Oceania

Travel through Oceania by country:

Australia, Indonesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Travel through Oceania by popular city:

Auckland, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Wellington

Travel through Oceania by popular things to do:

Cook Islands, Sydney Opera House

Travel through Oceania with our writers:

In the Corner of the World, Work and Play in Queensland

World’s Top Eco-Lodges

by Kraig Becker on

Outside Magazine has put together a great list of the top eco-lodges from around the world, with seven amazing escapes that not only offer plenty of luxury, but do so in an eco-friendly way. Each of the resorts is given a rating on the “Green-O-Meter” and for its accessibility, and the selection of locations spans the globe, offering a destination no matter which direction you’re headed.

For instance, if you’re traveling to Africa, Outside recommends Azura’s at Gabriel’s, on Benguerra Island, off Mozambique. The small resort has just 15 villas, but each has its own private pool, to compliment the amazing white sand beaches. World class SCUBA diving and deep-sea fishing are amongst the top activities, and Azura earns its green rating by using its gray water for irrigation and doing its own composting on site. The lodge is also moving forward with plans to buy wind credits to go completely carbon neutral and is contributing to the local economy by ensuring that 90% of the staff are Mozambican.

If Belize is more your style, then the Machaca Hill Lodge is the recommended place to stay. This lodge was once a fishing community that has been transformed into an eco-friendly resort that includes an 11,000-acre nature reserve that surrounds the 12 cabanas, and isolates them from the outside world. Machaca Hill is lauded for the fact that it generates most of its power via solar panels and has an organic farm on site that provides most of the lodge’s food.

There are five other great eco-lodges on the list as well, each with a unique setting and a unique approach to sustainable tourism. Any one of them will proved an amazing experience, and not make you feel guilty about your travels.

In the Corner of the World – The Bay of Plenty

by Mike Barish on

Over the next few weeks here at Gadling, we’ll be bringing you updates from our recent travels across New Zealand – in the process, we hope to offer a range of perspectives about what visiting this truly unique and fascinating country is all about. You can read previous entries HERE.

I arrived in the Bay of Plenty fresh off several days relaxing in the Bay of Islands. Now, don’t be fooled. Not every place in New Zealand uses the naming device Bay of [noun]. It’s not a game of Mad Libs. The Bay of Plenty, however, is so named because Captain Cook was able to replenish his supplies when he arrived there in the latter half of the 18th Century. That’s how things worked back then. It is also why his previous stop which netted him virtually no provisions has been saddled with such a tourism unfriendly name: Poverty Bay. However, the Bay of Plenty’s name is still deserved today as it remains just as lush as ever and now boasts myriad activities for travelers who pass through.

I visited the two most popular destinations in the Bay of Plenty, Tauranga and Mount Maunganui. They go hand-in-hand and provide a fantastic opportunity to experience the North Island’s breathtaking topography.

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If you’re visiting the Bay of Plenty, you will find most of the accommodation options in Tauranga. It’s a backpackers haven not only because of all of the tourists passing through but because of the seasonal fruit-picking work that draws young Europeans looking to extend their time in New Zealand. The Bay of Plenty is a major kiwifruit-picking region, so seasonal labor pours into the area from April through the winter (and by winter, I mean Southern Hemisphere winter). I found myself a double en suite at the Harbouside City Backpackers on The Strand, Tauranga’s main waterfront street. I was a short walk from every bar, restaurant and activity that I could possible want to enjoy.

Having arrived in the late afternoon, I got myself settled as quickly as possible and made my way out into the Tauranga nightlife. Before arriving, I had made connections with a few locals through CouchSurfing, so I had some drinking companions. Chris, a British doctor completing his residency in the Bay of Plenty, was more than happy to join me for some pints at the Crown & Badger, where Boston native and CouchSurfer Alicia kept the Tui flowing. I had never met these people in person before, but, like all my experiences in New Zealand, I immediately felt comfortable and welcome. We wiled away the hours exploring The Strand, discussing the Kiwi’s horrendous aptitude for dancing and finding the bottom of many glasses.

The next morning, having enjoyed Tauranga’s less organic pleasures, I was eager to take advantage of my natural surroundings. There is plenty to do on the water in the Bay of Plenty and I was ready to get out there. Having heard that New Zealand provides some of the best opportunities to swim with dolphins, I made a booking with Dolphin Seafaris (and not just because I love a good pun).

Dolphin Seafaris’ staff is comprised almost entirely of marine biologists who have dedicated their professional lives to studying and protecting these amazing creatures. To go out on their boat is the adult equivalent of a school field trip (and I mean that in the most positive way possible). You’ll learn about the dolphin behavior and also have the opportunity to get into the water and swim with them assuming that the conditions allow. I was fortunate enough put my wetsuit to proper use and will never forget the experience of being mere inches away from our aquatic cousins. The dolphins frolicked around the boat and I truly enjoyed a shared experience with them.

