Gender equality at heart of Pacific Islands agenda

ACROSS the Pacific islands, people know that earthquakes can trigger tsunamis that travel across vast distances. The latest earthquake in Paris is the resignation of French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, just 27 days after he was appointed by...

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER READERS NAME PAUL GAUGUIN CRUISES 'BEST SMALL CRUISE' FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR

NEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2025 -- For the second year in a row, Paul Gauguin Cruises has been voted Best Small Cruise in Condé Nast Traveler's2025 Readers' Choice Awards. French Polynesia's destination expert received the top honor based on more than...

The best places to travel between Christmas and New Year’s Eve

The week between Christmas and New Year’s can feel a bit like the twilight zone. The kids are out of school, your inbox is quiet, your fridge is full of leftovers, and you’re never quite sure what day it is. This delightfully disorienting period –...

Google backs NZ subsea cable project to drive $36b of AI benefit for kiwis

Artificial intelligence could contribute an estimated NZD $36 billion to New Zealand's economy, according to new research, as Google announces developments in digital infrastructure and partnerships set to enhance the country's connectivity and...

French Polynesian politicians' visit to Taiwan irks Beijing envoy

Lixiao Tian, China’s Consul in French Polynesia and French High Commissioner Alexandre Rochatte at a function to celebrate PRC’s anniversary. 20 September 2025 Photo: Haut-Commissariat en Polynésie française China's top diplomat in French...

French Polynesia calls for moratorium on deep sea mining

French Polynesia's President Moetai Brotherson in Honiara for the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting from 8-12 September 2025. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Caleb Fotheringham French Polynesia's president wants Pacific countries to agree to a...

8 Biggest Luxury Cruising Trends of 2026

Cruising—especially luxury cruising—has never been more tantalizing. With new ships coming online with a keen eye on design and spaciousness, expeditions reaching into wild coasts beyond the poles, and exclusive access to designer homes and the...

Aranui Cruises will have two ships sailing French Polynesia in 2027

New ship, Aranoa will join Aranui 5 to cruise all-year round in French Polynesia. The company is offering 20 per cent discount for the first two voyages onboard Aranoa. There are early bird deals of between 10 and 15 per cent discount if bookings...

Kazakh Activists Shine a Light on Nuclear Fallout

Kazakhstan is surrounded by nuclear neighbors — Russia to the north and west, China to the east, and India and Pakistan to the south. Until 1995, when it completed a year’s long multi-nation effort to disassemble and remove the Soviet nuclear...

Pearl Culture: A remarkable achievement of Cotton University

Silpi Sikha Borah (The writer is a doctoral scholar and an ex-Cottonian from the Department of Zoology.) The Zoology Department of Cotton University, under the leadership of Dr Akalesh Kumar Verma, has been actively engaged in harvesting pearls...

Exploring the Tuamotu Atolls in French Polynesia

raphaëllesmn/stock.adobe.com We cleared through the Panama Canal and sailed back into Pacific waters for the first time in a decade—but I looked west from our 50-footer, Atea, with a sense of despondency. All of our sailing friends had worked hard...

Jamaican campaigners launch legal action to defend local access to Montego Bay beach

JAMAICAN CAMPAIGNERS will attend court today to defend beach access rights in Montego Bay. Jamaica Beach Birthright Environmental Movement (JaBBEM), the Flanker Resource Centre and neighbouring communities around the historic Providence Beach have...

Wallis & Futuna Comes Alive: Culture, Sport, and the AIRCALIN MANATAI CUP 2025

Wallis & Futuna, a hidden gem in the South Pacific, recently hosted the AIRCALIN MANATAI CUP 2025 from August 9th to 16th. Organized by Aircalin Manatai and supported by Wallis & Futuna Tourism, this event celebrated traditional sports, local...

The remote Maldives island blending local culture with luxury

Thursday 18 September 2025 12:12 pm Share Facebook Share on Facebook X Share on Twitter LinkedIn Share on LinkedIn WhatsApp Share on WhatsApp Email Share on Email The Banyan Tree in the Maldives, which occupies its own very walkable island We all...

10 countries with the highest life expectancy in 2025

Longevity isn’t just about luck — it’s a mix of culture, cuisine, lifestyle, and healthcare, which all come together to ensure a long and healthy life. From bustling city streets to serene island escapes, some nations have cracked the code on...

NRL Grand Final Sends Sydney Hotel Bookings Soaring

SYDNEY - Australia’s largest hotel operator, Accor, has declared the 2025 NRL Grand Final a tourism triumph, with tens of thousands of interstate fans driving exceptional hotel occupancies and boosting the local economy. With two non-NSW teams...

Expenses-scandal Paris mayor tries to drag down everyone else with her

It’s been a torrid time to be a French politician. If you’re not one in a line of ousted prime ministers or being locked up for criminal conspiracy, you could now even be publicly exposed by your own mayor. In what has been dubbed “the war of the...

Nuclear Testing Threats are Returning & Saber Rattling is Getting Louder, warns UN Chief

Armed Conflicts, Editors' Choice, Featured, Global, Headlines, IPS UN: Inside the Glasshouse, Nuclear Disarmament, Nuclear Energy - Nuclear Weapons, TerraViva United Nations A nuclear test is carried out on an island in French Polynesia in 1971....

Jackson Garden-Bachop on grief, family and life after brother Connor’s death

Jackson says: “He annoyed the s*** out of me when we were younger, but as we got older we became friends. He was the best man at my wedding and it’s not because he was my brother – it’s because he was my best mate. He was full of love, life and...

I Went To The Maldives And Avoided The Beach—And I Don't Regret It

Forget the beaches—the real Maldives is found beyond the tourist-filled shores. Of course, the turquoise waters and white sand are breathtaking, but the islands’ true magic lies in adventure and culture. For those who want to skip the beach and...