Lautoka to Auckland

New Zealand is our goal and there are plenty of islands to hop between along the way. Leaving Lautoka and its bustling markets in our wake, we wave goodbye to Fiji and indulge in a lazy day at sea before arriving in Vanuatu, where the powdery soft sands of Champagne Bay beckon. Then it's onto Port Vila, capital of Vanuatu. From a walk in the rainforest to buying handicrafts at the local market, you’ll find plenty of ways to make memories here. The uninhabited Mystery Island follows, which is so small that you can stroll along its entire shoreline in as little as 40 minutes. Yet, all too soon, we’ll be off again to Lifou, the largest of the Loyalty Islands in the nation of New Caledonia. Could there be a better example of the castaway island than this remote palm-topped hump of coral, kissed by clear seas? It’s the very picture of a tropical paradise. Noumea, capital of this island chain, comes next, adding French bistros and chic shopping in the mix with yet more gorgeous powder sands. Now we have some serious sailing to do, but you can just watch the world go by as we spend two days at sea bound for the Bay of Islands, rich in nature, before arriving in cosmopolitan Auckland on New Zealand’s North Island, where there are natural and cultural treasures to discover.