body of water near mountain under blue sky during daytime

Region · 18 countries

Australia & Pacific

Go for the Great Barrier Reef and Sydney, New Zealand's fjords and mountains, or the lagoons of Fiji and French Polynesia. Each is a separate trip, so choose one part first.

See the countries Planning guides

Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands are far apart and differ widely in climate. In Australia, Sydney and Melbourne sit on the southeast coast, the Great Barrier Reef lies off Queensland, and Uluru sits in the red Outback. New Zealand's two main islands fit fjords, glaciers and geothermal areas into a shorter trip. The Pacific islands range from the lagoons of Fiji and the Cook Islands to the coral atolls of Kiribati and the volcanic islands of Vanuatu. Many are reached by a flight followed by a boat or small plane.

Distance decides most trips. Crossing Australia or the South Island by road takes days, and flights between island groups may run only a few times a week. Choose one country or island group over several. For the tropical Pacific, May to October is the usual dry season and falls outside the cyclone season, which runs from November to April. Plan at least a week for one country, and longer for a trip with several stops.

Australia & Pacific travel guides

The questions every first trip to the region starts with.

Australia ETA and eVisitor

Which one you need and how to apply before you fly.

Read the guide NZeTA explained

The New Zealand travel authority and the visitor levy.

Read the guide New Zealand by season

Summer walks, ski months and the shoulder seasons.

Read the guide

Where to stay in Australia & Pacific

All stay guides

A large body of water surrounded by mountains

KororWhere to stay in Koror: downtown, Malakal, the resort side or Airai

White boat on body of water near green palm trees

Loyalty IslandsWhere to stay in the Loyalty Islands: tribal stays, gîtes and hotels

brown and black lizard on beach shore during daytime

NoumeaWhere to stay in Noumea: Anse Vata, Baie des Citrons, downtown or an islet

QueenstownWhere to stay in Queenstown and Wānaka: five bases compared

Itineraries across the region

5 daysQueenstown and Wānaka in 5 days: Arrowtown, Glenorchy, Crown RangeA five-day Queenstown and Wānaka route: Arrowtown, Glenorchy and the Routeburn trailhead, the Crown Range road and a Wānaka walk, with seasonal swaps.

7 daysHow many days in Palau: 3, 5 or 7 days from a Koror baseHow many days you need in Palau: a 3-day, 5-day and 7-day plan from Koror, with Rock Islands, Babeldaob and dive days, entry steps and wet-season backups.

3 daysNoumea in 3 days: bays, Tjibaou Centre, market and a lagoon dayNoumea in 3 days: beaches and the Aquarium des Lagons, the Tjibaou Cultural Centre, the municipal market and a lagoon day, with Monday and rain backups.

Before you go

For any trip in Australia & Pacific

eSIM for the PacificCheck island coverage firstRead the guide Travel insuranceEvacuation cover for islandsRead the guide Entry permitsETA, eVisitor and NZeTARead the guide Money across the regionCards in cities, cash on islandsRead the guide

All Australia & Pacific destinations

KiribatiKiritimati, South Tarawa

Papua New GuineaPort Moresby

French PolynesiaMoorea, Tahiti, Bora Bora

American SamoaTutuila, Ofu-Olosega, National Park of American Samoa, Pago Pago

FijiYasawa Islands, Nadi, Mamanuca Islands, Taveuni, Suva

Wallis & FutunaFutuna, Mata-Utu, Wallis

VanuatuEfate, Espiritu Santo, Port Vila, Tanna, Luganville

Solomon IslandsMarovo Lagoon, Gizo, Guadalcanal, Honiara

TongaNuku'alofa, Ha'apai, 'Eua, Vava'u, Tongatapu

PalauKoror

Marshall IslandsMajuro, Bikini Atoll

SamoaSavai'i, Upolu, Apia

New CaledoniaNoumea, Île des Pins, Loyalty Islands

The Cook IslandsAitutaki, Rarotonga, Avarua, Atiu

NiueAlofi

TuvaluFunafuti

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Australia & Pacific FAQ

Do I need an electronic permit for Australia and New Zealand?

Yes, for most visitors. Australia requires an ETA or eVisitor for everyone except New Zealanders, and New Zealand requires an NZeTA plus the visitor levy for visa-waiver travelers, though Australian citizens are exempt.

When is cyclone season in the South Pacific?

Roughly November to April. Trips still run in those months, but storms can cancel boats and flights, so book flexible rates and allow a spare day.

Can I combine Fiji with New Zealand or Australia?

Easily. Nadi has direct flights to Auckland, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, so Fiji works as a beach stop before or after a longer trip.

Which Pacific islands are easiest for a first trip?

Fiji, the Cook Islands and Samoa have regular flights, simple entry on arrival for many passports and a good range of places to stay.

Do the Pacific islands use their own currencies?

Many do, such as the Fijian dollar, tala and vatu. The Cook Islands and Niue use the New Zealand dollar, Kiribati and Tuvalu the Australian dollar, and the French territories the CFP franc.