New Caledonia, Vanuatu & Solomon Islands
Island-hopping across Melanesia from Auckland to the Solomons
From temperate Auckland to the tropics of Melanesia, this thirteen-night voyage island-hops across the South Pacific, calling at cultures and coastlines few travellers ever reach. Aboard the boutique SH Minerva you begin at lonely Norfolk Island, with its convict history and towering pines, before the turquoise lagoons of New Caledonia’s Isle of Pines and Lifou. In Vanuatu you meet living tradition at its most vivid, from the volcanic islands of Ambrym to the land-divers of Pentecost, and swim at idyllic Champagne Beach. Finally the Solomon Islands unfold, remote and reef-fringed, ending at Honiara on Guadalcanal. It is a journey through some of the warmest cultures and richest reefs on earth.
Itinerary highlights
Island-hop across the South Pacific from Auckland to the Solomon Islands over thirteen nights.
Call at remote Norfolk Island, with its convict-era heritage and famous pines.
Swim the turquoise lagoons of New Caledonia's Isle of Pines and Lifou.
Witness living Melanesian tradition in Vanuatu, from Ambrym's volcanoes to Pentecost's land-divers.
Relax at idyllic Champagne Beach and snorkel vibrant reefs.
Explore the remote, reef-fringed islands of the Solomons, ending at Honiara on Guadalcanal.
Travel aboard the boutique SH Minerva with an expert expedition team.
Island-hopping across Melanesia from Auckland to the Solomons
From temperate Auckland to the tropics of Melanesia, this thirteen-night voyage island-hops across the South Pacific, calling at cultures and coastlines few travellers ever reach. Aboard the boutique SH Minerva you begin at lonely Norfolk Island, with its convict history and towering pines, before the turquoise lagoons of New Caledonia’s Isle of Pines and Lifou. In Vanuatu you meet living tradition at its most vivid, from the volcanic islands of Ambrym to the land-divers of Pentecost, and swim at idyllic Champagne Beach. Finally the Solomon Islands unfold, remote and reef-fringed, ending at Honiara on Guadalcanal. It is a journey through some of the warmest cultures and richest reefs on earth.
Itinerary highlights
Island-hop across the South Pacific from Auckland to the Solomon Islands over thirteen nights.
Call at remote Norfolk Island, with its convict-era heritage and famous pines.
Swim the turquoise lagoons of New Caledonia's Isle of Pines and Lifou.
Witness living Melanesian tradition in Vanuatu, from Ambrym's volcanoes to Pentecost's land-divers.
Relax at idyllic Champagne Beach and snorkel vibrant reefs.
Explore the remote, reef-fringed islands of the Solomons, ending at Honiara on Guadalcanal.
Travel aboard the boutique SH Minerva with an expert expedition team.
What's Included
- 13 nights aboard SH Minerva in an en-suite stateroom or suite
- One included shore excursion at each port of call
- Zodiac cruises and expedition activities with the expedition team
- All meals aboard; selected wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
- Snorkelling and Zodiac cruising with the expedition team where offered
- Onboard gratuities and Wi-Fi
- Programme of expert lectures and briefings; use of onboard facilities (pool, hot tubs, sauna, gym)
What's Included
- 13 nights aboard SH Minerva in an en-suite stateroom or suite
- One included shore excursion at each port of call
- Zodiac cruises and expedition activities with the expedition team
- All meals aboard; selected wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
- Snorkelling and Zodiac cruising with the expedition team where offered
- Onboard gratuities and Wi-Fi
- Programme of expert lectures and briefings; use of onboard facilities (pool, hot tubs, sauna, gym)
Thank you
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Every journey I plan starts with a conversation. Tell me what excites you, what you've always dreamed of experiencing, and I'll craft something extraordinary. The best expeditions begin with a single question: What would make this unforgettable for you?
Ashley | Expedition Planner
FAQs
Australia’s Norfolk Island, then New Caledonia (Isle of Pines and Lifou), Vanuatu (Port Vila, Ambrym, Pentecost, Champagne Beach and Tegua) and the Solomon Islands (Lata, Santa Ana and Honiara). It is a genuine Melanesian island-hopping expedition.
Vanuatu is the star: the volcanoes and sand-drawing of Ambrym and, above all, the naghol land-diving of Pentecost, a ritual that inspired the modern bungee jump. Kanak culture in New Caledonia and custom dancing in the Solomons add to the richness.
Yes, from Auckland to Honiara, so you fly into New Zealand and home from the Solomon Islands. International flights are not included.
Superb: the lagoons of the Isle of Pines and Lifou, Champagne Beach on Espiritu Santo, and the reefs of the remote Solomon Islands all offer excellent swimming and snorkelling.