The South Pacific and Australasia by yacht
This is French Polynesia's lagoons, Fiji's villages, the Great Barrier Reef and New Zealand's green coasts. The tropical islands are best from about May to October, New Zealand in the southern summer. It suits honeymoons and families.
The South Pacific is the furthest most people will ever sail: lagoons in French Polynesia, villages and reefs in Fiji, and remote island nations further west. Australia and New Zealand add the Great Barrier Reef, the Kimberley and green, cool fjords. The southern seasons run opposite to Europe's. Most of the islands are at their best in the southern winter, and Australia's and New Zealand's southern coasts in the southern summer.
Where to go
- French Polynesia. Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora and the Tuamotu atolls. Lagoons and passes, and a classic honeymoon voyage.
- Fiji. The Mamanuca and Yasawa islands, Taveuni's soft corals, and village visits. Easy with a family.
- Australia. The Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef, the Kimberley's wilderness, and Sydney Harbour at New Year.
- New Zealand. The Bay of Islands, the Hauraki Gulf, the Marlborough Sounds and Fiordland.
- Papua New Guinea (page to follow). Remote islands, diving and village cultures.
- The Solomon Islands (page to follow). Second World War history, lagoons such as Marovo and Vonavona, and villages.
- Vanuatu (page to follow). Volcanoes, villages and blue holes.
- New Caledonia (page to follow). Lagoons on UNESCO's World Heritage list.
- The Cook Islands (page to follow). Rarotonga and Aitutaki.
When
The tropical islands are cruised mostly from about May to October. November to April is the South Pacific's tropical cyclone season, and in French Polynesia the wet season.
Where | Best months | Suits |
|---|---|---|
About May to October, the drier season | Honeymoons, and divers in the Tuamotus' passes | |
About May to October, outside the cyclone season | Families: short passages and village visits | |
The Whitsundays all year, most comfortably from about April to October; the Kimberley in the dry season, roughly April to September; Sydney in the southern summer | Families in the Whitsundays; adventure in the Kimberley; New Year in Sydney | |
The southern summer | Couples and families who like the outdoors: wine, walking, the fjords | |
Vanuatu | About May to October | Volcanoes, villages and blue holes |
The Solomon Islands | About May to October | Second World War history, lagoons and villages |
Papua New Guinea | Ask us about the month you have in mind | Remote islands, diving and village cultures |
New Caledonia | Ask us about the month you have in mind | Lagoons on UNESCO's World Heritage list |
The Cook Islands | Ask us about the month you have in mind | Rarotonga and Aitutaki |
The yachts
The yachts we show in the South Pacific and Australasia cruise the Pacific for a season, so the same hulls appear on several pages. We arrange crewed yachts here and look across the market for every enquiry, among the yachts based in each country and those passing through. The yachts on this site are a selection, not the limit of what we arrange: ask about any yacht, of any size. What a week costs, item by item, is in what a crewed charter costs, line by line.
Not sure where?
Rene Gaspersic, charter broker
Tell us the month, how many of you there are and what the trip is for. We tell you honestly which islands are in season, and come back with yachts that fit.
Email info@soretoyachting.com · Phone +44 7342 933198 · WhatsApp +44 7342 933198
→ Enquire: two short steps. "Not sure yet" is an answer.
What a week costs here
Every quote shows the three lines in full, before you decide.
The weekly rate on each yacht’s page. "From" is her lowest season.
An advance for fuel, food, drinks and berths, spent on your instructions and settled at the end.
Set by the country the charter starts in, added to the fee.
Plan
The South Pacific and Australasia.
Two short steps. Dates and budget can stay loose. We reply personally, by email, phone or WhatsApp.