Australia & the Pacific attractions

The largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the most famous sporting venues in Australia, Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is more than a Melbourne landmark. The legendary stadium has hosted the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, the annual Boxing Day Test Match, and Australian Football League (AFL) Grand Final.

Although otherworldly in appearance, the Pinnacles Desert is 100 percent on planet Earth. Located north of Perth along the Indian Ocean's Coral Coast in Nambung National Park in Western Australia (WA), this vast sandy expanse is filled with towering limestone pillars. The site makes for a popular day trip from Perth since it is only a few hours' drive away. The desert is a popular natural attraction covering an area of 470 acres (190 hectares) within the 43,211-acre (17,487-hectare) Nambung National Park. Roughly 250,000 visitors come from all over the world to see the yellow sand with the iconic limestone pillars jutting out. Despite its inhospitable appearance, the desert and surrounding area which includes white sand dunes and the Indian Ocean are home to a wide variety of native plants, animals and birds.

Paddington is an upmarket suburb of eastern central Sydney that’s famous for its heritage terraced houses with attractive wrought-iron balconies and fences, as well as boutiques and fine dining. The Saturday Paddington Markets stretch along the main road, Oxford Street, and are a popular place to find local arts, crafts, and fashion.

One of Sydney’s top attractions, Darling Harbour boasts fine-dining restaurants, a shopping center, one of the largest IMAX cinema screens in the world, and two entertainment staples for families: SEA LIFE® Sydney and WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo. Extend your visit into the evening to view the city lights reflected on the water.

The liquid heart of Perth, the Swan River touches many of the city’s neighborhoods on its way to the Indian Ocean. The river passes through the Swan Valley wine region, Perth’s Central Business District and affluent suburbs, and the port city of Fremantle, and there are lots of recreational opportunities on the banks and in the water.

Wentworth Falls is a charming town located in the Blue Mountains Heritage Site about 60 miles (100 kilometers) west from Sydney. Known for its eponymous waterfalls, the town has a number of walking and hiking trails, picnic and BBQ areas, a well-preserved Aboriginal site, and a charming downtown with historic buildings and gourmet coffee shops.

The Margaret River region is Western Australia’s food, wine, surfing, and leisure playground. It’s also one of the most scenic and lush regions in the state, graced with a mix of coastline, forest, vineyards, and farmland. Wine-loving visitors have more than 140 Margaret River wineries to choose from—its vintages are compared to those of Bordeaux in France—and the area also attracts surfers, whale watchers, spelunkers, and beachgoers to its nearby coastal landscapes.

In the shadows of Sleeping Giant Mountain in the Nausori Highlands, the Garden of the Sleeping Giant is a horticultural paradise, bursting with flowers, lily ponds, and lush rain forest. Founded in 1977 by actor Raymond Burr, it’s now one of Nadi’s most popular attractions and home to more than 2,000 varieties of orchids.

Positioned on a headland in The Domain park, Mrs Macquarie’s Chair is a sandstone bench offering spectacular Sydney Harbour views. Hand-carved by convicts in 1810 as a viewpoint for the then Governor’s wife—Mrs Elizabeth Macquarie—it now features on most Sydney visitor bucket lists.

The Nobbies Centre on Phillip Island features educational displays, a cafe, a children's play area, and a gift shop. Overlooking Seal Rocks, the center’s network of boardwalks also offer a front row seat to Australia’s largest fur seal colony and the impressive sea cave known as the Blowhole.

The Yarra River winds its way through Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD) plus a number of suburbs. In the city, bars, restaurants, and parks thrive along its banks, bringing locals and tourists together. Numerous festivals and sporting events take place on the Yarra, including the famous Moomba Festival and rowing regattas.

From Naseby and Ranfurly in the east to Cromwell and Arrowtown in the west, Central Otago is a sprawling alpine landscape known for winemaking and natural beauty. Spanning more than 3,800 miles (9,900 square kilometers) but with only 18,000 residents, this isolated, historical part of New Zealand is a great escape from the urban jungle.

Off the coast of Queensland, the UNESCO-listed Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system. The portion called Hardy Reef is perhaps the most popular with visitors thanks to its postcard-perfect Heart Reef—which, true to the name, is heart-shaped.

Hawke’s Bay is a large bay in the eastern North Island, as well as the name of the region in which the bay is found. The main towns are Napier and Hastings; the two are often just referred to as Napier-Hastings. Hawke’s Bay is famous for its quality wine and the 1930s architecture.

