South Pacific, a specialist cruise ship visit to five nations in Oceania, May 2019

Holidays
An 18 day voyage east to west across the south-west Pacific aboard the MV Island Sky with Noble Caledonia, a company specialising in operating smaller cruise ships which are able to sail to locations that larger ships can't.

The voyage began at Lautoka in Fiji, calling at one of the Yasawa Islands (Fiji) and then to five destinations in both Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands and three in Papua New Guinea.

The trip ended at Cairns, Australia where there was a coach tour with time to explore the area before many of the passengers, including myself, boarded flights to Singapore and then on to London.

Itinerary

[Map]DateCountryDestinationActivitiesPhotosMovies
4 MayUKHong KongFt BA031 18:40 (BA A380) 12h0m.
5 MayHong KongNadiFt FJ392 16:55 (A330) Fiji Airways 10h10m
6 MayFijiDenarau, FijiLanded 0705, coach to Sofitel Beach Hotel, Denarau, slept most of day.
17 MayFijiSightseeing tour around LautokaLunch, temple, local village, hilltop view, 4pm on board.click
28 MayFijiBusali Bay, Yasawa islandsTrip to swim in a cave pool. Afternoon: Lecture by JL.click
9 MayAT SEAHeading for VanuatuVarious lectures on boardclick
310 MayVanuatuPort Vila (emergency change of plan). 1) Custom village 2) Waterfall cascade pool swimclick
411 MayVanuatuPort HavannahFeles cave visit, village dancing. Afternoon: Moso Island (turtle rescue)clickclick
512 MayVanuatuPentecost IslandVisit Londot village then watching land diving (Nanggol) in pouring rainclick
613 MayVanuatuEspiritu SantoNekar village (water music), Riri Blue Hole swim, snorkel Million Dollar Pointclickclick
714 MayVanuatuRah Island (Banks Islands)Stayed on board today due to ankle injury, Ureparapara islandclick
815 MaySolomon IslandsVanikoro Island (Santa Cruz group).Stayed on board again to keep dry.click
916 MaySolomon IslandsSanta AnaAM: Lecture (JL). PM: Ghupuna village then crater lake walkclick
1017 MaySolomon IslandsHoniaraMorning town tour. Afternoon: Walkabout, library then internet cafeclickclick
1118 MaySolomon IslandsTetepare IslandFolklore demo, coconut crabs, jungle walk & turtle taggingclick
1219 MaySolomon IslandsMarovo LagoonMbili village, garlands, dancingclick
20 MayAT SEAHeading towards eastern PNGVarious lectures and presentations on board.click
13,1421 MayPNGFergusson Island and DobuThermal springs and culture. Afternoon: Dobu island, snorkel treat!click
1522 MayPNGMainland and Suau Island (alternative)Zodiac trip up mangroves, Suau Island (snake and possum).clickclick
23 MayAT SEAHeading for CairnsVarious onboard lectures.
1624 MayAustraliaCairnsCoach tour, Palm Cove, Botanic Gdns, lunch then airport.click
24 MayAustraliaSingaporeFt MI814 18:15 Cairns-Singapore Silkair 737 6h50m.
25 MaySingaporeLondonFt SQ306 0110 Singapore-London Singapore Airlines B777 13h0m.