Australia Vacation Travelogue      

Australia, though seemly small to many, is nearly the same size as the contagious United State, minus 250 km.  It is the hottest continent on earth with a population of 19 million. Australia is modern in every way, in some ways, more advanced than the states. Its officially, my most favorite destination of all. I’m thrilled, ecstatic,  to be returning to this wondrous country  after a 7-year hiatus.. 

 The most difficult aspect about this country is the time it take to travel from the U.S to  Australia and what, exactly to pack for. The nonstop flight is apprx 14 hrs from either Lax (the main gateway to the south pacific) or San Francisco.  Australia varies in temperature, depending on where in the country,  you plan to be and at what time of year. You can experience snow-skiing, tropical beach sun,  desert  and cyclones, all in the same two week vacation.  I’ll discuss all aspect of Australia as well as the various destinations that most tourists come to see.

NEW SOUTH WALES

SYDNEY
Since this city is so vast and a blue mtns day tour is suggested, I recommend at minimum, a. 3-nights stay in Sydney.  The airport, Kingsway, is apprx 20min. from bustling downtown Sydney. Upon my arrival from New Zealand, our plane circled the famous harbor before landing at the airport.. It was a spectacular view indeed!

The transportation system in Sydney is one of the most expansive and efficient in the whole of Australia, only 2^nd to Melbourne. There are several ways to arrive at your downtown hotel: by car, airport shuttle or train. The train, accessible from both domestic and international terminals, leaves at regular intervals. The one-way fare is $12 and aprx  20min. of your time.

I choose to stay at the All Season’s Premier Menzies,(moderate 3 ½ star) which was located directly outside one of the Wyngard train station. It was a short walk across the street from the depot door to my hotel door. Very convenient.  A walk through the mall dumps me off onto George Street, the premier shopping street in Sydney.

The list of hotels close to the Wyngard travein station are: Grace hotel (2 blks), Corus ( 1 ½ blks), Rydges hotel (1/2 blk), Radisson Plaza (2 blks on busy corner). All are especially convenient to train transportation and a 20 min. walk to Darling harbor & Sydney Opera/Harbour (two main tourist areas).

There are several, popular beaches located in the outskirts of the downtown Sydney. Bondi Beach, being the most famous, is east of the city. To get from downtown Sydney to Bondi, one has to take 10-min. train and apprx 15-min. bus from the depot. Buses drop you off  Sonto the beach.  Alert, items such as water, food, etc are more expensive on thBondi Beach strip, then elsewhere in Sydney.

Another alternate beach to discover is Manly beach. This beach is accessible by taking a scenic ferry across the harbor, then a short bus ride to the north side of Manly. This is a destination in and of itself, as it has several hotels, a good choice of restaurants and an expansive beach area. For those who desire a relaxing, balmy atmosphere, I recommend staying a night or two here.

 Major Sydney attractions:

Circular Quay is the main train/bus depot. It’s located one street south of the Sydney Opera house/bridge area. Circular Quay is also the boarding point for all the ferries, including the Manly ferry and Sydney harbor cruises. It is provides access to both the Sydney harbor bridge and Opera house.

Darling harbor. A good selection of shop/restaurant in an eclectic environment. This is where you can find the aquarium,  Chinese gardens and across from Darling Harbor, there are two new wharfs that offer a terrific range top restaurants and an energetic, evening setting. If you want to mingle with the locals or enjoy a lagoon view cocktails, Kings  wharf should be your evening destination.

Hunter Valley, wine region.
Two hours beyond Sydney, is one of three famous Australia wine regions, Hunter Valley. The drive is scenic and straightforward, that is after you escape the city traffic. There are no major cities in this region, it is, however, divided into distinctive regions. Some activities to partake of arehorseback riding, wine tasting, hiking, & carriage rides, just to name a few. There is a good choice of quaint B&B spread throughout, to choose from.

Blue Mountain and Wildlife Park
One hours drive from Sydney, we find ourselves in a lush, eucalyptus rich forest. The Blue Mtn ranges get their hues from the fragrance of the eucalyptus, giving the forest a slight, blue haze. The most famous site is the 3 sisters, rock formation and a gondola ride high above the forest. I recommend renting a car, if there are two or more travelers or selecting a small group adventure tour to explore the vastness of this area. All tours leave from downtown Sydney, close to the harbour bridge.   On the route from Sydney, I recommend a stop to the famous Featherdale wildlife park,, which allows you to pet a koala and feed/pet a kangaroo is strongly advised 

QUEENSLAND

CAIRNS
The flight from Sydney to Cairns is apprx 3 hours, nonstop. Traveling to Cairns, the northern Queensland region, is a world away from the very progressive Sydney. 

A $15 taxi ride or an $8 shuttle bus, will deliver you to your Cairns hotel.. The city has a backpacker feel to it in places and is littered with shopping stores, interest cafes, & restaurants. This is, in essence, the gateway to the tropical north and all it has to offer  The city lacks distinctive charm, as it seems to be made of up of  one long, strip mall, but it does offer a lot in the way of  social venues, such as casinos, night markets, loads of souvenirs restaurants. NOTE; Cairns doesn’t have a beach, as it was built on mud flats, but it does offer one of the largest public pools in Australia, built into the lagoon.

