From Cairns to Darwin · Asia · 10 nights
Launched in 2023, Scenic Eclipse II is Scenic’s second discovery yacht, bringing an almost identical design with some key enhancements.
Scenic’s second ocean ship builds on the technological advances
of the original Scenic Eclipse, and features a new sun deck pool
and a larger submarine. As on board Scenic Eclipse, you can expect
spacious suites, a fantastic range of dining options, and an
indulgent spa.
Cairns is a buzzing tourist hub, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. A snorkelling trip out to the reef is the most obvious excursion to take here, but other options include riding the Skyrail cableway over the rainforest canopy or swimming in the croc-free saltwater lagoon.
Lizard Island is one of six islands that makes up Lizard Island National Park, part of the Great Barrier Reef, and was named by Captain Cook due to the large number of yellow-spotted monitor lizards here. The island is also home to more than 100 bird species, and it’s a great location for snorkelling.
Cape York is the northernmost point in mainland Australia, with Papua New Guinea just 80 miles away on the other side of the Torres Strait. More than 30 different aboriginal languages are spoken on the Cape York Peninsula, and the region is incredibly biodiverse, home to dozens of endemic species.
Thursday Island is one of the Torres Strait Islands, situated to the north of Cape York. Proximity to Papua New Guinea makes for an interesting cultural mix, and the island has a fascinating military history. Be aware that swimming off the beautiful beaches is not recommended due to the presence of crocodiles and marine stingers.
The Asmat people of West Papua are one of Indonesia’s most fascinating indigenous groups, notorious in the past for their cannibalism and headhunting, a practice said by some to have persisted as recently as the 1990s. The Asmat are also known for their magnificent wood carvings, and their cultural traditions remain strong in the face of encroaching modernity.
The protected marine reserve of Triton Bay rivals Raja Ampat as one of Indonesia’s premier locations for snorkelling and scuba diving. The biodiversity here is remarkable, with species ranging from pygmy seahorses to mighty whale sharks, and it’s also a nesting site for green turtles.
The Kai Archipelago, part of the Maluku islands, is known for its idyllic beaches. The ancestors of the Kai people are believed to have come here from Bali, but there is no written history, with an oral tradition of stories known as Tom-Tad that are passed down from generation to generation.
More of a large town than a city, Darwin is less about what’s contained within the city limits and more about the huge expanse of wild landscape that’s outside it. Closer to Jakarta than Sydney, the city really does feel remote in its tropical perch.
