Pacific Islands & Oceania

Ranked · where to go & why

The Top 20 in Pacific Islands & Oceania

Overwater bungalows on impossible lagoons, the Great Barrier Reef, alpine adventure and the world’s warmest island cultures. Here is the Pacific & Oceania, ranked.

1. 1Bora Bora, French PolynesiaThe overwater-bungalow icon — a turquoise lagoon under Mount Otemanu, the honeymoon of honeymoons.
2. 2Sydney, AustraliaExplore →One of the world’s great harbour cities — the Opera House, Bondi, and a launchpad to all of Oz.
3. 3Queenstown, New ZealandExplore →The adventure capital of the world — bungee, ski and hike amid the Southern Alps and Lake Wakatipu.
4. 4Fiji300+ islands of soft-coral diving, kid-friendly resorts, and the Pacific’s most genuine warmth (“bula!”).
5. 5Great Barrier Reef, AustraliaThe largest living structure on Earth — snorkel and dive the world’s most famous reef from Cairns or the Whitsundays.
6. 6Milford Sound & Fiordland, NZSheer cliffs and waterfalls plunging into a glacier-carved fjord — New Zealand at its most epic.
7. 7Moorea & Tahiti, French PolynesiaJagged green peaks, ray-filled lagoons and Polynesian soul — Bora Bora’s laid-back neighbours.
8. 8The Cook Islands (Aitutaki)One of the planet’s most beautiful lagoons — barefoot, friendly, and gloriously under-the-radar.
9. 9Uluru & the Red Centre, AustraliaThe great monolith glowing at sunset — the spiritual heart of Aboriginal Australia.
10. 10Great Ocean Road, AustraliaA cinematic coastal drive past the Twelve Apostles, surf beaches and koala forests.
11. 11Rotorua & the Bay of Islands, NZGeothermal wonders and living Māori culture, plus subtropical island sailing up north.
12. 12PalauA diver’s dream — the Rock Islands, Jellyfish Lake, and WWII wrecks in glass-clear water.
13. 13New CaledoniaA French-Pacific blend wrapped in the world’s largest lagoon (a UNESCO site).
14. 14Tasmania, AustraliaWild coastlines, the boundary-pushing MONA museum, and some of Australia’s best food and air.
15. 15SamoaPolynesia at its most authentic — the To Sua ocean trench, beach fales, and Sunday-to-aga calm.
16. 16VanuatuHike to a roaring active volcano, dive a WWII wreck, and meet living “kastom” culture.
17. 17TongaOne of the few places on Earth you can swim alongside humpback whales (Jul–Oct).
18. 18Kangaroo Island & Adelaide, AustraliaFree-roaming wildlife and cellar-door wine country — South Australia’s easygoing gem.
19. 19Lord Howe Island, AustraliaA UNESCO paradise capped at 400 visitors — pristine, car-light, and impossibly green.
20. 20The Solomon IslandsFrontier diving over WWII wrecks and reefs — remote, raw Pacific adventure.

Curated by TravelWell, in the spirit of the great travel guides. Linked picks open a full guide + Safety Card; more are being added.