For one brief summer more than half a century ago, a lone dolphin claimed the hearts of the people of Opononi, in New Zealand's Hokianga Harbour. Opo's memory still lives in this town and is just one of the stories you'll hear as you discover the Hokianga region.

Lotus Day Spa, tucked away in a lovely garden in a back street in Port Vila, is one of the few stand-alone independent day spas in Vanuatu. It’s also one of the only ones to use natural organic products and specialise in native products.  And in Vanuatu, native means coconut.

Puffing Billy has been steaming through Victoria's Dandenong Ranges for a century. Today, whether you are dangling your legs from the open sides of a carriage, or enjoying the luxury of "steam and cuisine" in the first-class dining car, it's a fun day out for all ages.

Forget about the Resource Super Profits Tax. We show you how you can beat the stock market meltdown and find your own precious metals (tax free) with this handy fossicking guide to the best spots to find gold – and sapphires, opals and other precious stones – in New South Wales.

There are few places I've been that are as colourful as the Cook Islands. Or as laid-back. The primary colour here is blue; but there is every shade of it, from the dazzling azure of the lagoons to the deep thunderous shade that might herald an afternoon shower. Then there's the sky, that often meets the sea. It's never the colour of the mood, though, as Cook Islanders offer an ever-cheerful face and a warm welcome to the smattering of tourists who make it here. Unspoilt by mass tourism (yet), the Cooks is the kind of place where you ask for directions and end up at someone's house for dinner.

What’s the first thing you do when you take over a country?  Build a new capital city, if the history of Morocco is anything to go by. Over the past 2000 years or so Morocco has had five imperial capitals. And while capital cities can often cop a bad rap for being boring, in Morocco, they are anything but. We take a look at Volubilis, Fez, Marrakesh, Rabat and Meknes.

No matter what time of year you visit, Vienna dazzles like few other cities can.  From the baroque splendour of the Inner Stadt to the intoxicating indulgence of sachertorte and strudel in the city’s multitude of coffee houses, Vienna never fails to enthral, captivate and enchant. We've put together a list of the city’s top 10 Viennese delights.

The far north coast of NSW is famous for its tropical fruit and fresh produce, and has some seriously good eating options hidden away in the tiny seaside villages and hinterland hills and valleys.  From chocolate coated bananas and flutterbie cupcakes to pickled (Bangalow) pork, here’s our pick, in no particular order, of the far north coast’s top 10 foodie spots.

A tiny scrap of land at the entrance to Tasmania's Macquarie Harbour, Bonnet Island wouldn't attract a second glace were it not for the pretty white lighthouse at its tip. But this historic marker holds many tales - and every night at dusk you can go ashore to discover its secrets. Watch your feet...you're sharing the island with a colony of Little Penguins.

Think Noosa, and you probably think Hastings Street...or, at a pinch, Noosa National Park. So it's something of a surprise to find that behind the fashion and food, the beaches and bikinis, there's an untouched side to this holiday hot-spot that's made it one of Australia's handful of areas given UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status. Welcome to the Noosa Biosphere, where the man-made is in harmony with nature. Get back to nature visiting local beauty spots along the coast or in the green hinterland, where good walks are as easy to find as craft shops.

You can’t help but fall in love with the pandas at Chengdu’s panda breeding centre.  But there’s much more to this riverside city than first meets the eye, even if the fiery Sichuan chilli does make you cry. From golden buddhas and skin-eating fish, tea-time ear pickers and face-changing acrobats, Chengdu is one of China’s most surprising destinations.