Page 26 - Tropic Magazine Issue 223

TROPIC • COVER STORY

TOP TRIPS FOR 2021 Don’t miss swimming with wild,
inquisitive sea lions whose comical
Coral Expeditions takes guests to antics are a highlight of visiting this
some oft he world’s most beautiful remote archipelago.
and remote regions of Australia, Next visit March 2021,
the Asia-Pacific, and the Indian Coral Geographer
Ocean islands. Here they have
shortlisted 15 highlights, in no
particular order. 3 Trobriand Islands,
Papua New Guinea
Strung across the Solomon Sea east
of mainland Papua New Guinea, the
four main islands of the Trobriand
Islands are home to around 12,000
Melanesian people who retain strong 6 Avenue of Baobabs,
cultural traditions little-changed for Madagascar
hundreds of years. Lining a dirt road on the outskirts
of Morondava, the Avenue of the
Don’t miss lively and colourful
1 Alphonse Islands, Seychelles dances. Trobianders are fiercely proud Baobabs is one of Madagascar’s most
The Alphonse Atoll is one of three of the skill of their dancers and the famous attractions.
extraordinarily beautiful islands (St beauty of their elaborate traditional Don’t miss viewing the magnificent
Francois and Bijoutier Islands are the finery. trees at sunrise or sunset.
other two) in the southern Seychelles.
Next visit September 2020, Next visit February 2021,
Don’t miss the slow-moving giant Coral Adventurer Coral Geographer
tortoises grazing on grass or foraging
amongst low foliage.
Next visit January 2021,
Coral Geographer

4 Sulawesi, Indonesia 7 Port Davey, Tasmania
The mountainous island of Sulawesi Port Davey and adjacent Bathurst
is Indonesia’s fourth largest and has a Harbour in southwest Tasmania
diverse culture, intriguing history and are one of the world’s great
abundance of wildlife. wilderness areas and part of a
2 Raft Point, Kimberley, Don’t miss the ancient hanging burial World Heritage Area.
West Australia sites of Torajaland, where wooden Don’t miss viewing one of the
Raft Point is home to an extraordinary effigies keep watch last habitats of the seriously
rock art gallery and is located on one
of the world’s most remote coastlines Next visit Various dates in 2020 & 2021, endangered orange bellied parrot,
which migrate from Victoria to
Coral Adventurer
where there are no roads and towns,
with the only access by sea. breed each year.
Next visit January to March each
Don’t miss learning about the spiritual year, Coral Discoverer
significance of Indigenous rock art
through a guided interpretive tour with
a traditional owner.
Next visit April to August each year
Coral Adventurer, Coral Discoverer,
Coral Geographer
5 Abrolhos Islands,
West Australia
An archipelago of 120-odd low-
lying islands and coral reefs off 8 Triton Bay, West Papua,
West Australia’s mid-north coast, Indonesia
the Abrolhos Islands are home to a Triton Bay cuts a swathe into the
population of inquisitive sea lions. ‘neck’ of West Papua’s Bird’s Head
peninsula and is renowned as a

26 • Tropic • Issue 23