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Itinerary - In Brief
Itinerary - Detailed
Day 1:
Nadi / Lautoka, Fiji
Lautoka is the sugar city, surrounded by azure Pacific Ocean on one side and green-gold sugar cane on the other. Disembark for a visit to the original village of Fiji, Viseisei, where you’ll take part in a traditional Kava ceremony and be treated to local song and dance. Tour the delicate orchids of the Garden of the Sleeping Giant before boarding the Spirit of Oceanus.
Day 2:
At Sea
Soak up the majesty of a tangerine sun as it blazes over the horizon. Absorb the expertise and camaraderie of those around you and enjoy some downtime.
Day 3:
Ambrym Island, Vanuatu
You haven’t experienced Ambrym until you’ve taken part in the powerful and mysterious Rom dance. Feel the ground tremble beneath you as dancers sporting colorful masks and head-to-toe cloaks made of dried banana leaves pound giant carved wooden ‘tam tams’ into the ground—the rhythmic stomping and chanting will leave you mesmerized. Ambrym is also steeped in a rich history of sorcery—explore its seething active lava lakes, eerie mist-shrouded jungle and jagged black moonscape and you will quickly understand why. Here you will also find some of the best woodcarvings in the Pacific.
Day 4:
Tikopia, Solomon Islands
You’ll have to get on your hands and knees and crawl if you want to approach one of the four clan chiefs residing on Tikopia, where villagers have tremendous pride in their customs. As a result, little has changed over time. Men catch flying fish with nets shaped like tennis rackets and women wear tapa cloth skirts and cook in communal ovens. Explore craft markets and village huts, built low to the ground and curved to deflect strong winds. Enjoy dance performances and a hike to “Te Rota,” a mountaintop crater lake.
Day 5:
At Sea
More time to relax onboard and learn more about upcoming island visits.
Day 6:
Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands were the site of the 6-month Guadalcanal Campaign during the Pacific War in 1942-1943. Many relics are still found scattered both on land and sea. Visit the battlefields of Bloody Ridge and Henderson Field or explore a sunken Japanese freighter with mask and snorkel. It’s difficult to believe that Guadalcanal’s white-sand beaches and sparkling, clear lagoons were once the site of fierce fighting.
Day 7:
Santa Isabela Island, Solomon Islands
Travel by inflatable excursion craft several miles up an inlet to the village of Kia (watching your ship’s wake for flying fish!) and follow a trail to the village center, once home to headhunters. Watch as women make tapa cloth from the bark of the paper-mulberry tree and color it pale blue with a dye of crushed orchid leaves. At night, water sparkles with phosphorescence under stilted thatched-roof huts.
Day 8:
At Sea
As you cross the Equator and sail between islands, Exploration Leaders and other experts will brief you on the natural history and cultures you’ll visit in the following days.
Day 9:
At Sea
As you cross the Equator and sail between islands, Exploration Leaders and other experts will brief you on the natural history and cultures you’ll visit in the following days.
Day 10:
Pohnpei, Island FSM
Let the mist of a rushing waterfall cool your face as you traverse the tropical forest of Pohnpei, teeming with over 40 species of birds, reptiles and deer. Visit the ancient ruins of Nan Madol (“the Venice of the Pacific”), said to be over 700 years old. Savor an authentic hot lunch—served on a giant leaf—keeping your eyes peeled for the endemic Pohnpei fantail and flycatcher in the trees above.
Day 11:
At Sea
Enjoy a relaxing day at sea as we cruise between islands. Your Exploration Leaders and other experts will brief you on the natural history and cultures of upcoming islands.
Day 12:
Tonoas, Chuuk
Chuuk (also known as Truk), fringed in mangroves in a picturesque lagoon, was the center for the Japanese Navy during World War II. Snorkel around a sunken Japanese destroyer, or explore the remains of the battle known as Operation Hailstorm.
Day 13:
Satawal Island, Yap
Some of the most renowned sailors in the Pacific live on Satawal Island, traveling phenomenal distances in outrigger canoes, navigating by the stars and the ocean’s waves. Visit their village and feel the energy and rhythm of a traditional dance. One-of-a-kind canoe houses dot the shore and underwater, a snorkeler’s paradise awaits.
Day 14:
Ifaluk, Yap
The approximately 650 inhabitants of Ifaluk are some of the most traditional of all the Eastern Caroline Islands. As you make your way by inflatable excursion craft from the ship to the island, you are greeted by singing villagers, adorned in shell necklaces, exotic flowers and colorful body paint. Experience your first ceremonial dance before taking a plunge into Ifaluk’s shallow lagoon, brimming with tropical fish and vivid sea fans.
Day 15:
Gafarut Atoll, Yap
This tiny atoll is only 0.2 miles long! While its sliver of white-sand beach is barely visible above water, its isolation makes it a perfect sanctuary for hundreds of nesting frigates, boobies, noddies and terns, including the elegant fairy tern. The snorkeling just off the atoll is spectacular.
Day 16:
Guam, US
A morning tour introduces you to the southernmost of the Mariana Islands. First visited by Magellan in 1521, Guam’s culture has a significant Spanish influence: notice the colorful mastizas worn by the women and in the architecture of the southern villages.
Day 17:
Guam / Home Cities
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
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