Our South Pacific trips are packed with thrilling experiences—some carefully planned; others, discovered. Below are just some of our favorites as described by guests and staff.
Rays of morning sun peeked through the leaden sky as National Geographic Resolution arrived off the island of Miyajima, and small showers provided a welcome relief from the intense heat of the last few days. After an early breakfast, Zodiacs were launched, and guests sped to the island’s small settlement, which is centred around the historic Itsukushima Shrine. A walk along the shore led to spectacular views of the iconic ‘floating’ toiri gate just offshore. The shrine itself, seemingly suspended above the waves, is one of Japan’s most famous and important Shinto shrines, and parties of young school children visiting at the same time demonstrated the shrine’s importance to Japanese culture. A short walk away, the Daisho-in Buddhist Temple showcases Japan’s other main religion. After a lengthy climb, we were rewarded with views of hundreds of iconic Buddha statues and a fascinating descent into the dark spaces beneath the temple itself. A walk down pitch-black corridors is broken only by the ghostly glow of intricate, golden artwork. Some guests went even higher, taking the island’s ropeway almost to the summit of Shishiiwa, the tallest mountain on the island. In the afternoon, National Geographic Resolution made the brief passage to Hiroshima. A bustling and lively city, Hiroshima is best known for its tragic Second World War history. A walk around the Peace Memorial Park and views of the famous Atomic Dome – the only preserved building close to ground zero – prepared guests for the Peace Museum and the story of the atomic bomb’s effect on the city and its inhabitants. Some guests took in views of the park and the Atomic Dome from the Orizuru Tower, a new observation tower opened in 2016 that enables guests to survey the city from 50 metres up. Meanwhile, other guests headed for Shukkei-en Garden, a famous ‘shrunken scenery’ garden. Almost completely destroyed by the bomb, the garden reopened in 1951. Today, it is one of Japan’s most famous gardens, representing valleys and forests in perfect miniature. Only a short distance away was the fascinating Cheomseongdae Observatory. Built in the 7th century, it is the oldest astronomical observatory in Asia. Once we returned to the ship, it was back to Japanese history with historian Maria Intxaustegi's talk on the Nanbanjin (or Southern barbarians) and the story of early encounters between Japan and the western world.
The sun greeted us this morning as we cruised into Romer Fjord in Scoresby Sound. The area has a lot of geothermal activity, and the hot springs greeted us with their very distinctive smell. Some of our guests hiked the impressive and steep mountain on top of the landing site and were rewarded with spectacular views. Others chose a more leisurely approach to the morning activities and joined hikes along the coast. Zodiac cruises were also offered, and it was a pleasure to cruise along the mirrorlike waters of the fjord. The afternoon was spent in the hot springs for those who wished after expedition leader Russ spent the better part of the morning making the springs welcoming. The dive team explored the unknown waters of the area. Just a few meters beneath the surface, another world opened. It was full of life, including kelp, algae, fish, plankton, and exciting small creatures of the undersea world! We could have stayed for much longer, but the temperature eventually forced us to the surface. We are now making our way towards Iceland. Thank you, Greenland, for this visit. It has been amazingly beautiful!
This morning, National Geographic Venture was anchored in an inlet tucked away in the beautiful Great Bear Rainforest. We dropped our expedition craft and started the morning with an adventurous purpose. We toured the glassy waters and along the edge of the giant conifers in Zodiacs. Our efforts were fruitful, as we discovered two black bears and many bird species. We had the option to explore the waters of this inlet via kayak or paddleboard, much more intimate and relaxing ways to get in touch with this peaceful environment. Back on National Geographic Venture , we continued exploring the waterways. From the bow of our ship, we scanned for wildlife. A mother humpback and calf spent time with us as we marveled at their presence. It was a great day here in British Columbia aboard National Geographic Venture .
As we all awoke aboard our valiant vessel, National Geographic Quest , we were greeted by something we had not come across in quite some time: the sun! Making our way down the Gulf Island, British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast held true to the name. After finishing our breakfast, we mingled about on the decks, photosynthesizing, when we heard multiple voice yelling, “Blows!” Always quick to investigate, our bridge team safely tucked us toward what turned out to be a pod of Bigg’s (or transient) killer whales. These whales, identifiable by their closed saddle patches, gave us quite the show. Five altogether, they took turns posturing towards us. With a dorsal fin almost six feet tall, a large male broke through the water. This was followed by some smaller females and, at the end, a young calf learning to navigate these waters. The whales swam around us for quite some time, enough that we decided to forgo the intended Zodiac tour and instead spend our time with these magnificent creatures. Full of smiles and rosy cheeks from the sun and wind, we had another treat in store. Our guest speaker, Uncle Jim, engaged us with a talk on the pathways of his life that led to becoming a speech writer for the vice president and how he became friends with the highly regarded actor, Marlon Brando. After lunch, we took a short Zodiac ride to shore on Wallace Island. Home to a resort complex in the 50s, a few buildings and artifacts remain. Now a marine park, local cruises shared the dock with us as we relished the sunshine and the opportunity to explore independently or under the excellent tutelage of our expedition staff. Regardless of the chosen path, the island seemed like paradise with sunshine flirting through the waxy madrona leaves that greeted us with each step we took along the salal-lined path. When things seemed like they couldn’t get better, a surprise was in wait as bartender Miranda patiently waited with snacks and blueberry lemonade to quench our parched throats. Blissed out from another spectacular day, we followed the rays of sunshine back to the ship to fill our minds and bellies as we continue south.
It’s not every day you get to meet a fifth-generation soya sauce master, try vanilla ice cream topped with soya sauce, and be serenaded by the cutest group of Japanese schoolchildren. Today held all these treasures and more! Our day began with a photography presentation from National Geographic photo expert James Whitlow Delano entitled, “Ryuku: Sub Tropical Japan.” He shared a breathtaking collection of images made in the Ryukyu (Okinawa) Islands as an introduction to the beauty we will soon experience. After a delicious lunch, we disembarked on Shodoshima, the second largest island in the Seto Inland Sea, known for olives, soy sauce, and the fact that it is shaped like a cow. We were welcomed to the island by the cutest group of Japanese kindergarten students. For the past three months, they have practiced playing songs on various musical instruments for our arrival. I’ve seen few things in my life that rival the preciousness of their proud faces. On this island, we broke into two groups. Some of us took a strenuous hike to the top of the Kankakei Gorge, and others enjoyed a leisurely gondola ride to the top. Both options ended with a spectacular view of the valley and port below. After these explorations, we visited a Soya Sauce Brewery to learn about soya sauce production from a fifth-generation soya sauce master. He offered us a taste of a famous dessert...vanilla ice cream topped with a special soya sauce! It was delightfully harmonious. We enjoyed an evening of cocktails and our first recap, a colorful plate of sushi and a delicious dessert, and time spent making origami cranes with our local guides to bring with us to Hiroshima tomorrow. Every day has been so full of wonder and awe. Text written by Giulia Ciampini
