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The intrepid traveler is always foraging for the next destination—the untouched, untraveled, unknown—where the experience of a visit feels completely new and invigorating. In our ever-flattening world, these spots are becoming more and more rarified, what with even the Amazon, Patagonia and the Galapagos drawing crowds. Thousands of miles from the beaten path, Western Australia is still one of those places—its nature stupendous, pristine and undisturbed.

Enter to win a trip to Western Australia, including a 7-night luxury cruise into the remote Kimberley.

The Aussie state occupies the entire western third of the continent, with nearly 13,000 miles of coastline. Locals speak volumes about the white desolate beaches in the south and the burgeoning wine region of the Margaret River Region, but the most unique travel itineraries are centered around the north. Every year from March to mid-July, whale sharks migrate up the western coast, drawn to the Ningaloo Reef, which hugs the coast of Cape Range National Park for over 400 miles. Ningaloo is one of the only places in the world where you can experience these vast creatures up close, where boat captains take instructions from hovering spotter planes above and humble snorkelers swim ten feet away from fish the size of school buses (they are non-meat-eaters, of course). On land, the limestone gorge gives way to an arid plain, where kangaroos frolic and emus run through the brush. The red earth gives way to sandy dunes, and the piercing blue water of the Indian Ocean breaks against the reef.

As in many of the world’s most remote nature spots, accommodations in this stunning part of the world are first and foremost eco-friendly and low-impact. Hotels are focused on the great outdoors, not on the amount of marble in the bathroom or thread-count on the beds. One incredible—and upscale—way to visit is by boat. The northern Kimberley, a region three times the size of England, is famous for its tropical climate, rugged mountain ranges and roaring emerald waterfalls.

The intimate True North, part of North Star Cruises Australia, was built to access the wilderness. There are multiple expedition vessels that take guests around in small groups and some cruises feature a resident helicopter for aerial sightseeing, which is particularly scenic in this region that is bordered by the Indian Ocean, the Timor Sea, the Great Sandy and Tanami Deserts and the remote Northern Territory. Daily excursions are led by an expert crew passionate about Western Australia and beyond (North Star also has cruises that travel to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea).

Swimming with whale sharks, exploring caves with ancient rock art, discovering deserted coves and beaches and lunching atop a peak so high that the curvature of the earth is visible: it’s all in a day’s adventure. Western Australia will surely top traveler’s bucket lists one day, but—for now—it remains the beautiful, well-kept secret of an intrepid few.

When to Go: The Kimberley cruises run from March through September.

Enter to win a trip to Western Australia, including a North Star Cruise to the Kimberley.

Read more about package trips to Western Australia.