Fancy an island break without a long-haul flight? These five destinations tick the box

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Just three hours from Brisbane, PNG is our closest neighbour: at its closest point it’s less than four kilometres away. The reported dangers of its capital Port Moresby has likely put many off visiting – but this city is merely the stepping-off point to somewhere safer. Tourism is still gloriously simple on the islands off PNG’s east coast. Fly to Kavieng on New Ireland and stay in eco-resorts set on stunning beaches, among coastal rainforest. There’s WWII wrecks in the jungles for hikers, and in the waters for divers and snorkellers. Surfers will find perfect waves.

NEW CALEDONIA

At just a 2.5-hour flight from Sydney, New Caledonia is Australia’s closest international neighbour off our east coast, but little about it is known beyond what those who have stepped onto one of its outlying islands on a cruise to Vanuatu have found. Civil unrest last year stopped tourism in its tracks, but a truce in the conflict means now is a good time to explore one of the South Pacific’s most diverse archipelagos. The world’s second-longest reef creates a heck of a 24,000 square-kilometre marine playground – ideal for divers, sailors and beach lovers. You’ve also got cosmopolitan capital and foodie hot-spot, Nouméa, and 140 mostly uninhabited islands in warm, blue ocean.

SOLOMON ISLANDS

Solomon Airlines resumed flying direct to Munda in the Solomon’s Western Province last year, making this unheralded paradise even easier to access from Australia - and it’s just three hours from Brisbane. This part of the Solomons is home to some of the best diving and snorkelling on Earth, in waters teeming with WWII wrecks. Island-hop by boat or small plane – there are several airports, but almost no roads - between eco-friendly, small-scale retreats often set on their own islands. Tourism is still emerging, but there’s so much to see – from the world’s largest saltwater lagoon and one of the biggest conservation islands, to adventure activities set among volcanic calderas and within exotic bird sanctuaries. The fishing and surfing are also world-class.

NORFOLK ISLAND

It’s technically not a foreign country, but Norfolk Island has its own language (called Norf’k, it’s derived from 18th-century English and Tahitian and was introduced by descendants of the Bounty mutineers of Pitcairn Island who moved there in the mid-19th century). Just a 2.5 hour flight from Sydney, and one of our oldest external territories, Norfolk Island has a history as a penal colony dating back to Australia’s first year of European settlement in 1788. But what’s understated is its sheer natural beauty: here you’ll find one of the Pacific’s most pristine marine environments, teeming with fish and bright, colourful reef, and a plethora of white-sand beaches with no one on them.

TIMOR-LESTE

For years considered unstable, Timor-Leste is emerging as the new “it” destination for adventure-seeking travellers seeking the next big thing. Located within the world-renowned Coral Triangle and just under 1.5 hours flight time from Darwin, it’s home to some of the most pristine and ecologically diverse reefs on Earth: a haven for divers and snorkellers. Accommodation options are limited, but there are rustic retreats and home-stays available, and more luxurious options are opening. Its location as a major migration highway between the Pacific and Indian oceans makes it perfect for travellers seeking interactions with whales and dolphins.

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