Our beautiful world – Oceania
There are many beautiful and one-of-a-kind places. For millions of years, nature has shaped the landscape around us. People have decorated it with great architecture and beautiful art. In this article, we’ll explore some examples of this from Oceania. We have highlighted nine of the most special places on the continent.
Bora Bora med palmetrær, blå himmel og blått hav.
1. Great Barrier Reef | Australia
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef. A coral is a tiny animal that lives in the sea. The tiny animals gather in big masses and create a coral reef. There are 3,000 coral reefs in The Great Barrier Reef, and it can be seen from space. There are over 2,000 different kinds of fish, and it is beautiful to look at them from a boat with a glass bottom or to dive to see them.
The Great Barrier Reef is like a huge aquarium. There are so many different kinds of corals and fish. You can also see pelicans flying above your head or jumping dolphins or a whale in the sea.
You get the best view of the coral reef from a plane or helicopter. You can also visit one of the hundreds of islands by boat. If you are brave, you can land by parachute.
Diving and snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef is a wonderful experience for everyone. The reef is huge, and there are many places to explore. The water temperature is warm all year round. If you’re extra adventurous, you can explore the SS Yongala, a passenger ship that sank in 1911. This is considered one of the world’s best wrecks to explore by diving.
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Mann dykker i korallrev med røde fisker rundt seg.
2. Franz Josef Glacier | New Zealand
There are three glaciers in New Zealand, and the Franz Josef Glacier is one of them. It is located on the coast and is 12 kilometres long. You can actually walk on the glacier in the morning and enjoy the beach in the afternoon. The name comes from a German who discovered the glacier in 1865. He named it after the Austrian ruler Franz Josef I.
Another explanation for the name is a traditional Maori legend. Legend has it that the snow princess Hine Hukatere fell in love with a regular man named Wave. They asked the gods to turn her into a human. Wave was pushed down from a mountain by the weather god Tawhirimatea. He died, and Hukatere’s tears formed the glacier.
The Franz Josef glacier can move up to 50 centimetres a day, but it has sometimes moved as much as four metres. There are caves and tunnels that change from day to day. This makes it a unique experience. The glacier has it all: a changing landscape, rainforest, and the sea.
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Franz Josef isbreen på New Zealand.
3. Samoa | The Pacific Ocean
Samoa is a small island in the Pacific Ocean. The main attraction is the beautiful nature: crystal clear water, white beaches, forests and waterfalls. The Sua Ocean Trench has two huge holes connected by a cave. One of the holes is today a deep pool where tourists and locals swim.
📷 Traditional beach house in Samoa
The people living in Samoa are divided between two islands. Savai’i is the biggest one and is still active. It is covered in cooled lava from an outburst that started in 1905 and lasted for six years. Nature makes it impossible to forget that you are standing on a sleeping volcano.
Upolo is the other island, and here you find the capital. It has a charming harbour, and you can find handicraft, cooking, and traditional tattooing on brave tourists, performed by a skilled tattoo artist. You can also experience a Fiafia night: colourful costumes and traditional song and dance combined with a special dinner.
In Samoa, there is a relaxed atmosphere. There are hotels here, and the islands have gained internet access. Still, the people try not to become completely dependent on a modern lifestyle.
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Strand på Samoa med tradisjonelt strandhus.
4. Lake Hillier | Australia
Lake Hillier is located on Middle Island, which is just off the West Coast of Australia. It has bright, pink water, but researchers are not sure why that is. Some believe it is because of bacteria in the water. Others think it is because of a microalgae called Dunalialla salina. The lake is really beautiful and close to the Pacific Ocean.
Lake Hillier is special because the colour of the water doesn’t change if you pour it into a glass. Lake Hillier was discovered by the British Mathew Flinders in 1802 and was named after William Hillier. Lake Hillier is not very big, but it was used to get salt for about six years. This stopped when the salt was found to be toxic.
Many people wonder if it is safe to take a swim in the pink lake and take some nice Instagram pictures. It isn’t dangerous, but because of the high salt content, you should think twice. The water has been tested, so you can take a quick swim and take some pictures, but it is not recommended to stay in long.
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Lake Hillier i Australia med sitt rosa vann, ligger rett ved siden av Stillehavet som er knall blått.
5. Rotorua | New Zealand
Rotorua is a city located on New Zealand’s North island. It has hot springs and mud baths, and it is also known for good off-road cycling. The city is also known for its geysers. A geyser is boiling water that shoots straight up from the ground. You can also experience Maori culture here.
Rotorua is in the middle of a volcanic area. Hot gas is squeezed up from the mountain and heats the natural pools in the area. The temperature is about 35 degrees.
You can try a mud bath in Hell’s Gate. A mud bath is good for your skin, and at the same time, you can see one of the world’s largest hot waterfalls.
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6. Sydney | Australia
Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is known for Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. On the bridge, there are spectacular fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
St. Mary’s Cathedral is also very beautiful. It has painted glass windows, and you can hear the church choir sing on Sundays.
There is a lot to experience in Sydney. You can visit the Royal Botanical Gardens with birds, butterflies, and fish. The Art Gallery of New South Wales is also worth a visit. There are over 100 beaches, and the most famous one is Bondi Beach.
Sydney also has many different species of animals. You can see whales, koalas, kangaroos, crocodiles, and other types of animals.
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7. Uluru | Australia
Uluru, also called Ayers Rock, is a special place. It is a tourist attraction that is 348 metres high. It is formed by 600-million-year-old rocks and is the only height around. When the sun shines, it glows in orange and red. The aboriginals think of this as a sacred place.
Many people have climbed Uluru. You get a great view from the top. You can also walk around the foot of the mountain. You can see cave paintings that were painted more than 5,000 years ago.
The place also has a lively wildlife. There are more than 170 bird species, and many reptiles and mammals. Lizards and snakes are very common, but also dingoes and kangaroos. This is the Australian outback!
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Det røde fjellet Mount Connor i Australia
8. Waitomo Caves | New-Zealand
Waitomo Caves has a spectacular light show and is very popular. The light comes from a tiny worm that sends light. The light helps the worm to catch the target in its sticky web of silk.
It is also exciting to walk around in the cave or take a boat ride. You will see several underground rivers which have made their way through for millions of years. The name Waitomo is the Maori word for ‘stream which flows into the hole in the ground’.
Inside the caves, dripping water and limestone have created impressive natural sculptures that hang from the ceiling or from the floor. It is a wonderful sight.
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9. Tahiti | French Polynesia
French Polynesia is in the Pacific Ocean. It consists of six island groups, including Bora Bora, Tahiti, and Moorea. Island hopping is very popular here.
French Polynesia’s location is far away, and it takes a long time to get here. From Europe, it takes more than 24 hours!
Moorea is the easiest island to get to from Tahiti. The trip will take about half an hour to an hour. You will find the famous bungalows here. Further in on the island, you can find green mountains that rise above the landscape.
The wildlife here is also very unique. You can see a whole rainbow of fish and coral. Just put on a diving mask and jump into the lagoon.
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Bungalower i blått hav og et høyt frodig fjell på Tahiti.
Always a new place to travel to
What a world we live in! There are so many exciting and wonderful places to discover. The next time you decide to go travelling, you could choose to travel to a place you’ve never been before. This way you will always have a new destination in sight.
Et barn flyr på en koffert med soloppgang i bakgrunnen.
Sources:
- 101 steder du må oppleve (før du dør) (2020)
Orage Forlag AS
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