Fast travel, honest guides, and the places nobody else writes about
Three trips. Fourteen countries. A lot of flights, some genuinely beautiful islands, a few that are best described as an acquired taste, and one that has a mandatory outdoor silence every evening at 6:45pm. Here are my honest hot takes on every Pacific nation.
I flew 11 different airlines to complete every country in Oceania. Some were great. Some were genuinely chaotic. Here’s the definitive ranking, from worst to best, based totally on personal experience.
Papua New Guinea’s tribal festivals – the Mount Hagen Festival and Goroka Show – are unlike anything else on earth. Here’s what to expect, how to book, and why it’s worth every bit of effort to get there.
New Zealand is marketed almost exclusively to hikers. I am not a hiker. Here’s how to have an incredible time in New Zealand – Queenstown, Christchurch, Milford Sound, and Auckland – without a single trail, a single boot, or a single moment of pretending to enjoy walking uphill.
Tonga and Samoa are two of the most underrated islands in the Pacific, and you can visit both in three days if you plan it right. Here’s the honest itinerary, including the Fiji layover nobody warns you about and why whale season changes everything.
Getting to Tuvalu takes planning, a Fiji connection, food planning, and a very clear understanding of what doesn’t run on Sundays. Here’s everything I learned from 48 hours on the world’s least visited atoll.
Known as one of the most extreme train journeys in the world, the Mauritania iron ore train carries you 700km across the Sahara in an open freight cart, powdered ore beneath you, a vast desert sky above, and absolutely nothing between you and one of the most breathtaking sunrises on earth. This is the complete guide to riding it: what to pack, what to expect, and the things nobody tells you before you board.
Timor-Leste is Southeast Asia’s least visited country – and one of its most fascinating. The first new country of the 21st century, with untouched beaches, the world’s most biodiverse reef, and logistics that will test your patience. Here’s everything you need to know before you go.