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| Day 1 |
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Depart on Your Flight to Fiji
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Depart the U.S. on your flight to Fiji.
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| Day 2 |
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Cross International Dateline
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Cross the International Dateline and “lose” a day during your flight.
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| Day 3 |
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ARRIVE IN NADI, FIJI * EMBARK SHIP
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Arrive Nadi, Fiji, where you will be met and accompanied to your individual day room at a hotel to freshen up after your flight. Enjoy the morning at leisure and lunch on your own. In the afternoon tour highlights of the island including Lautoka, the “Sugar City,” surrounded by the green-gold sugar cane and pine trees and the blue Pacific Ocean. Centuries-old banyan trees and colonial residences line Mill View Road. Later in the afternoon, embark on the Spirit of Oceanus to sail at sunset and have dinner aboard. D Spirit of Oceanus
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| Day 4 |
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DAY AT SEA
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As you cruise between islands, your Exploration Leader and other experts will brief you on the cultures and the natural environments you will encounter on your trip. Take advantage of the leisure time, make use of the ship’s facilities, and enjoy sunset over the South Pacific. B/L/D Spirit of Oceanus
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| Day 5 |
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AMBRYM ISLAND, VANUATU
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Ambrym, an island in the Vanuatu archipelago, is a primeval world of seething active lava lakes, ancient tree ferns, eerie mist-shrouded jungles and jagged black moonscapes. The island is dominated by two volcanoes, Mt. Marum and Mt. Benbow. The 80 islands of Vanuatu, home to a kaleidoscope of cultures and more than 100 indigenous languages, has been independent since 1980. The people of Ambryn are steeped in a rich history of magic and sorcery. They also practice traditional crafts such as making tam-tams, sand drawings, and tree fern carvings, and are known for Rom Dance, a vigorous ritual dance accompanied by the pounding drums. Anchor offshore and board inflatable craft for a visit to the local village, where you’ll meet with the chief and a medicine man, and will have opportunity to purchase handicrafts. B/L/D Spirit of Oceanus
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| Day 6 |
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TIKOPIA, SOLOMON ISLANDS
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The culture of the Tikopians, descended from the voyaging Tongans, differs from that of their neighbors. The island is actually part of the British Solomon Islands, yet culturally and linguistically Tikopia is classified with Western Polynesia. Tikopia is a small, volcanic island, about six square miles in size, and home to approximately 2,000 people. The Solomon Islands, long known for their fierce headhunting tribes, have remained isolated until recently. Tikopia, in particular, is home to a remote society that has changed little over the years. Women wear traditional tapa cloth skirts and cook in communal ovens. Men chew betel nuts and catch flying fish with airborne nets resembling tennis rackets. There are no cars on the island. The people are still ruled by four clans, each with a chief who may only be approached by crawling. It’s a fascinating place with a colorful history. Explore the craft markets and see the village huts, built low to the ground and curved to deflect strong winds. Enjoy dance performances and a hike to “Te Rota,” a mountaintop crater lake. B/L/D Spirit of Oceanus
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| Day 7 |
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DAY AT SEA
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More time to relax onboard and learn more about upcoming island visits. B/L/D Spirit of Oceanus
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| Day 8 |
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GUADALCANAL, SOLOMON ISLANDS
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Today go ashore on Guadalcanal, the largest of the Solomon Islands and home to its capital and largest city, Honiara. The Solomon Islands were relatively unexplored until World War II, when their strategic position was valued by both sides. This single island and its airfield were the focal point of the 6-month Guadalcanal Campaign in 1942-1943, a turning point in the Pacific War. Many relics are still found scattered on land and sea. The sites on and around Guadalcanal include Bloody Ridge, Henderson Field—now the Solomons’ international airport—and the Western and Eastern Battlefields. The fierce fighting that took place here left the land and sea littered with relics. Visit the battlefields or explore a sunken Japanese freighter with mask and snorkel. It’s difficult to believe that Guadalcanal’s white-sand beaches and sparkling, clear lagoons were once the site of fierce and prolonged fighting. B/L/D Spirit of Oceanus
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| Day 9 |
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SANTA ISABELA ISLAND, SOLOMON ISLANDS
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Thatched houses on Santa Isabela are built on stilts over tranquil lagoons. All transport is by outboard or dugout canoe, and there are crocodiles in the many deep rivers. Parrots and eagles soar over tropical groves and coral reefs, and at night the water sparkles with phosphorescence. Travel by inflatable excursion craft several miles up an inlet. Then follow a trail to the village of Kia, watching your ship’s wake for flying fish! The rich history of these islands includes a legacy of matrilineal inheritance, developed during headhunting days when women were usually spared but men were not. During your visit to Kia, see a traditional dance performance and shop for handicrafts made by local artisans. Watch as women make tapa cloth from the bark of the paper-mulberry tree and color it pale blue with a dye of crushed orchid leaves. B/L/D Spirit of Oceanus
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| Day 10 |
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DAY AT SEA
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As you cross the Equator and sail north toward Pohnpei, Micronesia, your Exploration Leaders and other experts will brief you on the natural history and cultures you’ll visit in the following days. B/L/D Spirit of Oceanus
