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Australia
Hello. I am planning a trip to Australia for January. I have looked a different sites and have found packages that go to different cities and have activities. One package that I have found goes to Melbourne, Sydney, Cairns, and Hobart. I know I am definitely going to Melbourne because I want to see some Australian Open (tennis) matches. I also definitely want to go to the GBR. Other than that I am open to anything. I am looking at 3-4 days in most places (longer in Melbourne for tennis). Since I am going with a group Melbourne needs to be at the beginning or end of the trip so I can get in early or stay longer to see tennis.
Here are my questions:
Do you recommend using an agent? 6-8 people are supposed to be going, but MH and I are definitely going. I have never planned international travel on my own. If I don't need an agent, how do I go about planning this trip.
What do you think of that package above (Melbourne, Sydney, Cairns, Hobart)? It is not in that order for stops. If you have other suggestions of where to go, what are they?
Where would you stay in those destinations? I do not need the most expensive hotel, but I definitely want them to be nice. On the level of Marriott or Hyatt in the US.
I went through all the pages and saved every post that has to do with Australia that I could find. I am sure I will have more questions, but I think this is a good start.
TIA
Re: Australia
Those are some great places to visit. How long are you going for? I love Sydney and spent a week there and still didn't get tired of it. I haven't been to Melbourne but I would love to go esp. seeing the Australian Open if you can get tickets. Hobart is lovely. The island of Tasmania is really special and if you have some time I would spend a few days there. From Hobart you can easily visit Port Arthur, an old penal colony. And Wineglass Bay is really beautiful, it's a beach on the western side of the island. 2/3 of the island are protected national parks.
I haven't been to the GBR yet but that sounds like a wonderful trip too. I'm just worried that you'll try to pack too much into a short trip. You have to fly between each destination.
For a group that size have you looked at renting an apartment through home away.com or vrbo? Not sure if they have inventory in Australia but it's worth a try. You could go through a travel agent with a group that size. Sorry I have no recommendations for hotels, I went a long time ago when I stayed in youth hostels.
I will. I am jealous you are spending a significant amount of time in KL. I am definitely reading your blog.
I'm planning my Australia trip for July-August, so while I can't report how it is, I can report what I've found.
I personally never use a travel agent...I find they always offer very expensive hotels that are way out of my budget. I find I do much better at finding what I want on my own, someplace nice that won't break the bank.
In Sydney we'll be staying at the York by Swiss-Belhotel (it's a 2 bd apartment in close distance to the Rocks.)
Melbourne we'll be staying at City Tempo which is a studio apartment
Cairns We found a great looking apartment in Cairns via homeaway.com -
Gold Coast & Brisbane we are using Marriott Points to stay at the Marriotts.
Let me know if you have any other questions I can maybe answer!
Don't forget to factor traveling to each city will be a day, so 3-4 days may only really give you 1 or 2 full days at each place, which I think wouldn't be enough to see hardly anything as each place has TONS. Also, don't forget that the first day or two you will be totally and completely exhausted from jet lag, so don't plan much for those days.
I live southeast of Melbourne, but when I am in the city, I like to stay at the Hotel Windsor, a classic old-style hotel, very nice, very posh in a 1920's kind of way -- it's not a chain hotel, and each room is different. I can also recommend the Sofitel, which is a nice, luxury hotel in a good location.
January is school holidays in Australia, so everywhere will be busy, and have more kids/teenagers than you would expect in the US. Also, January 26 is a Australia Day, which is a national holiday. I'm not sure when you were planning on being here, but it's nice to know when things will be closed or busy. Australia Day is kind of the "end of summer" holiday, so things aren't closed, but everything is busy.
January is mid-summer here and it can get very hot. This January we had two weeks of temps over 40 (over 100) with no rain or clouds. It was hotter in the north. Be prepared for hot weather.
I would definitely suggest using a travel agent. I used one on my trips to Australia before I moved here. It was so easy. I found that when I gave them my budget, they stuck to it for hotels. It did mean I stayed in Australian-style hotels in a couple of places. Australian-style hotels are not bad, more like old-style Holiday Inns, and if you are expecting US-style, you will be disappointed -- I described my first room at an Australian-style hotel as "adequate." If you decide not to use an agent, I would definitely check with the hotels, as many have Australian Open packages.
Do you have to go in January? You'll be combining awful weather with school holidays (which means higher prices, less availability). October or November will be better. And as PP said, the Australia Day long weekend will be difficult in terms of flights and things (Monday will be a holiday next year).
How much time will you have total?
I'm going to tell you the same thing I tell everyone. Skip the cities, go for the nature. What sort of things are you interested in? Tasmania is very beautiful, but the scenery is similar to other parts of the world. How about adding in the red centre? In an ideal world you'd fly into Cairns (there are direct flights from Asia, and from NZ - Air NZ is an awesome airline. You could fly LA-Auckland-Cairns), spend a few days on the reef, then fly to Sydney for a couple of days, fly to Melbourne, spend a day at the tennis, get a car and drive up the great ocean road via the Coonawarra and Coorong to Adelaide over 3 days, get on the train or fly to Alice Springs, then go out to Uluru. If you have time, you could see Kakadu in the NT.
Google maps with photos enabled is a great way to get an idea of things that aren't on your radar, as are long tours, look at the places they include and see what you think.
We booked most of our hotels using wotif. One week each in 3 locations, two hotels at each city.
Got a great deal at a brand new Travelodge in Melbourne that was very nice.
Travelodge Docklands
66 Aurora Lane, Melbourne VIC 3008 AU
Also stayed at Central Apartments. Very nice room, close to Queen Victoria Market.
