Juwelen des Südpazifik

Papeete, on Tahiti, is the capital of French Polynesia, a group of islands in the South Pacific. Beside the port, busy Place Vai’ete fills with roulottes, or food carts, in the evenings. Nearby, the large Marché de Papeete market sells local produce, fish and handicrafts. The Robert Wan Pearl Museum focuses on the local pearl industry and sells jewelry. A red spire tops the 19th-century Notre Dame Cathedral.

Bora Bora is a small South Pacific island northwest of Tahiti in French Polynesia. Surrounded by sand-fringed motus (islets) and a turquoise lagoon protected by a coral reef, it’s known for its scuba diving. Its also a popular luxury resort destination where some guest bungalows are perched over the water on stilts. At the islands center rises Mt. Otemanu, a 727m dormant volcano.

It’s been said that the Bay of Islands is home to some of the bluest skies in the world. Located between Cape Brett and the Purerua Peninsula on New Zealand’s North Island, this group of 144 islands is truly a sight to behold. History buffs will want to visit Waitangi, the site of New Zealand’s first permanent British settlement and learn more about the birthplace of the Treaty of Waitangi—an important document signed between the British and the Māori people. If you’re there are the right time, you might just see a live kapahake performance.

The only city in the world built on an active basaltic volcanic field, Auckland is located on the North Island of New Zealand. With a warm, costal climate, you can surf at black-sand beaches, enjoy picnics in secluded coves, or go horseback riding nearly year round. Dominating the CBD—that’s the central business district, or simply downtown—is the Sky Tower. At 1,076 feet tall it’s the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere. Take a trip to the top and enjoy a meal and a panoramic view of the city below, including the busy harbor that lends Auckland the nickname “The City of Sails”.