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

Australian customs pushes foreigners on porn

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Tourists and business travelers are getting annoyed with the Australian government. Hey, nobody likes airport security and customs employees in any country, but this time, the Aussies have just gone too far. In an attempt to pacify fundamentalist Christians in the country, the authorities decided to target porn.

And hilarity ensued.

According to TechEye, “[S]ince that would not go down well with your average Aussie, they decided only to scare the hell out of foreigners coming into the country.”

Basically, porn is only bad if it’s carried by foreigners. Australian-carried skin flicks are good to go. There’s no indication of whether the fundamentalists weighed in on this. But, it’s safe to assume that it really is the foreigners that make porn bad, not the locals.

So, how can you get busted for toting the collected works of Seka down under? First, you’re asked to ‘fess up on the landing cards. And, they want to know how you’re bringing your nightlife substitute porn into the country: computer, camera or phone. The risks associated with lying are high, TechEye notes: “The risk for a tourist was that if a border patrol sniffed their computer and found boobies they could be deported, or fined on the spot.”This is pretty much where the hilarity kicks in:

According to the Australian Sex Party spokesman Robbie Swan, one case involved a couple on their honeymoon, who thought they had to declare naked iPhone pictures of themselves after reading the incoming passenger card.

This does sound like a pretty awesome fmylife submission … especially because the couple was forced to show the photo while in line with other people.

Unsurprisingly, the government realizes it may need to change the rules, at least because the average foreigner probably doesn’t know how “pornography” is defined under Australian law. So, they either need to show their material to someone in a face-to-face situation or rely on the ol’ Justice Potter Stewart standard, which has served the United States so well … “I know it when I see it.“

[Via The Awl, photo by lucyfrench123 via Flickr]

National Geographic expands line of adventure travel maps

by Kraig Becker on

The National Geographic Society has always been a great source for maps. Their Atlas of the World, which will see its ninth edition released this week, is almost legendary in its size and scope, and the organization’s flagship magazine has incorporated detailed and interesting maps for decades. Now, the Society has announced plans to expand its line of adventure travel maps, offering travelers far more options than are currently available.

Nat Geo Maps has been handling the map duties for the organization for more than 95 years, although their AdventureMaps line is a relatively new edition to the inventory. Those high quality products are designed to appeal to the more adventurous traveler who is looking to explore a destination independently and is more likely to be seeking out the closest national park rather than a restaurant or museum. The maps are waterproof, tear resistant,highly durable, and environmentally friendly, which makes them the perfect companion for a traveler looking to drive the backroads or hike the backcountry of their chosen destination.

Until now, the selection of those destinations has been limited to popular spots in Central America, the Caribbean, and the trekking regions of Nepal. But last week, the Society announce a major expansion to the AdventureMaps line that will see nearly 60 new destinations added to the list by 2012, with more than 30 arriving by summer of next year. New locations will include Argentina, Bali/Lombok/Komodo, Brazil, Chile, El Salvador/Nicaragua/Honduras, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and Thailand, with more countries located in Africa, the Middle East, South America, Asia, and Europe to follow.

The maps are designed from the ground up to put the information that adventure travelers need right at their fingertips. For instance, they offer insights into the terrain which they’ll be traveling through as well as points of interest relevant to their needs such as surf locations, trail heads, and dive sites, amongst others.

Expect the new maps to begin showing up in stores soon with a suggest retail price of $11.95.

On a personal note, I own several of these maps already, and I’m always impressed with how durable they are and how much information is packed into such a relatively small foot print. They really are great products and I can’t wait to check out all the new destinations that they’ll be delivering soon. If you’re planning a trip abroad, I can’t think of a better map to bring along with you.

Round-the-world: Capricorn Route trip top ten

by Alex Robertson Textor on

Later this week I’ll reflect on the ups and downs of our round-the-world trip. I’ll look at what we might have done differently as well as those elements that turned out to be particularly well conceived. In the meantime, here’s a playful top ten list of some of the best things we encountered along the way: best beach; best ice cream; best tourist trap; best breakfast; best market stall; best new subway line; best hotel arrival punch; best rough neighborhood; best flight; and best place to sharpen cupcake decoration skills.

1. Best beach: Châteaubriand Bay Beach, Lifou. The Loyalty Island of Lifou in New Caledonia certainly several incredible beaches. Châteaubriand Bay Beach is the most magnificent of these. The sand is delicate and white, the water is a mesmerizing hue, and there’s plenty of shade for those who burn easily. Locals share the beach with tourists, though in the very pleasant off-season there are few of either around.

2. Best ice cream: violet ice cream at Cutler & Co in Melbourne. The extraordinary tasting menu served at Cutler & Co was devoid of missteps. The parting shot of violet ice cream left a bold final impression. It was also the tastiest serving of ice cream of the trip.

3. Best (that is, worst) tourist trap: Île aux Cerfs, Mauritius. Everyone raves about Île aux Cerfs, an island off the east coast of Mauritius. Visitors pay 1000 rupees ($34) upfront at a tour agency in the coastal town of Trou d’Eau Douce for access to the island plus a barbecue lunch. A boat picks up tourists and deposits them at a jetty on the island, then later ferries them over to another island for a barbecue lunch. The island is packed with tourists and touts selling boat rides and parasailing adventures. Prior to development, this island was no doubt terribly beautiful–and, it must be said, it has no landscape-scarring developments even now–but it’s quite crowded for a destination where it is pretty easy to avoid masses of tourists.

