Cairns is the majestic entrance to Australia's Great Barrier Reef. This warm, tropical destination is located in Far North Queensland. Must-see attractions in Cairns include the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, which educates tourists about indigenous peoples, and restaurant and bar-dotted Cairns Esplanade, which has a lagoon for swimming.
São Tomé Island, the larger of the two islands in São Tomé & Príncipe, offers travelers a balance of culture, history, and dramatic natural scenery. Its capital, São Tomé city, is a coastal hub filled with colonial architecture, lively markets, and a welcoming atmosphere.
Lifou Island, the most populous of the Loyalty Islands in New Caledonia, is a flat, former coral atoll with abundant vegetation and surrounded by secluded coral reefs which many say offer some of the best snorkeling in the world.
New Caledonia is an archipelago located in the south western part of the Pacific Ocean, and belongs to what is known as Melanesia. The mainland known as the "Grande Terre" is the principal island of New Caledonia and covers an area of 400 kms north to south and 50 kms west to east, with a total surface of 19 000 square meters. It is the third largest island in the South Pacific after New Guinea and New Zealand.