Nearby Continent Hopping

Australia is a land that remains very much to itself. The Great Dividing Mountain Range runs north and south along the east coast, causing much of the area to be desert because of lack of rain. This desert region is known as the Outback. The most striking feature of the continent is the Great Barrier Reef, which is the longest coral reef in the world. Australia is the sixth largest country in the world and located entirely below the Equator. The sea separates it from any real "neighbors." Thus, it is known as the "Island Continent." However, those nearest to Australia are New Zealand (1800 miles away) and Papua New Guinea (100 miles away).

Papua is in the eastern section of New Guinea, while Indonesia is the western part. Mostly primitive, the natives of the Papua New Guinea area, until recently, were mostly headhunters. Today, Papua New Guinea is known as the "Land of the Unexpected" and is a popular tourist attraction, with many species of orchids and exotic birds being found in the area.

Cruises and flights to the South Pacific include Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. Highlights of a visit to Papua New Guinea might include a cruise along the Sepik River and trips to the Highlands near Goroka and Mt. Hagen. Micronesian tribes perform some of their ceremonial dances for tourists to the area. Papua New Guinea offers the traveler lush tropical rainforests and hotels reminiscent of its plantation past. Also, the best coffee and tea in the South Pacific is grown in Papua New Guinea.