Komodo & the Australian Coast

Bali really is as alluring as everyone says. This island, slightly bigger than Delaware, has it all: beaches, volcanoes, terraced rice fields, forests, renowned resorts, surfing, golf, and world-class dive sites. But what sets Bali apart from other nearby tropical destinations is Balinese tradition, and villagers dedicated to celebrating it. The hundreds of temples, dances, rituals, and crafts linked to their ancient Hindu faith aren't a show for tourists, but a living, breathing culture in which visitors are warmly received by the Balinese, who cherish their own identities.

Lombok's beaches and coastal villages are comparatively undeveloped and the locals, while friendly, are relatively indifferent to tourists. Although the destination is inevitably compared with its better-known neighbor, Bali, the island differs physically, culturally, linguistically and historically. The indigenous Islamic Sasak people make up 90 percent of the population and, though they appear to live amicably with the Balinese minority, there is occasional animosity, which is not surprising given that a lot of the economic advantages of increased tourism have eluded the native Sasak.

The spectacular volcano of Mt Rinjani dominates the mountainous north of the island and is a popular four-day trek for locals and tourists alike. To the south are the central plains, which contain the most productive agricultural areas as well as the major conurbation on the west coast, an amalgamation of the towns of Ampenan, Mataram, Cakranegara and Sweta. Further south again, beyond a range of low inland hills, are the sweeping bays and pure white sands of the southern beaches, all of which can be explored from Kuta (not to be confused with Bali's Kuta), the main resort town of southern Lombok and surfing Mecca of the island.

Several groups of islands lie off the Lombok northwest coast, the best known being the three Gili Islands - Trawangan, Meno and Air - which have been popular for many years with backpackers seeking a simple lifestyle of sea, sun and sand. However, they are now becoming more widely discovered and as a result more expensive.

The city of Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory, presides loftily over the top end of Australia. Set on a rocky peninsula that stretches into one of the most beautiful natural harbours on the north Australian coast, the city is surrounded by water on three sides, which allows it to be fanned by cool breezes that temper the tropical heat and humidity of its climate.

Darwin has survived destruction three times: the city was hit by a cyclone in 1893; it was then bombed by the Japanese in 1942 during World War II; and more recently, in 1974, Cyclone Tracy levelled the city on Christmas Eve. It is a tribute to the pioneering spirit of its cosmopolitan population of 87,000 that it has not only overcome these calamities, but gone on to thrive.

The city is compact, and the areas of most interest to tourists are easy to explore on foot. The tropical climate encourages outdoor living and simply strolling through the leafy streets, browsing art galleries and enjoying refreshments at sidewalk cafes, is a pleasure for visitors. Shady parks can be found behind busy shopping streets and are a delight with exotic flowering trees like frangipani, banyan and tamarind.

Darwin is a youthful, tropical city, small enough to feel friendly and relaxed, and a great travel hub for exploring the incredible natural wonders on the city's doorstep.

The cosmopolitan, colourful city of Cairns, in far north Queensland, is a tourist hub and the gateway to two of the world's most awesome World Heritage Sites, the Great Barrier Reef and the 110-million-year-old Daintree Rainforest.

Cairns started life as a small fishing encampment, which received an injection of prosperity in the 19th century when gold was discovered to the north and tin and timber began to be exploited in the nearby Atherton Tablelands. The harbour and fishing operations increased in importance, and tourism arrived in the early 20th century when marlin fishing became popular, and the world discovered the delights of exploring the Great Barrier Reef.

Aided by its pleasant, warm climate, the relaxed tropical town has now become a frenzied international tourism centre, flooded with visitors most of the year, its streets lined with souvenir stores, eateries and some first class hotels. The harbour is clogged with streamlined pleasure boats, and the offshore islands bristle with resorts. To cater for tourists the city fathers have even created a man-made salt-water lagoon and sandy beach on the Esplanade to replace the original muddy swamp that crowned Trinity Bay.