A moving reminder of Australia’s harrowing history, the former convict settlement of Port Arthur was a key part of often brutal convict discipline within the colonial system. Today, the Port Arthur historic site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Tasmania’s most visited tourist attraction, with museums and memorials devoted to telling the area’s history.

Located on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, Great Otway National Park is a lush area of forests, waterfalls, and windswept coastline. Whether you want to hike for an hour or several days, enjoy panoramic views from an historical lighthouse, bike through fern gullies, gaze at picture-perfect waterfalls, or seek out glowworms, there’s a lot to do here.

The Brisbane River winds its way through the heart of the city, from the neighborhoods of South Brisbane all the way to Moreton Bay. The river is also a center of local life, and residents and visitors alike enjoy the many waterfront parks and landmarks, riverside walks, and sightseeing cruises.

Less than 30 minutes from Hobart, amid the lush vineyards of the Coal River Valley, historic Richmond village is among the most picturesque in Tasmania. Lined with elegant Georgian buildings and presided over by the much-photographed Richmond Bridge, it’s also an important piece of Tasmania’s colonial heritage.

The vineyard-filled Yarra Valley is a popular destination for food and drink enthusiasts, and the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie & Ice Creamery offers the chance to cleanse your palate with some sweet treats. Watch chocolatiers at work, join a chocolate-making class, sample (and buy sumptuous chocolate and cakes, or enjoy a full meal.

Enjoy the peace and tranquility of forests, gullies, and green spaces in Auckland Domain, a 185-acre (75-hectare) escape from the frantic Queen Street crowds. Get lost on a nature walk, admire the tropical plants at the Wintergarden, and marvel at the history on display at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

Vaitape is the biggest—and only—real town on the island of Bora Bora. It’s where most people start their vacation on the island and is home to all the essential services.

An explosion of color and one of the biggest Hindu Temples in the Southern Hemisphere, Nadi’s Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple is a feast for the eyes. Featuring ornate carvings of Indian deities and striking ceiling frescoes, the temple is one of the few places outside of India where you can see traditional Dravidian architecture.

The Rotorua area boasts dozens of lakes, but Lake Rotorua is larger, deeper, and older than its neighbors. Geologists believe that Rotorua, the second-largest lake on the North Island, dates back more than 200,000 years, while most of the region’s other waterways were created by the Tarawera eruption of 1886.

Belvedere Lookout is a scenic viewpoint awarding views of Cook's Bay, Opunohu Bay, Mt. Rotui and the fertile Opunohu Valley with its many pineapple plants, craggy peaks and gentle slopes. It’s a great place to visit simply to take in the views or to get a bit of outdoor exercise in.

Federation Square, just across from Flinders Street Station, is Melbourne's beating heart and favorite meeting spot. Numerous city events take place here throughout the year, making it a must-visit attraction for all travelers. The square is surrounded by many bars and restaurants, and is home to the Ian Potter Centre, an Australian art museum.

Located in the heart of Melbourne, St. Paul’s Cathedral is the only neo-Gothic building among a sea of modern structures in Federation Square. Built between 1880 and 1931 to commemorate the location of Melbourne’s first Christian service back in 1836, St. Paul’s features the 2nd-tallest Anglican spire in the world.

Queensland’s Barron Gorge National Park extends from the town of Lake Placid, and the surrounding lowlands, all the way to the high Atherton Tableland. The area—which is full of beautiful forests, waterfalls, gorges, and wildlife—is easily accessible from the city of Cairns and is one of the most popular outdoor areas in the region.

Built in 1880 to connect Queenstown with the Southland gold fields, the Kawarau Suspension Bridge is still actively used—though now for a very different reason. This bridge, standing 141 feet above the mighty Kawarau River, is the home of Queenstown bungee jumping and draws many keen jumpers worldwide every year.

Kings Cross is Sydney’s late-night entertainment hub. Although the area has begun to shed its rakish reputation—thanks to the emergence of many trendy cafés and bars—it’s still considered the red-light district of Australia. Kings Cross is well-policed at night, but visitors are encouraged to shed their inhibitions before visiting.

Located in the bushlands of Mornington Peninsula, Moonlit Sanctuary is a wildlife conservation park that is home to native Australian wildlife, including koalas, wallabies, kookaburras, and dingos. The sanctuary is most famous for its night tours, which allow visitors to see nocturnal pythons, feathertail gliders, quolls, and more.