From the sunburnt outback of Australia, to the snow-capped peaks of New Zealand, Oceania packs a lot of punch. And if those features don't tempt you, there's trekking in Papua New Guinea, snorkelling throughout the Great Barrier Reef, and access to unbridled adventure in groovy Queenstown.

Geographically, Oceania is a vast collection of isolated land masses: Australia is the world's largest island; New Zealand comprises two separate islands; and the rest of the region is smattered with unspoiled tropical paradises (including Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and many more).

Two of the region's more popular phrases are, "make a go of it" and "take it easy". Although they're somewhat contradictory, you can't help but think Oceania represents a perfect balance of the two. On one hand, it's a highly competitive region on the world economic stage, but on the other, everything about it feels so effortless.

However, this easygoing atmosphere presents an issue: by default, it's difficult to find a challenge. Communication is easy, transport is easy, business is easy, even the weather is easy. But sometimes that's just what the doctor ordered, especially if you've just spent time in a less developed region.