To holiday in Cairns is to holiday in a city that has a mission to make tourists as happy as possible. Facilities and fun recreation opportunities are excellent, and the city is a relatively inexpensive destination. Anyone who enjoys a sunny beach holiday should travel to Cairns, where the magnificent man-made lagoon offers safe swimming all year round, the sunshine guarantees a suntan, and there are plenty of shops, restaurants and nightclubs to indulge in. A Cairns holiday is also popular among young adventure tourists, with pursuits like scuba diving, skydiving, and ballooning on offer. And, of course, the Great Barrier Reef is just a hop and a skip away.

With a magnetic charm and dozens of fabulous attractions and golden sandy beaches, this laid-back little town oozes with character and takes pride in being the unofficial capital of Queensland. Townsville is located on the shores of Cleveland Bay and with views of the picturesque and idyllic Magnetic Island in the distance it's not hard to see why people are so strongly drawn here.

Townsville played an active role in World War II, when American and Australian troops were stationed here during the Pacific campaign. Japanese bombs were even dropped in the harbour in 1942, but thankfully there was very little damage to the coastal city. Today an army of local and international tourists visit, drawn to the year-round good weather and varied attractions to suit any inclination.

Take a trip to the magnificent Magnetic Island to explore the National Park, or take the plunge and do some reef diving to discover the famous Yongala Wreck or Great Barrier Reef to the east. Back on land go on a 4x4 trip into the Outback to the west, marvel at the magnificently verdant tropical rainforests dotted with waterfalls to the north, or visit the mango and sugar cane farms to the south.

With numerous restaurants and bars, wonderful shopping opportunities and a quiet cosmopolitan feel, Townsville has something for everyone, though it should be noted that saltwater crocodiles are present in all swimming locations here, including the beach, so caution should be exercised in the water.

Airlie Beach is a coastal locality in the Whitsunday Region of Queensland and is a popular area to access the Great Barrier Reef. A popular location for cruise ships Airlie Beach is a popular location not only because of the fantastic lagoon and many wonderful traditional Australian pastimes, but also its perfect location for access to both the Whitsunday Islands as well as the Great Barrier Reef.

Sydney is Australia's most popular tourist hotspot, luring millions of holidaymakers every year with the promise of sun, sand, merry-making and culture. It is slick and smart, the streets are clean, the parks sublime, the water in the huge harbour bright blue, and the landmark buildings breathtaking. Sydney's population is approaching five million, but it is easy to leave the frenetic urban pace behind with just a simple ferry ride to the North Shore for a bush walk, or a stroll along the harbour beaches, or any one of a number of daytrips to explore the 'real' Australia on the city's doorstep.

Just like its characteristic white-sailed Opera House, Sydney seems to cruise effortlessly through nights and days filled with myriad entertainment opportunities, sophisticated shopping, memorable museums, and strings of beautiful beaches. It can be exhausting to take it all in, even though the tourist precinct where most of the interesting attractions are to be found is concentrated in quite a small area around the downtown waterfront and harbour.

The fact that Sydney is a thriving seaport and industrial city has been cleverly concealed behind attractive pleasure and leisure grounds and residential suburbs, making full use of the scenic, watery geographical location. The harbour area is dominated by the span of one of the world's largest arched bridges, backed by towering skyscrapers.

Another plus for visitors is that, compared to most big cities, Sydney offers excellent reasonably priced food, accommodation and public transport. The city also has an efficient suburban rail network, with its hub at Circular Quay in the city centre, while full use is made of the waterways with ferries and passenger jet boats plying to and from various points.

To the north of Sydney is the Pacific Coastal route, which passes beautiful coastal scenery, laid back seaside communities like Byron Bay, and excellent surf, with nearly 249 miles (400km) of beaches to explore. Whale watching is popular in season and the region is also dotted with numerous national parks and nature reserves that offer plenty of hiking trails and kayaking in the Myall Lakes. The Waterfall Way, which winds up to the New England Tablelands, is one of the most scenic drives in the world, taking in the vineyards of the famed Hunter Valley. To the south of Sydney is Australia's only alpine habitat in the Snowy Mountains, where winter skiing is the main attraction. In summer, the mountains become a playground for whitewater rafters, fishermen, kayakers and hikers, making Sydney a great travel hub.