Tokyo Bay's southern marina complex at Zushi and Hayama puts the world's greatest city within reach — outstanding yacht facilities, the Izu Islands chain for offshore cruising, and bullet train access to Kyoto and Mount Fuji make the Tokyo region a compelling destination for Pacific-crossing yachts.

Okinawa is Japan's subtropical gateway — the first port of entry for sailors approaching from the south and the jumping-off point for the extraordinary Kerama Islands diving and the cultural riches of Ryukyuan history. Tomari Marina provides efficient and comfortable facilities in the heart of Naha.

Nagasaki is Japan's most historically distinctive port — a deep natural harbour flanked by hills, with 250 years of unique Western trading history at Dejima, profound atomic bomb memorials, and extraordinary multicultural food and architecture. One of Japan's most rewarding sailing destinations.

Osaka is Japan's food capital and most exuberant city — Nanko Marina provides a practical base for cruising Osaka Bay and the Inland Sea, with one of Asia's great dining scenes and Kyoto's world treasures 15 minutes away by train. The essential western Japan port.

Nuku'alofa offers cruisers an authentic introduction to Polynesian culture in a kingdom that has preserved its monarchy and traditions virtually unchanged — wandering past the royal grounds, bargaining at Talamahu Market, and watching outriggers skim across the lagoon at dusk are experiences money cannot replicate. As Tonga's best-equipped port of entry with fuel, provisions, chandlery, and repair facilities, it is the essential staging point for onward passages through the spectacular island groups to the north.

Minerva Reef is the ultimate passage-maker's waypoint — a pristine submerged atoll rising from the abyss of the South Pacific, offering shelter, spectacular snorkelling, and legendary fishing to those making the classic New Zealand to Tonga or Fiji passage. Stopping here, alone in an impossibly clear lagoon with no land in sight beyond the reef rim, is one of those singular ocean experiences that passage-makers speak of for decades.

Vava'u is the jewel of Tongan cruising — a magnificently varied sailing ground of protected channels, secret lagoons, and jungle-cloaked islands where the trade winds blow reliably and humpback whales roll alongside your hull. Whether you spend two weeks or two months exploring its 60-plus anchorages, Vava'u rewards the unhurried sailor with experiences that rank among the very best the Pacific has to offer.

Ha'apai is the Tonga that most cruisers describe in superlatives long after leaving — empty anchorages off impossibly white beaches, humpback whales surfacing at dawn, and a traditional Polynesian way of life untroubled by tourist infrastructure. Sailors willing to navigate its reef-strewn waters carefully are rewarded with a stillness and authenticity that the more popular island groups can no longer offer.

Moorea is the Society Islands at their most dramatically beautiful — its twin bays provide legendary anchorages beneath volcanic peaks, while superb snorkelling, mountain scenery, and proximity to Papeete make it a near-perfect combination of natural beauty and convenience.

Fakarava is the Tuamotus at their most spectacular and pristine — a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with world-class pass diving, a vast lagoon, and a remote atoll atmosphere that represents the essence of what draws sailors to the remote coral islands of the Pacific.