Frequently Asked Questions

We are absolute experts in Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific travel. We’ve been in the business for nearly 20 years, and our luxury travel designers regularly visit this part of the world. When you work with Down Under Endeavours, the firsthand knowledge of our entire team is at your fingertips. Instead of spending hours sifting through conflicting information online, you can simply receive personalized recommendations from your own travel expert.

This varies by country and experience. See more detailed info about the best time to visit specific destinations:

Australia • New Zealand • Fiji • Tahiti • Cook Islands

To see the highlights, we recommend a minimum of two weeks in Australia or New Zealand. If you would like to visit both countries in a single trip, we recommend at least three weeks.

It’s quite easy to combine Australia or New Zealand with an island destination such as Fiji, Tahiti, or the Cook Islands. We recommend spending 2-4 nights on the islands for this type of combo.

For Australia or New Zealand, you should contact us at least 8 to 12 months before you plan to travel. This may seem like a long time, but trust us, the boutique hotels here fill up fast! We recommend planning at least 4 to 6 months in advance for island destinations.

At Down Under Endeavours, we stick to 3.5- to 5-star properties that we’ve personally vetted, so you know you’ll love your South Pacific experience. The more exclusive you want your hotels or resorts to be, the more time you should allow to make sure you can book the ones you want.

Australia has stricter regulations for scuba diving than you may have encountered in other areas. In some cases, you may be required to get a medical exam by an Australian doctor. If you do want to scuba dive in Australia, speak to one of our luxury travel designers for more specific information.

This varies depending on the accommodations you use, when you travel, and many other factors. At Down Under Endeavours, we stick to 3.5- to 5-star properties that we’ve personally vetted, as well as small-group or private touring options. Please check the About Our Pricing page for details.

We always have a variety of special offers available. Many properties offer discounted rates or free nights with a minimum stay. Please contact us to see what offers are available for the dates you’re traveling.

You can expect to spend at least $2,000 per person on round-trip international airfare in economy class. This doesn’t include connecting flights to other countries or in-country transfers. Prices will be higher for peak season travel.

The sample itineraries on our website are designed to give you a taste of what’s possible. If you’re interested in a package, we can use this as a starting point to begin handcrafting your South Pacific vacation, but your trip will be completely customized to you. Keep in mind that our sample packages are priced during the low season and without airfare. The price can vary depending on when you travel, if you choose different hotels, if you want a room upgrade, etc.

Yes, we encourage you to use frequent flyer miles where you can. However, due to regulations, we cannot book a flight with your miles. Please contact us first so we can assist you in choosing which flights to secure. This is an important step to ensure you make the most out of your miles. We will let you know which flights it makes sense to use miles on.

The airlines dictate the pricing available. Generally speaking, we get similar pricing to what’s available online. However, one of the benefits of our airline contracts is that we can book multiple flights together on one ticket, eliminating many potential headaches.

For any flights booked on the same ticket, your connecting flights will be automatically reissued in case of delays or cancellations. You’ll have the same baggage allowance for all your flights, so you won’t have to worry about hidden baggage fees. And finally, your checked baggage will go right through to your final destination, even if you have multiple layovers, so you don’t have to worry about picking it up and rechecking it at one of your stops.

We cannot guarantee any honeymoon upgrades. Most airlines do not offer honeymoon upgrades for international travel. Some properties will have free value adds for honeymooners, such as a bottle of champagne upon arrival or a special romantic meal. Our travel designers like to include special touches for honeymooners as well, but we don’t want to spoil the surprise!

Tipping is not customary or expected in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. If you feel that your server, tour guide, or resort staff has gone above and beyond, you can feel free to tip 10-20%, but you shouldn’t feel obligated to tip.

We begin with a complimentary call to understand your travel goals, preferred dates, budget, and style.

When you’re ready for us to design your trip, we collect a one-time, up-front, non-refundable planning fee.

The fee includes a hand-crafted itinerary designed just for you, meticulous research and price comparisons for flights, hotels, tours, and transfers, unlimited access to your dedicated travel designer by phone or email during the planning stage, and insider expertise drawn from the firsthand experience of our entire team.

Yes, we are a luxury travel company, and we require a minimum booking of $12,000 total for your trip. This includes accommodations, transfers, and any touring for all travelers in your group. Airfare is considered separate.

Please keep in mind that the sample packages on our website are priced at low season and without airfare. The price can vary depending on when you travel, if you choose different hotels, if you want a room upgrade, etc.

As is typical in the travel industry, we use wholesale rates that include non-disclosure clauses. However, we consider your budget throughout the planning process and hit that mark as closely as possible. Airfare prices vary widely depending on your travel time and may cause us to go over budget, so we will do as much as possible to adjust the rest of your itinerary accordingly.

We do separate your pricing into land and air costs. Wherever possible, we will send you links to the recommended accommodation and tours so you can make informed decisions.

We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your investment. We will provide a travel insurance quote at the time of booking, and you are free to use our recommended insurance, find your own, or book without insurance.

We offer complimentary visa processing for US and Canadian citizens traveling to Australia. However, if you have any criminal convictions, we will not be able to process your visa, and you will be required to undergo a background check.

For all other destinations, we do not process visas; the traveler is responsible for ensuring they have the correct entry documentation. Please note that visa requirements change frequently. Find the most up-to-date information about your destination on the Department of State’s website.

Yes, for any destination outside the USA or Canada, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months past your date of return from your trip. If your flights have already been purchased, be sure the name on your passport exactly matches the name on your ticket to avoid problems at the airport.

Before we purchase your airline tickets, your passport and airline tickets must match 100%, which for US passports usually includes a middle name. Some airlines will charge you for a whole new ticket if the names are wrong, which can be quite a costly error.