Oceania Overview

Fast Facts

Languages: Many languages are sprinkled over the expanse of the Oceania region. While English is the official language in Australia as well as New Zealand, languages such as Maori and New Zealand Sign Language are also spoken. French is common in French Polynesia. Other languages include: Chamorro, spoken in Guam, and Fijan and Hindustani spoken in Fiji. Oceania also includes the most linguistically diverse place on Earth, that is, Papua New Guinea, which has over 820 languages, such as Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu.

When to Go: Oceania is a vast region that comprises many varied topographical features, making it rather difficult to judge one particular season as the best time to travel. Most parts of Australia and New Zealand are year round destinations, however, certain areas like the Australian Outback, are best not visited during the summer. Temperatures soar high and with the area being practically uninhabited, it’s dangerous. Coastal cities in both countries can be visited at any time of the year while the snow capped peaks in New Zealand become difficult to traverse during winter. Do keep in mind that in the southern hemisphere, seasons are opposite of what we experience in the northern hemisphere. The Pacific Islands should be avoided during monsoon and cyclone seasons, which begin in the end of November and end in the beginning of March.

Local Transport: In Australasia, air travel is relatively cheap and offers the best connect to cities and towns alike. For intra city travel and even inter city travel, the public transport system in both countries is quite efficient with regular buses and commuter rails plying on most routes within cities and to most of the towns nearby. For long distance travel, rail connectivity is not very good in either country and is best avoided as air travel turns out to be a cheaper and more convenient option. Taxis, camper vans and motorbikes can easily be hired in most parts of Australasia. The Pacific Islands, have varying degrees of transport efficiency within their cities, and for inter-city travel, most places are connected by sea and air.

Time Zone (range): Australasia has 5 time zones, with three different time zones followed within Australia and two in New Zealand. The time zone ranges from GMT +8 (Australian Western Standard Time) to UTC-6 (Easter Island), when including all the Pacific Islands (from West to East).