Sari Gartner

Dressed to impress, you arrive in Australia’s Daintree Rainforest, an ancient forest with creatures and plants found nowhere else on earth. You come to a clearing under the tree canopy fringed with handmade chandeliers casting gentle beams over a dining experience like no other, where you are served creative versions of Australia’s traditional fare with dishes that include locally sourced ingredients and game. This is one of many unusual and wonderful experiences that I can arrange for you in the South Pacific.  

As a certified specialist in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tahiti, I can tailor a trip to your interests that goes far beyond ticking off the boxes of the main tourist attractions. Based on your time, budget and interests, I can create an in-depth itinerary filled with iconic and exotic experiences.  

You need not be a fitness buff to enjoy nature. With the right guide, even a foray into a forest is a learning adventure. Plus, eco-lodges throughout the region immerse you in nature in as much luxury as you desire. The snorkeling and diving are legendary throughout the South Pacific, but non-swimmers can observe the reefs and sea-life from a glass-bottom boat. 

In New Zealand, I usually suggest families share one of the edgier adventures because they provide indelible memories that bind families together. Among the highlights for one family was visiting a glow worm cave. You put on wet suits, descend via a short zip line into 50-degree water and go spelunking through in inner tubes. For a time, you are in complete darkness and then you enter a cave lit only by glowworms.   

At Cape Kidnappers farm and lodge, you can join a shepherd and his dogs to muster and shear sheep or hike into a pine forest with a researcher to monitor the kiwi birds;  you actually hold the chicks in your hands as you measure them. You also can explore the rugged coastal terrain in an off-road vehicle or take a horseback ride to survey the fields and pastures before dining on gourmet farm-to-table cuisine.  

Australia is huge and multi-faceted and I can help explore it in ways that are meaningful to you. In Sydney, you might get a behind-the-scenes look at the Sydney Opera House. Or you can learn about the continent’s unique wildlife and plants at a luxurious eco-lodge. Some of the most exclusive are on private islands in the Great Barrier Reef, while inland, you can be immersed in tropical rainforests and the mysterious “Red Center” of Uluru (formerly Ayers Rock), where you can learn about Aboriginal culture.   

Fiji is wonderful for both families and couples. Here, private island resorts provide all-inclusive havens where you can enjoy snorkeling, sea kayaking, and other sports, visit a traditional village and participate in a meke, a feast with traditional dance, music, and foods. The Fijian people are incredibly welcoming and there are wonderful resorts at a variety of price points.   

For many, French Polynesia, with its over-the-water bungalow resorts, fantastic spas, and mélange of French and Polynesian cultures, is the epitome of romance. The sharp-peaked, volcano-formed islands draped in dense tropical foliage rightfully make these islands a dream destination. Many couples cruise through the islands and then settle in for a few nights on one of the islands to round out their experience.   

If the South Pacific calls to you, I can arrange authentic experiences that will fulfill your dreams.