Australia, Indonesia & The Philippines

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Isolated on the farthest northwest corner of the continent, Broome thrived from its founding in 1883 based on the bounty of South Sea pearls found in offshore oyster beds. Even today, the pearling industry is active here, though most are now cultured. But Broome has grown into one of Australia’s premier holiday destinations, offering an amazing variety of attractions and activities for visitors. It boasts a splendid, 14-mile strand of soft white sand at Cable Beach, where people flock to enjoy sunset camel rides. And with 2,600 islands in the area and warm seas, it is a sportsman’s paradise. But the unique allure of the region is the unspoiled expanse of bizarre geological formations, waterways and ancient Aboriginal lands called the Kimberley. Corrugated with red-hued cliffs and escarpments, and laced with pristine waterways, swimming holes and waterfalls, the Kimberley is unlike any other landscape on earth. It invites visitors to cruise the coast, fly over the ranges, kayak the islands and explore the rugged terrain in 4WD vehicles. The only difficulty is deciding which adventure to partake of next.

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Kuri Bay is a remote coastal bay in the far north of Western Australia in the Kimberley region, about 370 km north of Broome. It is a designated point on the Western Australian Forecast Areas, utilised by the Bureau of Meteorology as a boundary for the North Kimberley Coast area from the West Kimberley Coast

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Despite its small size, Darwin is a modern, multi-cultural city, and its proximity to Asia makes it ideal for travel. Named after the famous scientist, Charles Darwin, the area was originally settled by the Larrakia Aboriginals. The Dutch arrived and mapped the land in the 1600s, followed by the British in 1939, when the town was given its English name. Darwin has a beautiful coastline, as well as numerous parks and gardens, making the city a top spot for outdoor activities.

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Lombok means honesty in the local language, your first clue to the essence of this unspoiled locale. On this mountainous island you can see how Bali was in the old days: non-commercialized and uncrowded. Agriculture is the main industry and the hillsides are terraced with pineapple, bananas, corn and tobacco plants. The island of Lombok also produces the most potent cloves, nutmeg, pepper and coriander. Above these gentle foothills rises the sacred volcano of Mount Rinjani, at 12,300 feet the second highest peak in all of Indonesia’s 13,700 islands.

Located on the southeastern coast of Bali is the small village of Tanjung Benoa. Still considered a fishing village, Benoa has developed over the past 20 years into a major player in the tourism sector. The calm waters and the beautiful white sand beaches have made Benoa the prime water sport area of Bali. Being a peninsula that is only accessible from one direction, Tanjung Benoa is still relatively quiet with a more relaxed feeling.

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This independent city occupies the mid-section of Palawan island in the southern Philippines. It is a center for eco-tourism in the archipelago, with notable coral reefs offshore including one, Tubbataha Reef, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the most famous of its sites is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a national park and the longest navigable underground river in the world. A boat ride into the karst limestone passages, lined with dramatic stalagmites and stalactites, is a must when visiting the island. The river was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999 and recently was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

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Hong Kong is divided into four sections: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories, and the numerous outlying islands. One hundred sixty-four square miles of dense real estate dominate Hong Kong Island, including enormous skyscrapers with futuristic architecture, opulent hotels, residential compounds on Victoria Peak, and some of the oldest Chinese communities in the region. All these elements create one of the most exotic and exciting ports of call in the world; one that is universally loved by tourists and its own enterprising citizens.