137-night Viking World Cruise

Opunohu Bay is on the island of Moorea in beautiful Tahiti. The bay is surrounded by breathtaking peaks, and stunning natural foliage that has been named by yachtsmen as the most beautiful bay in all of Polynesia. The peaceful blue waters make for excellent swimming, kayaking and snorkeling.

The 70 islands of the Whitsunday group are some of the best known and most developed Barrier Reef islands and are scattered on both sides of the Whitsunday Passage, within 31 miles of Shute Harbour, jumping-off point for the many cruises through the group. The actual Great Barrier Reef is at least 37 miles out from Shute Harbour; Hook Reef is the nearest part of the reef. Many of the Whitsunday islands are National Parks. The large block of mainland national park opposite them, stretching from Airlie Beach south to Conway, is known as the Conway Range National Park.

Thursday Island is the best known of the Torres Strait islands. It is a tiny island off the top of Cape York, Queensland's most northern point. At one time Thursday Island was a major pearling centre and pearlers' cemeteries give testimony to their hardships. Some pearls are still produced here, from seeded "culture farms.' It is a popular pause for passing yachts.

Victoria on Mahé is one of the smallest capital cities in the world, and the only major port in the Seychelles. It's also the only town in the country - every other settlement is a village. The courthouse and main post office have been untouched since colonial times, but rebuilt streets emanating from the center give the town a clean and modern look. The Natural History Museum in the center of town houses an eclectic collection with bones of the extinct Seychelles crocodile, giant robber crabs, dried out fish, a deformed piglet in a jar and lots of glassy-eyed stuffed animals. Other displays include the wreckage of a ship which came to grief off the Amiranteds in 1570 and a display of gris gris artefacts. For history of the country's people, visit the National History Museum or the Seychelles People's United Party Museum, which celebrates the history of the party. Victoria's Botanical Gardens are highly recommended for short and shady walks among a variety of native and introduced trees. Within the gardens is a cafeteria, a pen of giant tortoises and an orchid garden.

The coastal town of Luderitz, named after its founder German merchant Adolf Luderitz, has several sights. At Diaz Point there stands a cross made of dolerite and erected in 1988 during Diaz festival. Other sights include Redford Bay, named after its first white settler and trader David Redford; Diaz Point, the place where Bartolomeu Diaz erected padrao in 1488, and the wooden bridge to Diaz Point was built in 1911 to access fog horn originally located there; Lighthouse built in 1910; Kolmanskop, the ghost town abandoned on the middle of 50's named after a driver Coleman who frequently stopped here. First diamond was found in Kolmanskop in 1908 by laborer Zaharia Levala and became a centre of diamond industry.

Mindelo is a lovely port in Cape Verde that was formed around a volcanic crater. Mindelo offers a lively beach at Baia das Gatas where visitors can enjoy the beautiful sandy beach, clear blue water, and listen to the sounds of local musicians. Visitors may also visit the Centro Nacional Artesanato for local crafts and gifts, including weaving and pottery art.

The peaceful setting of the picturesque port of Honfleur along the estuary of the Seine attracted many artists and writers over the years, including Impressionist Painters. Throughout its history, numerous maritime journeys were initiated from Honfleur. It's a place of great historic charm, notably around the Vieux Bassin, where lofty slate-and-timber fronted houses overlook the colorful yacht and fishing harbor, and sloping cobbled streets recall 16th century Honfleur. Not to be missed are the 15th century wooden church and the Impressionist paintings of the Musee Eugene Boudin. From here it is possible to visit Monet's Garden, Arromanches, the Normandy Landing Beaches and if there is time, Paris.