Rather than return to Tauranga, I asked the captain to drop me off at the pier near Mount Maunganui. The Mount, as it is often called (or Mauao in Maori) is connected to Taurangua by a thin peninsula. It’s not so much a mountain as it is a 700+ foot extinct volcano that is noticeable from virtually anywhere in the Bay of Plenty.

I decided to hike up the 2km summit trail and see the view for myself. From the pier, it’s only a five minute walk to the Mount’s base. If you are looking for a more leisurely stroll, you can take advantage of the 3km walking path that loops around the base. Shortly into the summit walk, I realized that I was not alone. The Mount is home to sheep. Lots of sheep. New Zealand boasts a 10-1 sheep-to-person ratio, so this was not entirely unexpected. But, as a New Yorker, until I found myself alone on a hill within spitting distance of two-dozen sheep, I didn’t really know what that ratio would look like in person. Well, it looks like a lot of sheep poop on the trail.

It’s a rather easy walk up to the summit and the views along the way are magnificent. At the summit, I enjoyed a 360 degree view of the entire Bay of Plenty and lingered there to catch my breath and be alone with my thoughts.

I made my way back to the base and realized that I hadn’t eaten anything since I took advantage of the free breakfast on the dolphin boat. I headed into Mount Maunganui (which is also the name of the town – try to stay with me) and immediately made my way to Maunganui Road, which is a stretch of restaurants, shops and galleries. Not one to pass up local fish and chips, I enjoyed the largest pile of fried food I have ever consumed at the tiny but excellent Mount Fish & Chips. Wrapped in newspaper and fried to golden perfection, it was the freshest serving of fish and chips that I have ever tasted.

Satiated, I hopped on the Bay Hopper Bus for the short ride back over to Tauranga. I cleaned myself up and decided to take advantage of my proximity to the bars yet again. Chris was nice enough to join me for another night on the town, and we enjoyed a few pints while watching the India-New Zealand cricket match that was being played down in Wellington. It was during this night out that I found myself comforted by a wonderful realization. I was an American who had learned cricket in India sitting in a bar in New Zealand watching a match with a Brit and it all felt normal. Maybe it was the euphoria from my fulfilling afternoon adventures or just the alcohol, but I felt like I was belonged there.

That’s the wonderful thing about traveling. You get back what you put into it. And if you share yourself with New Zealand, it will offer plenty in return. Just like Captain Cook discovered over two centuries ago.

View Mike’s Bay of Plenty photo gallery. Read more of Gadling’s In the Corner of the World series here.

Visiting Every Country On Earth

by Kraig Becker on

Most travelers have a “life list”. That is to say, a list of travel destinations that are amongst their “must see”, such as the Great Pyramids or Machu Picchu. Others set goals to visit certain countries, selecting ones that appeal to them on some level.

That’s exactly what Chris Guillebeau did when he was 22 and working in Africa for an international charity group. At the time, Guillebeau says, that he was traveling a lot within Africa itself, and making frequent trips back to Europe as well. He was visiting a lot of unique and interesting places, and remained fascinated with the cultures that he saw.

Then, in 2006, at the age of 28, he set a goal for himself to visit 100 countries before he turned 30, somehting he accomplished last year. But in this interview for the New York Times, he admits that about halfway through his quest to reach triple digits, he began to realize that he was setting his sights too low, and has now set a new goal for himself – to visit every country on the planet before he turns 35.
Guillebeau admits that things are starting to get tougher, as he is running out of countries that offer easy access. He mentions that he’ll have to start focusing on making arrangements to get to Chad, the South Pacific, or Central Asia soon, but he makes no mention of visiting such places as North Korea or Somalia, which aren’t exactly welcoming to foreigners.

Of course, with all of this travel, Guillebeau knows all the tricks to make things as easy as possible. He generally has upgrades to first class on domestic flights, many of which he trades away to other passengers, and he recently talked his way onto a flight to Karachi, without the proper paperwork or visas to enter the country. He also knows how to play the system to get as many frequent flier miles as possible, something he shared with us a few months back.

I have to hand it to Chris. When he creates a life list, he doesn’t think small. My question is, what do you do when you hit age 35 and you’ve already visited everywhere? He better hope Virgin Galactic expands its routes, and quickly.

In the Corner of the World – Cold and glowing vs. hot and bubbly

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Over the next few weeks here at Gadling, we’ll be bringing you updates from our recent travels across New Zealand – in the process, we hope to offer a range of perspectives about what visiting this truly unique and fascinating country is all about. You can read previous entries HERE.

