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Oceania

Islands, ocean and distant horizons

Oceania

Oceania extends far beyond Australia and New Zealand. Volcanic islands, coral reefs and strong Pacific cultures are scattered across an ocean that shapes both distance and daily life.

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Oceania requires a different sense of scale. Australia alone spans the tropical north, arid interior and lively coastal cities; New Zealand pairs mountains and fjords with relatively compact routes. Farther into the Pacific, each island group has its own languages, traditions and colonial history.

Flying is often unavoidable, but ferries, buses and rental cars offer a slower pace within islands. Seasons vary by latitude: tropical cyclones, winter mountain roads and extreme heat can all affect plans. Keep itineraries flexible and travel thoughtfully through fragile ecosystems and communities where land and sea carry deep cultural meaning.

From the magazine

Stories about Oceania

Editorial stories linked to Oceania and to the countries and places within this region.

Ten responsible places to watch for whales from shore
Article

Ten responsible places to watch for whales from shore

These ten coasts put people on paths, platforms, dunes and cliff tops while whales follow their own routes offshore. Pick the right season, stay on land and accept the essential uncertainty: even in peak months, the sea may hold no whale in view.

M Hamba-redactieMara
From Hobart to Bruny Island: Farms, Small Towns and the Southern Ocean
Article

From Hobart to Bruny Island: Farms, Small Towns and the Southern Ocean

A short ferry crossing from Kettering leads to a very different scale of Tasmania: oyster lines in the channel, sheep paddocks on North Bruny, a sand neck between two islands, and dolerite cliffs above the Southern Ocean. The road also follows Nuenonne Country, a coastline shaped by palawa history, European shipping and generations of island work.

M Hamba-redactieMara
The 10 Cities Best Understood from the Water
Article

The 10 Cities Best Understood from the Water

A fine skyline is not enough. In these ten cities, a ferry or small boat reveals how trade, terrain, buildings and daily travel grew around a river, canal or bay.

T Hamba-redactieTomoko
Beyond the Twelve Apostles: west along the Shipwreck Coast
Article

Beyond the Twelve Apostles: west along the Shipwreck Coast

West of the Twelve Apostles, the Great Ocean Road follows limestone coves and scattered sea stacks through Port Campbell and Peterborough, then reaches the wider coast around Warrnambool and the working river harbour at Port Fairy.

D Hamba-redactieDaan
Before Breakfast at Adelaide Central Market
Article

Before Breakfast at Adelaide Central Market

Behind the brick frontage on Grote Street, Adelaide Central Market starts with goods in motion. Counters fill, traders cross the covered lanes, and food from South Australian orchards, coasts and family kitchens enters the city’s daily trade.

A Hamba-redactieAisha
Kakadu in Stone and Water: Ubirr, Burrungkuy and the Wetlands
Article

Kakadu in Stone and Water: Ubirr, Burrungkuy and the Wetlands

At Ubirr, painted fish show bones and organs beneath their outlines, while hand stencils and later contact art share the sandstone walls. Beyond the shelters, the Nadab floodplain stretches below the rock, placing the paintings among the waters and food grounds that inform them.

M Hamba-redactieMara

Choose your country

Countries in Oceania

Countries with a full guide come first. Below them you will find more countries to explore.

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