Named after evolutionist Charles Darwin, this tropical city on the top end of Australia is a former frontier town with a rough-and-tumble past. Darwin's growth was achieved back in 1871 with the discovery of gold at Pine Creek, and today a number of historic buildings from that era remain. Darwin is also the center of the aboriginal community, the world's oldest culture. From here, you can visit Kakadu National Park, a World Heritage Site renowned not only for its Australian wildlife but Aboriginal rock art.

Long before the Europeans began searching for spices in the West, nutmeg, mace and cloves had brought trade to the Moluccas, the legendary Spice Islands of the East Indies. Ambon, the capital of Maluku province, was the center of the Dutch clove monopoly and was once known as the "Queen of the East." Echoes of Sinbad the Sailor and Captain Kidd drift across deserted beaches and turquoise bays teeming with more species of fish than just about anywhere else in the world. Here in these transparent waters, divers plunge for pearls among pristine coral reefs. Here, too, you can visit intriguing villages with their traditions still intact.

New Guinea is one of Asia's most spectacular regions for tourism. A living museum of natural history, untouched rain forests, white-sand beaches, snow-capped mountains straddling the equator, jewel-like lakes and moss-carpeted forests shelter some of the world's most astonishing wildlife. In the highlands valley of Baliem, Stone-Age tribes sport boar tusk nose rings, necklaces of harvested spider webs, and reed skirts for women. The custom of smearing their bodies with red or white clay for warmth has given rise to the nickname "mud people." In Jayapura, a picture-postcard harbor with a backdrop of eternally green hills greets travelers who visit this Indonesian part of New Guinea. Indeed, the only access is by sea, and aside from a few roads around the town, the only means of travel to the interior is on foot or by light aircraft. Streets bustle with an interesting mix of tribesmen, vendors, Minang merchants, Bugis fishermen or sailors from Makassar.

Vanimo is a coastal town located in the Sandaun Province of Papua New Guinea, known for its beautiful beaches and vibrant culture. Situated near the border with Indonesia, it offers a unique blend of local traditions and cross-border influences. Visitors can enjoy water activities such as surfing and snorkeling, explore nearby rainforests, and experience the rich cultural heritage of the local communities.

...Lautoka has countless natural treasures and unmolested habitats that are simply glorious... Sugar is the official crop of Lautoka, and September is the best time of the year to visit, as the entire town celebrates the enchanting Sugar Festival...