You’re standing on the edge of a ledge. Covered head-to-toe in a neoprene wetsuit, purple short-shorts and giant white rubber galoshes, and holding a large inner tube. You’re contemplating a jump into the frigid waters that slosh noisily just below. It’s pitch black, but your headlamp punches temporary holes in the emptiness, providing glimpses of other victims shouting and flailing wildly beneath you. A man taps you on the arm and pushes you forward – you hesitate, but there’s nothing to do but turn around and jump, plummeting ass-first towards the numbingly cold water beneath you, awaiting the inevitability of a painful impact.

This certainly wasn’t how I had pictured my day unfolding when it began. We were headed 2 hours south from Auckland, driving towards Waitomo, a village that is home to one of the largest complexes of underground caves in New Zealand. Caving is highly popular attraction in New Zealand, and the underground spaces like those found at Waitomo boast almost 400,000 visitors each year.

We had also heard about a peculiar Waitomo Cave phenomenon known as “Glowworms” – a unique species of bioluminescent insect that emits an eerie light in order to attract its prey. Glowing insects and cave exploring? Our interest was piqued – we wanted to see these strange creatures up and close and personal for ourselves. But how exactly does one go from a casual curiosity in glowing cave bugs to standing shivering, wearing a wetsuit in a pitch black cave? And how did we plan to warm ourselves up afterwards? Keep clicking below to see what happened.
Visitors to Waitomo caves have a huge range of options for viewing these amazing natural wonders and the strange wildlife like glow worms that live within them. Trips to Waitomo Caves range from more casual walking tours along guided underground paths to full-on spelunking and cave rafting expeditions.

Though a leisurely cave walk sounded fun, this was New Zealand after all – frequently cited as the home of “extreme sports.” We wanted a more “hands-on” experience so we opted for an underwater tubing trip which would take us on water voyage through the inner workings of the one of the caves. After suiting up in what is perhaps the stupidest outfit I’ve ever worn in my entire life (pictured left), we were ready to enter the caves.

As we entered the first narrow tunnel, icy cold water up to our waists, I began to wonder what I had gotten my claustrophobic self into – but the scenery quickly changed. After jumping through a few small waterfall pools, the ceiling soon opened upwards, revealing a massive underground cavern big enough to hold a cathedral and a meandering underground stream. Above us lay a miniature Milky Way of twinkling lights – a constellation of glowworm insects silently advertising for victims. We hopped aboard our inner tubes and floated lazily down the cave’s river as we gazed up at the artificial light show performance above us. Still under the hypnotic visual spell of such a strange sight, we soon emerged back into the midday light, none the worse for the wear but soaking wet and exhilarated by our recent adventure.

After all the freezing water from the morning’s caving activities, it was time to warm up and relax. We headed 150 kilometers east towards Rotorua, a city that lies on the edge of one of New Zealand’s more active geothermal hotspots. In addition to geysers and mud pools, Rotorua is also an outdoor activities destination offering the chance to mountain bike, raft, fish and swim. But a morning of cave-exploring had just about done us in at this point – we were ready to just hang out. We stopped by the Polynesian Spa to take a soak in their naturally heated thermal waters, renting a private pool with a view of Lake Rotorua for 30 minutes.

As we immersed ourselves in the warm embrace of the nearly 100 degree water, the starry night sky above us punctuated by the Southern Cross, we had a chance to think back. Our day had taken us across two huge extremes in temperature. From a morning sloshing through knee-deep freezing water, looking up at ghostly glowworms to a heated hot-spring pool and starlit New Zealand sky. Going from cold to hot – it was just the kind of extreme transition we’d come to find down in New Zealand, the corner of the world.

Aussie/NZ animosity reaches new levels with motel ban

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The 16,000 residents of Lower Hutt, New Zealand learned the meaning of “demoralizing” this week. The owner of the Palmerston North Supreme Motor Lodge (an Australian) has prohibited the people of Lower Hutt from staying at his motel. I’ve been banned from some pretty nice places … nice. If some motel gave me the boot, I’d be humiliated.

Guests from Lower Hutt – and the nearby larger town of Wainuiomata – aren’t worth the headache, said Steve Donnelly, owner of the property. A bunch of midemeanors by visiting high school sports teams triggered the decision, but it seems to have been a long time in the making. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, “Having had about 100 people from there over the last couple of years and maybe one that we liked … it is not worth it and we would do the same to anyone who causes us that level of stress.”

Wainuiomata Indoor Sports Club stands accused of finally having pushed Donnelly over the edge, though club owner Calena Hura denies any wrongdoing. The principal of Wainuiomata, Rob Mill, blames the motel management (as Hura does).

So, how does the community fight back: people threaten to stay at the motel for a week!