19 February - At sea

20 February

Australia: Brisbane

Brisbane has plenty of shopping malls and, with great weather, a fantastic café culture. Amongst the steel and glass skyscrapers are some interesting historic buildings, and with plenty surrounding the city there’s enough on offer to make for an interesting short stay.

21 February - At sea

22 February

Australia: Airlie Beach

The lively town of Airlie Beach is backpacker central, and serves as a transport hub for the many offshore attractions of the east coast. From here you can take a trip out to snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef, or visit the stunning tropical beaches of the nearby Whitsunday Islands.

23 February

Australia: Townsville

Sunny Townsville is a great introduction that everything that Queensland has to offer, sandwiched between palm-fringed beach and rugged outback. It’s a friendly and walkable city, with a fascinating museum and an aquarium that gives you a taste of the Great Barrier Reef.

24 February - At sea

25 February

Australia: Cairns

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.

26 February to 27 February - At sea

28 February to 1 March

Australia: Darwin

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.

2 March to 3 March - At sea

4 March to 5 March

Indonesia: Benoa (Bali)

The beaches, spectacular volcanic scenery and lush green rice terraces lend Bali a natural beauty that seems to dovetail perfectly with the island’s distinct Hindu culture, which adorns the landscape with stunning temples.

6 March to 8 March - At sea

9 March

Australia: Fremantle (Perth)

The capital of Western Australia, Perth sits in glorious isolation on the shores of the Indian Ocean, where the Swan River meets the sea. Laid back and relaxed, this must be one of the most easy-going capital cities in the world, with everything within easy reach.

10 March

Australia: Busselton

Situated to the south of Perth on the west coast of Australia, the seaside town of Busselton is the gateway to the Margaret River wine region. Situated on the sandy shores of Geographe Bay, the town is best known for its remarkable wooden jetty, which stretches over a mile out to sea.

11 March

Australia: Albany

The historic port of Albany was the first European settlement in Western Australia, and the town still has plenty of photogenically faded colonial architecture. Albany sits on Princess Royal Harbour, one of the world’s best natural deep water harbours, and the surrounding coastline is spectacular.

12 March

Australia: Esperance

The town of Esperance is situated on one of Western Australia’s most beautiful stretches of coastline, surrounded by stunning beaches, crystal clear waters and scattered islands. Highlights include the nearby Cape Le Grand National Park and the Recherche Archipelago, home to the vivid pink Lake Hillier on Middle Island.

13 March to 14 March - At sea

15 March

Australia: Adelaide

Residents of Adelaide still take pride in the fact that their city was freely settled rather than founded as a penal colony, and the city traditionally had a reputation as a stuffy and pious sort of place. Adelaide has moved on, however, and these days it’s a thriving cultural hub with a superb culinary scene.

16 March

Australia: Penneshaw (Kangaroo Island)

Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third biggest island, situated to the south west of Adelaide. It’s a rural and underdeveloped place, with an abundance of wildlife and some spectacular scenery, such as the weird, weather-sculpted boulders of Flinders Chase National Park.

17 March - At sea

18 March

Australia: Melbourne

Culturally sophisticated and fashionably hip, Melbourne combines edgy street art with gold rush era architecture while offering excellent restaurants and top museums. If you have time, check out some of Victoria's other attractions, including the beautiful 12 Apostles and the excellent wines of the Yarra Valley.

19 March

Australia: Phillip Island

Just along the coast from Melbourne lies Phillip Island, famous as the home of the world’s smallest penguins. Little penguins are present here year-round, and their numbers swell in summer. The evening parade, when the penguins waddle up the beach to the safety of their nests, is the highlight of any visit.

20 March

Australia: Burnie

Situated on Tasmania’s northwest coast, Burnie is an important industrial centre, though in recent years the city has been reinventing itself as a creative hub. Watch local artisans at work at the Makers Workshop, learn about the city’s industrial history at the Burnie Regional Museum, or take a trip out into the scenic surrounding countryside.

21 March - At sea

22 March

Australia: Hobart

Tasmania’s capital has been revitalised in recent years with a slew of new museums, restaurant openings and festivals. Hobart’s highlights include the provocative Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), the lively waterfront and a thriving foodie and craft beer scene.

23 March - At sea

24 March

Australia: Eden

The sleepy town of Eden, on the beautiful and unspoilt Sapphire Coast, was once an important whaling town. Nowadays the waters of Twofold Bay are a whale watching hotspot, and this is one of the best places in the world to see humpback whales during their spring migration.

25 March

Arriving in Sydney

One or our favourite cities in the world, we love pretty much everything about Sydney. Offering outdoor living at its best, the city is known for the excellent beaches but offers so much more, including a thriving and varied food scene inspired by Asian and European flavours.