NOTE: The Federated States of Micronesia comprise Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap, four island states of more than 600 tiny islands and atolls that together stretch 1,800 miles across the Pacific. It is a region of many languages and distinct cultures, traditions and histories. The common language, widely spoken and understood, is English. You will visit islands in three of the Federated States over the next several days. |
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| Day 11 |
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DAY AT SEA
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As you cross the Equator and sail north toward Pohnpei, Micronesia, your Exploration Leaders and other experts will brief you on the natural history and cultures you’ll visit in the following days. B/L/D Spirit of Oceanus
NOTE: The Federated States of Micronesia comprise Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap, four island states of more than 600 tiny islands and atolls that together stretch 1,800 miles across the Pacific. It is a region of many languages and distinct cultures, traditions and histories. The common language, widely spoken and understood, is English. You will visit islands in three of the Federated States over the next several days. |
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| Day 12 |
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POHNPEII * NAN MADOL
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Visit Pohnpeii, the largest and tallest island in the Federated States of Micronesia. The rainfall on its peaks creates more than 40 rivers that feed the lush upper rainforest and create rushing rivers, tranquil pools and spectacular waterfalls. Your Exploration Leader will help you find the many species of birds, which include the endemic Pohnpei fantail and Pohnpei flycatcher. Visit the ruins of Nan Madol, the “Venice of the Pacific,” which was once home to the ancient Saudeleur kings. This city with its ocean-filled channels was built on 100 artificial islets, complete with canals and bridges. During the day you’ll also savor an authentic lunch, served on a giant leaf. B/L/D Spirit of Oceanus
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| Day 13 |
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DAY AT SEA
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Enjoy a relaxing day at sea as we cruise westward toward other islands in the FSM. B/L/D Spirit of Oceanus
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| Day 14 |
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TONOAS ISLAND, CHUUK (FSM)
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The many islands within the huge atoll of Chuuk are beautiful to behold. The outer barrier reef is punctuated with sand spits dotted with coconut palms; the high islands in the central lagoon rise dramatically into the blue sky. Life in the lagoon is close to nature, tied to the land and especially to the sea. Fishing, weaving and tending gardens occupy many islanders, as does boat-making and carving. The area was a Japanese naval center during World War II, and the vast, shallow Truk Lagoon is a major shipwreck diving destination. You will have a chance to visit the village, where residents will share their traditional dances and handicrafts. You may also snorkel around a sunken destroyer or explore the remnants of the battle known as Operation Hailstorm. B/L/D Spirit of Oceanus
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| Day 15 |
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SATAWAL ISLAND
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Some of the most renowned sailors in the Pacific live on Satawal Island, traveling amazing distances in outrigger canoes, navigating by the stars and the ocean’s waves. The island is home to one of Micronesia’s most legendary figures, master star navigator Mau Pialug. He was responsible for starting the revival of traditional Polynesian voyaging 20 years ago. Visit their village where these mariners live, and examine the giant canoe houses that now dot the shore. Go diving or snorkeling on the island’s reef, or take a nature walk and perhaps see the Caroline reed warbler and other native species of birds. B/L/D Spirit of Oceanus |
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| Day 16 |
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IFALUK
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The approximately 650 inhabitants of Ifaluk are some of the most traditional of all the Eastern Caroline Islands. As you make your way by inflatable excursion craft from the ship to the island, you are greeted by singing villagers adorned in shell necklaces, exotic flowers and colorful body paint. Through vivid and colorful ceremonial dances, the people of Ifaluk record their history and pass down their legends. Witness the artistry of these dances before taking a plunge into Ifaluk’s shallow and breathtakingly beautiful inner lagoon, its reefs alive with tropical fish and vivid sea fans. B/L/D Spirit of Oceanus
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| Day 17 |
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GAFARUT ATOLL
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The tiny, shimmering atoll of Gafarut is only 0.2 miles long! While its sliver of white-sand beach is barely visible above water, its isolation makes it a perfect sanctuary hundreds of nesting frigates, boobies, noddies and terns, including the elegant fairy tern. Just a few steps offshore, this uninhabited atoll offers great snorkeling. If you are lucky, you may see some of Yap’s many manta rays. B/L/D Spirit of Oceanus
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| Day 18 |
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DISEMBARK * GUAM TOUR
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Disembark on the island of Guam, the westernmost territory of the United States. Its ancient history and rich cultural heritage are evidence by the many sites listed on the National Register, and the strong Spanish influence is seen in the architecture and styles of clothing. Enjoy a tour of Guam that includes the Plaza de España, the Isla Center for the Arts, and the War in the Pacific National Historic Park. Then check into the Westin Resort and have the rest of the day at leisure, perhaps to enjoy one of the beaches that offer gleaming white sand and clear, calm waters for swimming or snorkeling. B Westin Resort (5-star)
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| Day 19 |
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TRANSFER TO AIRPORT * ARRIVE HOME
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Transfer to the airport for your flight home. B
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