Oceania
A green speck of convict history, tall pines and quiet coves.
Norfolk Island is an Australian external territory in the Tasman Sea, reached by air from mainland Australia. Its Kingston and Arthur's Vale Historic Area is part of the UNESCO-listed Australian Convict Sites, with Georgian buildings on the waterfront. The island is famous for its Norfolk Island pines, and the national park around Mount Pitt has short walks, while Emily Bay offers sheltered swimming and snorkelling.
Many residents descend from the Bounty mutineers and Tahitians who resettled here from Pitcairn, and the local language, Norf'k, is still spoken. The pace is gentle: cattle graze beside the roads, drivers wave to each other and fish fry and home-grown produce feature on menus. A hire car is essential. It is mild all year, with warm, settled summers and cooler, wetter winters.
January, February, March, October, November, December.