South Pacific Explorer & Antarctica

Papeete is the spirited, slightly ragged capital of French Polynesia — not the languorous paradise of travel-poster imagination, but a working harbour city of fresh produce markets, baguette bakeries, and Tahitian outrigger canoe clubs that provides an authentic counterpoint to the pearl-still lagoons of Bora Bora and Moorea nearby. The daily Marché de Papeete is the city's essential experience, its stalls piling high with vanilla pods, monoi-scented oils, black pearls, and the most exuberant floral arrangements in the Pacific. Moorea, visible across the Sea of the Moon and just 30 minutes by fast ferry, offers a dramatically quieter alternative. The dry season, May through October, brings the finest weather.

Anaa, French Polynesia, French Polynesia is a distinctive port city where deep cultural heritage meets authentic local atmosphere, featured on itineraries by Seabourn. Must-do experiences include exploring the vibrant local markets for regional specialties and fresh seafood, and discovering the waterfront quarter where maritime heritage meets contemporary energy. The optimal time to visit is May through October, when cooler dry months offer the most comfortable conditions for exploration.

Toau Atoll is an exquisitely remote coral ring in French Polynesia's Tuamotu Archipelago, home to fewer than thirty residents and a lagoon of supernatural turquoise clarity. Visitors should snorkel the nutrient-rich passes to encounter manta rays and reef sharks, feast on fresh poisson cru with local families, and surrender to the unhurried rhythms of atoll life. The dry season from May to October offers the most settled weather conditions.

Fakarava is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve atoll in French Polynesia's Tuamotu Archipelago, offering some of the world's most spectacular diving — including drift dives through shark-filled passes — and pristine pink-sand beaches. Must-dos include diving the Garuae "wall of sharks," visiting a black pearl farm, and stargazing from an uninhabited motu. April through November brings the driest weather, with June and July featuring the legendary grouper spawning.

Pitcairn Islands, Pitcairn is a distinctive port city where deep cultural heritage meets authentic local atmosphere, featured on itineraries by Azamara. Must-do experiences include walking the historic center to experience the layered architectural heritage, and seeking out the regional culinary traditions at a locally favored establishment away from the port area. The optimal time to visit is October through April, when warm weather and extended daylight create ideal conditions.

Ducie Island is an uninhabited coral atoll in the remote Pitcairn Islands group, harboring over a million breeding seabirds — including the world's largest Murphy's petrel colony — in near-pristine isolation over 5,000 kilometers from any continent. Must-dos include observing the vast seabird colonies from a Zodiac, snorkeling the crystal-clear lagoon reef, and contemplating the atoll's poignant role in the global plastic pollution narrative. Accessible only by expedition cruise, best visited November to April.

Easter Island — Rapa Nui to its Polynesian people — stands as one of the most remote and compelling destinations on Earth, a volcanic outpost 3,700 kilometres from the nearest continental shore, its hillsides and coastline populated by nearly 900 monumental stone moai whose purpose and method of construction remain the subject of ongoing fascination. The UNESCO-listed Rapa Nui National Park encompasses the island's most significant archaeological sites, including the quarry of Rano Raraku and the ceremonial platform of Ahu Tongariki. November through April brings the warmest, driest conditions for exploring this extraordinary living testament to Polynesian civilisation.

The Juan Fernández Archipelago is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve 670 kilometers off Chile's coast, with an endemism rate rivaling the Galápagos — over sixty percent of plant species found nowhere else on Earth, including the critically endangered Juan Fernández firecrown hummingbird. Must-do experiences include hiking through endemic fern forests, tasting the prized Juan Fernández rock lobster, and exploring the island that inspired Robinson Crusoe. December through March offers the driest weather for island exploration.

San Antonio, Chile, Chile is a distinctive port city where deep cultural heritage meets authentic local atmosphere, featured on itineraries by Seabourn. Must-do experiences include walking the historic center to experience the layered architectural heritage, and seeking out the regional culinary traditions at a locally favored establishment away from the port area. The optimal time to visit is April through October, when warm weather and extended daylight create ideal conditions.

Puerto Montt is the gateway to Chilean Patagonia, where the Pan-American Highway ends and a landscape of volcanoes, fjords, and the UNESCO-listed wooden churches of Chiloé island begins. Visit October through March via Seabourn or Viking for Osorno Volcano reflections, king crab at the Angelmó market, and the Lake District's Germanic towns that serve classical concerts with volcano-and-lake views.

