Arrive in Brisbane and transfer to your hotel. Join the group this evening for a welcome briefing to meet your fellow travelers.

Have breakfast at the hotel before heading to the airport for your flight to Honiara, once a key U.S. supply depot and strategic World War II site. Tour the city's outskirts to visit significant locations from the Battle of Guadalcanal (1942–1943). Explore the shores of Red Beach and the crucial airbase at Henderson Field. Visit the hills above Honiara, the site of intense battles, before boarding the National Geographic Orion.

On the tiny isle of Owaraha (formerly known as Santa Ana), you are greeted with a traditional dance performed by villagers in elaborate costumes, body paint, and masks. Walk across the small island to Nafinotoga to see Spirit Houses containing the skulls and bones of ancient chiefs of the Snake Clan and the Turtle Clan.

Take advantage of a full day at sea to settle into the relaxed pace of life on board. Watch for marine life from the deck, study the route on the navigational charts, and attend talks by the experts.

Captain James Cook named the islands of Vanuatu the New Hebrides because it reminded him of the rugged isles off Scotland’s coast. On the main island of Espiritu Santo, experience one of the best wrecks dives in the world: the S.S. President Coolidge, a luxury cruise liner used as a troop carrier during World War II, experience the Matevulu Blue Hole, a jewel-blue freshwater source surrounded by jungle.

Ambrym is known for its active volcanoes, black-sand beaches, and mystery and magic. Arrive ashore to witness the striking Rom dance, traditionally a secret event. Involving incredible masks and elaborate outfits that represent spirits, this is a cultural experience specific only to this island.

Arrive on Moso Island to experience some of the most incredible marine life in the South Pacific. There is an exceptional range of pristine soft and hard corals, reef fish, and pelagics. Search for turtles, eagle rays, and cowtail rays via diving, snorkeling, or glass-bottom Zodiac. A range of marine mammals like dolphins and dugongs are sometimes seen.

On Tanna Island, visit the friendly community in Port Resolution in the shadow of Mount Yasur. Experience some of the local traditions and dances, as well as locally made handicrafts.

Relax on deck as you make your passage from Vanuatu to Fiji or attend talks by the expert expedition and photo teams.

More than 300 islands make up the remote volcanic archipelago of Fiji, where you spend three days exploring. After entering the large lagoon of Beqa, come ashore at the lovely Lawaki Beach House, a rustic resort and beautiful place to spend the day. Take a boat ride and hike across the island to a local village. Taste local fruits and snorkel off the beach in the beautiful Beqa Lagoon. Sample the strong, local kava made for special celebrations.

Taveuni, Fiji’s third largest island, is known as “The Garden Island” for its rich vegetation, which includes several species found nowhere else in the world. Head inland to discover the waterfalls of Bouma National Heritage Park and search for species such as orange fruit doves, endemic silktails, fantails, and parrots. Visit the village of Waitabu to meet the local people, taste locally harvested fruits and prepared baked goods, and to see a dance performance by some of the local, talented children.

Join the ship’s naturalists for a beautiful scenic hike to see some of the incredible vistas and the rich variety of birdlife on the islands of Kadavu. Explore a lovely village or snorkel and dive Fiji’s Great Astrolabe reef, which is rich in marine life. Enjoy a quiet exploration of the sheltered lagoon by diving, snorkeling, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, or by glass-bottom Zodiac.

Disembark in Lautoka this morning. Take a tour of western Viti Levu Island then transfer to the international airport at Nadi for flights home or choose to extend your stay and check in to your hotel. Breakfast and lunch are included today; dinner is on your own