From up-close encounters with furry marsupials in Australia to the kaleidoscopic marine life of the Pacific, you will connect with a world here that you might otherwise only know through the narration of David Attenborough. While cities and resorts are dotted across the region the best feature is nature. You can swim with whale sharks in West Australia; hike through jungle to swim under a waterfall in Fiji; or be awed by snow-capped mountains and deep fiords of New Zealand.

New Zealand may be the capital of adventure sports where bungee jumping, zorbing and extreme skiing are just a few of the activities on offer, but the wider Pacific has plenty to offer those who want to test their mettle. There’s world-class surfing, snorkelling and diving but how about hiking to crumbling sacred statues in the jungle, swimming with whales, trekking to the top of a volcano, rappelling down a waterfall or kayaking to forgotten beaches? And in Australia and New Zealand you can undertake a long-distance walking trail (roughing it, or on a softer mattresses-and-sherpa-guides tour), as well as mountain-biking, rock-climbing and parachuting.