scuba dive, sail or fly over this rich underwater world that is vital to our Earth’s wellbeing.
- Snap an Instagram worthy picture of the famous salt-water pools at Bondi Beach before swimming a few lengths while waves crash over the side.
- Witness a colourful and rousing festival in Papua New Guinea. The Goroka Festival is the longest running cultural show in Papua New Guinea. More than 100 indigenous tribes will performs traditional songs, dances and rituals over the country’s independence day weekend.
- Follow the ancient songlines of Uluru rock and follow in the footsteps of Australia’s aboriginal peoples.
- Leave the sandy shores behind and head conquer the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers of New Zealand. Partake in some winter sports and carve clean lines with your skis or snowboard through the pure white snow.
- Get stuck into the Suva Municipal Market, Fiji and see how many weird and wonderful produce you can spot.
- Watch the explosive geysers of Rotorua’s geothermal area.
- Watch the fearsome All Blacks, New Zealand’s world-renowned rugby team.
Travel Tips
- Travelling Oceania is going to require some air time. Most of the regions are only accessible by plane, and if overland routes are available they’re usually very long.
- Generally, warmer summer months of November to March are the best time to visit southern Australia and New Zealand. The northern half of Australia is best visited between April and October, to avoid the rainy season. Likewise for most of the Pacific Islands.
- Oceania is huge. So it’s often better to pick a few main activities you want to experience, instead of trying to do everything.
- Australia has it’s very own plug-socket. Similar to an American socket, but a bit slanted, you’ll want to make sure you have the right adaptor.
- Tipping isn’t mandatory in most of Oceania. You can if you want, but not many people expect you to.
- Many of the countries, from Australia to Papua New Guinea, is very expensive for tourists. Budget accordingly.
- The sun in Oceania is exceptionally strong, and parts of Australia have the highest levels of skin cancer in the world. Better to be safe than sorry and slather on that sunscreen!