Sydney, we stayed at BIG hostel w a private room/bathroom that was fine. The location was awesome, right on the free bus line. The hotel we stayed in, Leisure Inn Central Sydney, location was not as good and the rooms were very small- nice, but small.
Cairns- I would not spend any time here except to get on and off a boat. We stayed 2 nights way too far away at Palm Royale- the pictures were very deceiving- not nearly as nice in person. They offered a free shuttle when we were there, but started charging the day after we left. We then hopped on a live aboard with ProDive- highly recommend! Last night was at Bohemia hostel that was just fine, but prob not what you are looking for.
Melbourne- Highly recommend a wine tour of the Yarra Valley if you like wine, Phillip Island Penguin Parade and an AU rules football game.
Also, the Featherdale Wildlife Park outside of Sydney- we took the train.
Yes I have to go in January. I am a huge tennis fan and it does not make sense to me to go as far away as Australia and not go at a time that I can see tennis. At some point in my life I want to go to Australia and go to the Australian Open. Since it is expensive I am doing it all at once.
I do like your plan of destinations. And yes the only reason *I* want to go to Melbourne is for tennis, but I am going with a group. So while I would be fine with a day (preferably 2) of tennis and then leaving Melbourne, I do not want to make that assumption for everyone.
This is making me realize I do not like group trips especially if I am doing any of the planning. But thankfully I am not doing this alone.
Ok. Based on your suggestions what about this. Cairns (3 days) - Sydney (3 days) - Melbourne (2 days tennis, etc) - drive from Melbourne to Adelaide (1-2 days) - Kangaroo Island (2 days). I have yet to price this out except for the Kangaroo Island portion, but how does a trip like this sound?
In an ideal world I would want to spend more time in each place. But I am counting on this being my one trip to Australia for a long time.
Also, I just want to go to the GBR. I do not dive, but I definitely want to snorkel and see as much marine life as possible. Is Cairns the best place to go? Its where most vacation packages go so I have been researching it, but should I be branching out?
Yeah, that sounds better, but I'd cut the Sydney portion down, or include some sort of trip out of the city. In that second day in Melbourne you could go and see the fairy penguins.
KI is a real hidden gem. In a very small space you have amazing scenery, it's not crowded because it's not on the East Coast, and there are some amazing hotels and spa-like places.Check into the ferry that goes from the Fleureiu instead of Adelaide, you might be able to just duck through that way.
Are you into wineries?
Thanks for the suggestions. And yes I love wineries and does everyone that is supposed to be going on this trip.
I second the suggestion to head to Adelaide and Kangaroo Island. Adelaide is one of my favorite places, and while you are there, definitely look into booking a private Barossa Valley tour -- I've done two full day tours, and each one was customized to the tastes of the party. It was great. If you do a private tour, you will go to the smaller wineries, rather than the big ones. I got to taste as much as I wanted and stop at as many wineries as I wanted. It was fantastic.
Kangaroo Island was fantastic. We stayed at a B&B and did a nature tour to Seal Bay and a cockatoo reserve. There was a stop at an animal sanctuary, where I was jumped by about 12 juvenile kangaroos -- one of the best experiences of my life. I also saw a huge male kangaroo in the wild, we turned around on the walk back from the cockatoo reserve and there he was, just standing there.
Adelaide has a nice (free!) museum and some very nice restaurants. If it were me, I would skip Sydney in favor of Adelaide/Kanagroo Island, but I know most people want to see Sydney. Everyone says to go to Featherdale, and it's a nice zoo, but I found Healseville (outside of Melbourne) and the animal sanctuary on Kangaroo Island to be nicer.
I agree that a private tour would be an excellent idea, but I'd recommend McLaren Vale or the Coonawarra instead of the Barossa. They're more in your line of travel, and they're less industrial than the Barossa. You might also consider Healesville+Yarra Valley, out of Melbourne, but personally I think the flow would be better to have tennis + fairy penguins in Melbourne, then a scenic drive, stop for caves in Naracoorte, cross the Murray at Wellington to cross over to McLaren Vale via Strathalbyn for wine tasting. Then catch the ferry to KI from Cape Jervis and never even need to go to Adelaide, although if you do, Tandanya is worth a visit. Actually, thinking of it, maybe a quick swim at the beach and a visit to Tandanya might make going as far as Adelaide worthwhile.
I'm suggesting that because I like to have a mix of things rather than all the scenery, then all the animals, then all the culture. YMMV
Thank you Dorothy and Knitty. I am really loving you guys right now. You are all are really creating the type of trip I am looking for. Thanks for all the suggestions. I have bookmarked this thread and will be contacting my travel agent next week about this new itinerary.
Thanks a million you have no idea what stress this is taking off of me.
Is it hard for US citizens to rent cars in AU? I never even thought about driving there until this thread.
I do not drive, so I never even looked at renting a car.
It will be more trouble than it's worth in Melbourne -- I'm only a passenger and it's nerve-wracking to drive in the CBD area, just google "hook turns" if you doubt me.
I have never travelled along the Great Ocean Road, so I can't say. I have heard it is one of the most beautiful drives in the world.
I flew into Adelaide when I have been, and it's a great walkable city, so as with Melbourne, you won't really need a car. I flew to Kangaroo Island and the B&B picked us up at the airport, and the tour bus dropped us back at the end of the tour.
If you are planning to do a winery tour, I would go with an organized tour, because then everyone can taste. Drink driving laws are very strict here, and you'll want to be able to taste.
It should be simple to rent a car . Here are one company's rules