4. Best breakfast: Forbes & Burton, Sydney. A potato cake under poached eggs with smoked salmon and onion jam (AUD$18) was the best breakfast of the trip, hearty and refined at once. Runner-up in the great breakfast stakes: several items on the menu at Il Fornaio in Melbourne’s St. Kilda neighborhood.

5. Best market stall: Tisanes N. Mootoosamy, Stall 244, Central Market, Port Louis. The owner’s pitch is hilarious: “There’s one herb we sell here that you can’t use until you leave Mauritius. This is the anti-stress herb, because there’s no stress on Mauritius.” The range of ailments addressed by the herbs on offer here, meant to be imbibed as tea, is broad. It includes menopause, insomnia, cellulite, and anemia.

6. Best new subway line: London Overground East London line. Opened for service in May, 2010, this new line provides a new more or less vertical south-to-north link from West Croydon to Dalston Junction. Some stations are pristine and modern and the trains are gleamingly new.

7. Best arrival punch: Oasis De Kiamu, Lifou. To be fair, this was our only welcome punch, but no matter. It’s awfully nice to be welcomed to a hotel in the tropics with a fruity drink, especially one that turns out to foreshadow well the flavorful aperitifs to come.

8. Best supposedly rough-and-tumble neighborhood: Footscray, Melbourne. I loved this neighborhood of cheap Vietnamese restaurants, a market, an excellent community arts center, and countless specialty shops, many oriented to Melbourne’s various ethnic communities. If you find yourself in Melbourne in desperate need of a grocery that sells both Fijian and Sri Lankan products, Footscray would be a safe bet.

9. Best flight: Qantas Business class Los Angeles-Sydney on the Airbus A380. This is, quite simply, one of the best business-class long-haul routes around. The seats recline completely, the food is quite nice, and there is plenty of privacy. Even the bathroom lighting is gentle. Not cheap, though completely worthwhile.

10. Best place to take a lesson in cupcake decoration: Amandine, London. One of many exciting retail venues in Victoria Park Village, Amandine is a beautiful little café that prioritizes delicious homemade cakes. It also offers fresh produce, good coffee, and free wi-fi. Inside, Amandine is bright and cheerful, like a stylish country cottage gone Boho. There’s also a back garden.

Check out other posts in the Capricorn Route series here.

Ten hot backpacker destinations

by Catherine Bodry on
Though the backpacker scene feels more hipster than hippie these days, the same formula remains: young travelers plus a small budget plus a long trip. While individuals certainly differ, the stereotype of a budget traveler toting a bedraggled pack to cheap destinations is there for a reason.

So where are the kids congregating these days? Here are our top ten backpacker locations (in no particular order):

Thailand A long-time favorite, Thailand’s low costs, relative ease of travel, and scenic beaches are obvious draws. Add to those hill tribes, jungle and elephant trekking, and some awesome grub, and you have a nearly perfect combination – which is probably why the country also hosts a number of expats.

Amsterdam Need we say anything more? Laws are loose, and for those American kids who never had the chance to experiment, the freedom is heavenly. Oh, and there are sex shows.

Guatemala Travelers learning Spanish flock to Antigua, where language schools and home stays are offered in the picturesque colonial town. Jungles, volcanoes, lakes and Mayan ruins round out the offerings.

Goa “Buddha Lounge” music drifts across Palolem Beach, an impossibly cheap swoop of sand on India’s west coast. It’s easy to drop out for a while here, renting out some small, rickety beach hut and bobbing around in the warm sea.
Nepal “Backpacking” takes on a literal meaning (as does “getting high”) when you’re trekking across the Himalayas. Long on the backpacker circuit, Nepal’s appeal is in cheap prices and natural wonders.

Bali An Indonesian island of volcanoes, jungle, beaches and, thanks to Elizabeth Gilbert, 30-something divorcees…. The backpacker hotspot here is Ubud, a smallish town in the center of the island that is a center for dance, music, and arts.

Australia Though Australia seems to churn out backpackers like Orcs from Mordor, the country itself is a sweet spot for extended travels. Big enough to explore for years, wild enough to satiate nature lovers, and warm enough for beach and surf fanatics, Australia has a broad-range appeal. Plus, the language and the culture are familiar, making it a nice introduction to travel for newbies.

Argentina Good wine, and Italian influence, a vibrant capital city, and budget prices: what’s not to appeal to a backpacker? Whether it’s club-hopping in Buenos Aires or working on an organic farm in the countryside, this South American country appeals to a spectrum of budget travelers.

New Zealand Another country that nails it all: great surfing and countless other outdoor activities, friendly folks, and the Flight of the Conchords.

Greek Islands A haven of sun, sand, and souvlaki, the Greek Islands have always been a favorite. There’s ritzy Santorini, mountainous Crete, party-time Ios, and dozens more. Take an overnight ferry, make some new friends, and party your holiday away.

[Photo Credit: Flickr user Rene Ehrhartdt]

Photo of the Day (10.16.2010)

by Catherine Bodry on

Sure, a sunset is a cliche. But really, who doesn’t love a good sunset? Especially while on vacation. If I were in this picture, I’d probably be just finishing up happy hour and daring myself to swim out to the boat to make some new friends. Alas, I’m typing this from the carpeted floor of my parents’ office, only wishing I was one of the three dipping my toes into that soft water.Thanks, Ka Wai Punahele, for this shot of Australia’s Mindil Beach.

Have any sunset photos that spark vacation envy? Post them to Gadling’s Flickr pool, and we just might choose one for our Photo of the Day feature.