Palau is the jewel of Micronesia — a UNESCO-listed archipelago of jungle-topped limestone islands, world-class diving, and the extraordinary Jellyfish Lake. For the sailing visitor it offers sheltered anchorages in the Rock Islands, excellent facilities at Malakal, and an underwater world that ranks among the finest on the planet.

Pohnpei is the green heart of Micronesia — a mist-shrouded volcanic island of extraordinary beauty, home to the mysterious UNESCO-listed stone city of Nan Madol, world-class surf at Palikir Pass, and a warm kava culture. One of the most rewarding and least-visited high islands in the entire Pacific.

Guam is the trans-Pacific sailor's essential western Pacific waypoint — a US territory with full American port facilities, excellent provisioning, and straightforward customs at Apra Harbor. Its Chamorro culture, WWII history, and position at the crossroads of the Pacific make it far more than a fuel stop.

Thursday Island is the essential Torres Strait waypoint for every yacht transiting between the Coral Sea and the Indian Ocean — an international port of entry, outward clearance point, and the last Australian fuelling stop before PNG or Indonesia. The transit through the strait demands careful planning of tidal currents and reef navigation, but rewards passage-makers with a unique community steeped in pearling history and one of the great milestones of any world circumnavigation.

Cairns is the essential northern Queensland passage port — a full international port of entry with good marina facilities, comprehensive provisioning, and direct Great Barrier Reef access. Critical staging point for Torres Strait transits, Coral Sea passages to PNG and the Pacific, and the last major refit stop for northbound passages into tropical Asia.

Sydney Harbour is Australia's sailing heartland — an iconic, world-class cruising ground with superb marina facilities, excellent provisioning and refit services, and the Opera House–Harbour Bridge backdrop making it one of the most spectacular harbours on earth. A must-visit passage port and a destination in its own right.

Port Douglas is the charming, upmarket alternative to Cairns for visiting cruisers — a small tropical resort town with good marina facilities, direct access to the Outer Great Barrier Reef at Agincourt Ribbon Reef, the World Heritage Daintree Rainforest at the back door, and the Low Isles anchorage just 15 nm offshore. An excellent overnight stop on the Cape York Peninsula coastal passage.

The Whitsunday Islands are Australia's bareboat charter capital and one of the world's great sailing destinations — 74 islands with sheltered anchorages, Whitehaven Beach, coral reefs, and reliable trade winds from April to October. The combination of world-class scenery, excellent infrastructure at Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island, and proximity to the Great Barrier Reef makes the Whitsundays irresistible for any cruising itinerary along the Queensland coast.

Hobart is the finishing line of offshore sailing's most famous southern-ocean classic and a city that embraces its maritime identity with genuine passion. The D'Entrecasteaux Channel and Bruny Island offer world-class cruising on the doorstep, while MONA, Salamanca Market, and the dramatic mountain backdrop make Hobart one of Australia's most rewarding stopover ports.

Broome is a frontier sailing port demanding respect for its extraordinary 9-metre tidal range and rewarding those who master it with access to the raw, spectacular Kimberley coast — one of the world's last great wilderness cruising grounds. A key staging port for Indian Ocean departures and a destination with deep pearling history, stunning beaches, and unforgettable tidal phenomena.