Australasia & Beyond

Australasia, South Pacific and Polar Regions

From Australia’s vast outback and New Zealand’s dramatic landscapes to the idyllic islands of the South Pacific and the extraordinary wilderness of the polar regions, this is a part of the world defined by scale, contrast and unforgettable experiences.

Whether you are looking for a luxury road journey, a remote island escape, exceptional wildlife encounters or a once-in-a-lifetime expedition, these destinations offer some of the most remarkable and rewarding travel experiences on earth.

Australasia

  • Australia combines globally recognised cities with extraordinary coastlines, wine regions, tropical wilderness and the vast landscapes of the Outback.

    Best time: Completely dependent on region due to the country's scale.
    Perfect for: Families, road trips, food and wine, wildlife and major journeys.
    Interesting fact: The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system.
    Velvet Hippo recommends: Treat Australia as several different destinations and avoid trying to cover everything in one trip.

  • New Zealand packs extraordinary landscapes into two principal islands, with mountains, lakes, vineyards, fjords and a strong Māori cultural identity.

    Best time: November–April; June–September for skiing.
    Perfect for: Road trips, adventure, wine, nature and honeymoons.
    Interesting fact: Aotearoa is the widely used Māori name for New Zealand.
    Velvet Hippo recommends: Allow at least two weeks if combining North and South Islands.

South Pacific

  • The Cook Islands offer an intimate Polynesian escape centred around Rarotonga and the extraordinarily beautiful lagoon of Aitutaki.

    Best time: April–November.
    Perfect for: Honeymoons, beaches and slow travel.
    Interesting fact: The Cook Islands are self-governing in free association with New Zealand.
    Velvet Hippo recommends: Combine Rarotonga with Aitutaki.

  • Fiji combines warm hospitality, more than 300 islands and everything from family resorts to tiny private-island hideaways.

    Best time: May–October.
    Perfect for: Families, honeymoons, diving and private islands.
    Interesting fact: Only a proportion of Fiji's hundreds of islands are permanently inhabited.
    Velvet Hippo recommends: Pair the main island with one of Fiji's smaller island groups.

  • French Polynesia stretches across a huge area of the South Pacific, encompassing Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora and more remote archipelagos.

    Best time: May–October.
    Perfect for: Honeymoons, overwater villas, diving and once-in-a-lifetime travel.
    Interesting fact: French Polynesia comprises more than 100 islands spread across several archipelagos.
    Velvet Hippo recommends: Visit at least two islands because each has a markedly different character.

  • New Caledonia combines French-Pacific culture with exceptional lagoons, beaches and striking Melanesian landscapes.

    Best time: May–October.
    Perfect for: Diving, beaches, culture and experienced Pacific travellers.
    Interesting fact: New Caledonia is surrounded by one of the world's largest lagoon systems.
    Velvet Hippo recommends: Combine Nouméa with one of the outer islands.

  • Samoa offers lush volcanic landscapes, waterfalls, beaches and a particularly strong Polynesian culture.

    Best time: May–October.
    Perfect for: Culture, nature, beaches and independent travellers.
    Interesting fact: Samoa moved across the International Date Line in 2011, effectively skipping an entire calendar day.
    Velvet Hippo recommends: Choose Samoa for culture and landscape rather than conventional resort luxury.

  • Vanuatu combines tropical islands, diving, traditional culture and spectacular volcanic landscapes.

    Best time: May–October.
    Perfect for: Adventure, diving, culture and unusual journeys.
    Interesting fact: Mount Yasur on Tanna is one of the world's most accessible active volcanoes.
    Velvet Hippo recommends: Combine Efate with Tanna for a much more memorable trip.

Polar Regions

  • Antarctica is expedition travel at its most extraordinary: immense ice landscapes, remote wildlife colonies and a feeling of isolation found nowhere else.

    Best time: November–March, during the Antarctic expedition season.
    Perfect for: Wildlife, photography, expedition cruising and once-in-a-lifetime journeys.
    Interesting fact: Antarctica has no permanent resident human population.
    Velvet Hippo recommends: Vessel choice is critical — smaller expedition ships can provide a very different experience.

  • The Arctic is not a single destination but an immense polar region encompassing parts of several countries and some of the planet's most remote landscapes.

    Best time: Summer for expedition cruising; winter for selected Northern Lights experiences.
    Perfect for: Wildlife, expedition cruising and photography.
    Interesting fact: The Arctic is an ocean surrounded by continents, while Antarctica is a continent surrounded by ocean.
    Velvet Hippo recommends: Choose your specific Arctic region according to the wildlife or experience you most want to see.

  • Greenland offers immense glaciers, icebergs, tiny settlements and a powerful sense of Arctic wilderness.

    Best time: June–September for many expedition itineraries.
    Perfect for: Adventure, photography, wildlife and expedition travel.
    Interesting fact: Greenland is the world's largest island, excluding continental Australia.
    Velvet Hippo recommends: Explore by expedition vessel or combine remote lodges with local guiding.

  • Halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, Svalbard is one of the world's great High Arctic destinations, renowned for glaciers, wildlife and extraordinary seasonal light.

    Best time: May–September for expedition cruising; winter for a completely different polar experience.
    Perfect for: Polar bears, wildlife, photography and expedition travel.
    Interesting fact: Svalbard experiences both months of midnight sun and months of polar night.
    Velvet Hippo recommends: Choose a specialist expedition vessel with an excellent guiding team.

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