Darwin is Australia's tropical Top End capital, where sixty-five thousand years of Indigenous heritage meets extraordinary multiculturalism, saltwater crocodiles, and gateway access to Kakadu's ancient rock art. Must-do experiences include the Mindil Beach Sunset Market, swimming beneath Litchfield's waterfalls, and viewing twenty-thousand-year-old Aboriginal paintings at Ubirr. May through October's Dry season offers clear skies and outdoor market culture.

Caleta Tortel is a unique Patagonian village built entirely on wooden boardwalks winding through cypress forest at the confluence of Chile's Baker and Pascua rivers, with no streets or roads within the settlement. Must-dos include walking the eight-kilometre boardwalk network, boat excursions to the Jorge Montt Glacier, and sampling fresh king crab pulled from the fjord. Visit November through March for the driest conditions and longest days along the Carretera Austral.

Pio XI Glacier, Chile is a spectacular maritime passage celebrated for its dramatic natural scenery and wildlife encounters, featured on expedition itineraries by Seabourn. Travelers should position themselves on open decks with quality binoculars for the best viewing experience, and take advantage of Zodiac excursions when conditions permit. The optimal season is November through March, when mild temperatures and long days favor unhurried exploration.

Ella is a serene hill-country village in Sri Lanka's tea-covered central highlands, famous for the spectacular Colombo-to-Badulla railway, the iconic Nine Arch Bridge, and panoramic hiking trails. Must-dos include riding the highland train, touring a tea factory, and hiking Little Adam's Peak for 360-degree mountain views. January through March and July through September offer the clearest weather between monsoon seasons.

El Brujo (The Sorcerer) Glacier descends from the Northern Patagonian Ice Field into a narrow Chilean fjord, its blue-white face calving icebergs into turquoise waters surrounded by sub-Antarctic beech forest inhabited by Magellanic woodpeckers and the world's smallest deer. Must-do experiences include Zodiac cruising among icebergs, watching glacier calving events, and observing the fog-and-light interplay that inspired the glacier's mystical name. November through March offers the mildest conditions for this remote Patagonian fjord.

Punta Arenas is Chile's southernmost continental city and the historic gateway to the Strait of Magellan, Antarctica, and Tierra del Fuego. Visitors should not miss savouring fresh centolla king crab at a waterfront restaurant and taking a boat excursion to the Magellanic penguin colonies at Tucker Islets. The best time to visit is during the austral summer from November through March, when temperatures are mild, daylight stretches past ten in the evening, and expedition cruise schedules are at their peak.

The Antarctic Experience encompasses expedition cruising along the Antarctic Peninsula, where towering icebergs, glacier-carved channels, and vast penguin colonies create one of Earth's most profound travel encounters. Must-dos include zodiac landings at penguin rookeries, cruising the mirror-calm Lemaire Channel, and watching humpback whales feed in krill-rich waters. December and January offer near-continuous daylight, the warmest conditions, and peak wildlife activity during the austral summer.

The Antarctic Experience encompasses expedition cruising along the Antarctic Peninsula, where towering icebergs, glacier-carved channels, and vast penguin colonies create one of Earth's most profound travel encounters. Must-dos include zodiac landings at penguin rookeries, cruising the mirror-calm Lemaire Channel, and watching humpback whales feed in krill-rich waters. December and January offer near-continuous daylight, the warmest conditions, and peak wildlife activity during the austral summer.

The Antarctic Experience encompasses expedition cruising along the Antarctic Peninsula, where towering icebergs, glacier-carved channels, and vast penguin colonies create one of Earth's most profound travel encounters. Must-dos include zodiac landings at penguin rookeries, cruising the mirror-calm Lemaire Channel, and watching humpback whales feed in krill-rich waters. December and January offer near-continuous daylight, the warmest conditions, and peak wildlife activity during the austral summer.

Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, is a captivating blend of history, vibrant culture, and natural beauty, making it a unique port of call in Argentina. Must-do experiences include savoring local delicacies like centolla and exploring the breathtaking landscapes of nearby Los Glaciares National Park. The best time to visit is during the summer months of December to March, when the weather is mild, and the scenery is at its most stunning.