Treasures Of The Tropical Seas

From the Sydney Opera House to Bondi Beach, man and Mother Nature contribute in equal measure to this splendid city.

At 23 miles long and 72 square miles in area, Moreton is the third-largest sand island in the world. It is part of a sand barrier system that includes the larger Fraser Island, and separates Moreton Bay from the Coral Sea about 27 miles north of Brisbane. Moreton Island National Park encompasses 98 percent of the island, where visitors flock to experience activities such as “sand-tobogganing” down the slopes of 920-foot Mount Tempest, the highest stable coastal sandhill on earth. They also enjoy fishing, kayaking, surfing and snorkeling over the Tangalooma Wrecks offshore. Tangalooma is the largest of four small towns on the island’s west coast. It was an active whaling station from 1952 until 1962. There are no roads on Moreton Island, so visitors get around by 4WD vehicles or ATVs. A popular site to visit is the picturesque red-and-white Cape Moreton lighthouse, built in 1857 and Australia’s oldest.

The 74 Whitsunday Islands are Australia’s tropical marine playground, scattered along the Queensland coast inshore from the Great Barrier Reef. Airlie Beach is the resort hub for exploration of the islands, the reef and the tropical forests of the region. Activities abound, from snorkeling on the reef, spectacular flight tours, fishing excursions to treks along the coastal cliffs with breathtaking views. Whitehaven Beach, a picturesque five-mile strand of pure white silica sand, is among the world’s most beautiful and famous beaches, its swirling offshore sandbars shining through the clear, aquamarine waters. Airlie Beach is a town dedicated to leisure and relaxation, with abundant boutiques, restaurants and cafes offering alfresco dining. It is a place in which to enjoy Australia’s tropical pleasures in the same casual, fun-loving style the Aussies employ.

The unofficial capital of North Queensland, Townsville is tucked inside the Great Barrier Reef in the northern tropics. Its municipal beach, The Strand, is consistently rated among Australia’s cleanest. Take a ferry to Magnetic Island, an unspoiled UNESCO World Heritage Site just offshore, or visit the Billabong Sanctuary wildlife reserve.

A friendly city, loved by residents and popular with tourists. More than just a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns offers plenty to do.

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.

Timor is a large, curved island tucked among the Lesser Sunda Islands in the Sunda Sea. The island is divided, as it has been for centuries, with the western half a province of Indonesia and the eastern side an independent nation of Timor-Leste. In the past, these segments were colonies of the Dutch (West) and Portuguese (East). After gaining its independence from Portugal, East Timor was invaded by Indonesia, and descended into 25 years of resistance and war to gain its present state. There are 11 distinct local languages spoken by various ethnic groups on the island. The official languages of East Timor are Tetum and Portuguese. The city’s old colonial section is located near the waterfront, and contains some impressive Portuguese-style buildings including the old Market Hall, now used as a Congressional Centre. Points of interest for visitors include a very good Resistance Museum tracing the struggles of the Falintil insurgents, as well as some examples of indigenous crafts such as textiles, woven mats and pottery. Outside of town, on the Cape Fatucama headland, is a large statue of Cristo Rei, with wonderful views over the sea and the surroundings. One of the island’s best beaches, the Jesus Backside Beach, is located just under the statue. Another display, known as Chega! (Stop!) is housed in the Timor-Leste Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation, an old prison. Timor is renowned for the indigenous textiles and baskets of its various ethnic groups, which you will likely find for sale in the city’s markets and galleries.

One of 17,000 islands in Indonesia, Komodo Island is famous for its bright blue waters, steep sloping hills, and the four thousand giant lizards who call the island home.

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.

Beautiful Bali is everything you imagine it will be; humbling temples, tranquil lakes, traditional villages, idyllic sands and thriving paddy fields.

Ternate is the largest city in the Indonesian province of North Maluku and an island in the Maluku Islands. It was the capital of the former Sultanate of Ternate and de facto provincial capital of North Maluku before Sofifi on the nearby coast of Halmahera became the capital in 2010.

Bitung is the busy port for Manado on the island of Sulawesi. Like other Indonesian ports, it’s interesting just to see what sorts of ships turn up in the port. The narrow strait between Bitung and the island of Lembeh is famous for its colorful sea life, particularly smaller species such as nudibranchs, miniature seahorses and so forth. Manado has ample evidence of its Dutch colonial history, but many visitors are drawn to the remarkable nature preserves such as Tangkoko, where achingly cute, saucer-eyed tarsiers and endangered crested black macaques are the main attractions, along with toucan hornbills. The village of Airmadidi has remarkable carved stone sarcophagi dating from the pre-Christian Minahasan culture.

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.

Coron is the largest town on Busuanga island in the province of Palawan. The town and the islands just offshore are a magnet for visitors seeking crystal-clear waters, fascinating sea life and no fewer than ten well-preserved shipwrecks from WWII. Coron Island is a popular choice, with numerous spectacular snorkeling sites, including Siete Pecados, the Twin Lagoons and Atuwayan Beach. One interesting phenomenon here is a reverse thermocline, with the water being warmer at depth, where it is heated by the volcanic activity that lurks beneath the islands, and cooler nearer the surface. One place where this is dramatically evident is at Busuanga Island’s Maquinit Hot Springs, one of the very few saltwater hot springs in the world. A visit here should include a dip in the spa-like set of pools that vary in temperature from hot to cooler.

The port of Manila is the largest and most important in the archipelago. The city of Manila proper, which boasts the densest population in the world, is really only the center of a larger urban cluster called Manila Metro, housing over 12 million people. Most visitors will be attracted to the oldest section, called Intramuros, to see Spanish colonial architectural icons such as the Manila Cathedral or the ancient San Agustin church. The city’s Binondo neighborhood is the oldest Chinatown on earth, predating the arrival of the Spanish in the mid-18th Century. Rizal Park, in the area called Ermita, is home to many museums, themed gardens and other notable sights. An overnight stay will enable you to enjoy the renowned Manila sunset along the Baywalk, and also leave time for a visit to the important historical site of Corregidor Island in Manila Bay, the site of an Allied surrender in World War II, and then the triumphant return of General Douglas MacArthur to the Philippines.

There are actually 124 islands in this Philippine National Park, and they are the remnants of an ancient coral reef, exposed by lowering sea levels and eroded into fanciful mushroom shapes. Now covered with vegetation, they make a pleasing maze through which to thread in a small boat, either for snorkeling or to watch for some of the many forms of wildlife including crab-eating macaques, civets, dolphins, occasional dugongs and a number of sea turtle species.

From the exceptional views across its famous harbour to the sizzling dishes in its glamorous restaurants, you’re sure to fall in love with Hong Kong.