PORT DOUGLAS
There are several ways to transfer from the airport to the Port Douglas area.  When taking a shuttle, though cheaper, will have you stopping at various resorts to let passengers off. A private limo will take you directly to/from your desired destinations non=stop. It’s only from a 1 hr drive, with a shared shuttle bus. The ride is a scenic drive and take you through the back woods of Northern Queensland, with part of the  being a coastal ride. The road is well paved, maintained and uncrowded.

Port Douglas itself is a quaint, upscale village which encompasses about 5 blocks long. It is located between two waterways, however it doesn’t have a central waterfront district. yet. That is currently in the planning stages. Just right of the village, is the area’s beach, which also contains the city’s only jellyfish protective net, which is placed during jelly fish season (apprx. Nov thru March) There is a super market, along with many upscale clothing stores and a variety of restaurants. Although this village doesn’t offer the non--stop action that Cairns has, it has just enough activity, for those seeking to relax and enjoy a pleasant, moderate paced environment. There are several hotels located directed in the village, with the Outrigger being one of them.

I stayed at a spa resort called the 4-star Hibiscus hotel & spa resort, located a short 3 min. walk to the main street. The hotel offered a variety of room types, each with a fully stocked kitchen, CD player/radio and a unique tub setting, which allows you to move the wall the bathtub is adjacent to, so that you are able to see into the living room. There are balconies on all second floor rooms.  It’s a unique blend of resort, privacy, and comfortable accommodations.

The resorts, located further away from Port Douglas are large, full-service resort, (such as the Radisson TreeTops, Mirage, Rydges and others) and are not walking distance to one another or the village. There is a convenient bus that stops at all the various resorts located on the main street into town called, none other than ‘Port Douglas Rd’ The fair depends on the distance you plan to travel. The shuttle bus, however, will pick you up either directly in the front driveway of your resort or very close by at a bus stop. Please note that when staying at one of the several miles away from the Village, such as Thala Beach lodge, the one-way shuttle cost is $8.50 Australia. When staying at this resort, I highly recommend renting a car to get around, especially if there are two or more persons traveling together.

CAPE TRIBULATION AND A DAINTREE RIVER CRUISE
There are many Cape Tribulation day tours, which usually pick you up at your hotel at apprx 800 with a return of apprx 5,6 or 7pm. Plan for a full day when taking these tours. Its only been 2 years since the road from the Daintree river on upwards was paved, so renting a vehicle is now an options. The downside to renting a car, however, is that you’ll miss so much interesting information offered up by the excellent, local tour guides along with a traditional bush meal, prepared by your guide.. I recommend taking a small sized tour and experiencing it thru the eyes of an aussie! They will become invaluable to you.

The drive to the  Daintree River crossing, which leads  to the Cape area, is only 45-min. from Port Douglas. Most tours will take you by 4x4 vehicle. When traveling during peak season, you will have to be patient as there will be several tour groups and only  one ferry crossing. With the recent pavement of the Cape Tribulation’s main road, traffic has increased considerably. Where there’s progress there’s congestion.

If you enjoy rainforest landscape and you don’t mind staying in a remote area, than I highly recommend you consider staying here. There is a good choice of accommodations, with several B&B’s, and a few high-end resorts, built right in the canopy of the rainforest. The Cape area is the only place in the world where the rainforest meets the reef. The beach is expansive and a offers spectacular photo opportunities. The advantage of spending a night or two here is that many of the rainforests native animals are nocturnal and so spending a day here won’t net you the sights that one can capture during the night.

The river cruise is an exciting aspect of the tour as this is the moment that you may be able to spot a real, live crocodile. The cruise portion is apprx 1 hour. Although there are farms one can tour to see crocodiles, spotting one in its nature habitat is a real treat.

When selecting a tour, I recommend choosing a company that offers small group tours (15 or less people) and cruises a river besides the Daintree. The problem with the Daintree is that this is the river almost all tour operators use thus it can get congested during peak times.

PALM COVE VILLAGE
20 min. north of Cairns, you will find a delightful, sophisticated village called Palm Cove. The beaches are clean, white and lined with palm trees. This village has a distinct personality that screams  high society without the expense.  All resorts adhere to a strict ordnance that requires each resort to be stand  no higher than a palm tree, which turns out to be  4 stores high.

A shuttle bus will take you from your hotel to the Cairns airport, at specified times, at a cost of  A$13 return. The drive from Cairns airport, takes apprx half hour. The main road to Palm Cove, takes you all the way to Port Douglas. All the major tours, such as the Great Barrier Reef cruises, Cape tribulation/Daintree, Kuranda skyrail, provide pick-up service from your Palm Cove hotel, so there is no need for a car. The downtown area has a decent variety of restaurants, located in hotels and in the quaint mid-town village. When taking a public shuttle (rather than a private limo) be mindful that you will have to stop at the various resorts that are located before your from the road from the airport. This is done to let off your fellow travelers.

This village is small enough to walk through. If you don’t have a car, no need to worry, there are shuttle services that stop at most hotels. Tours operating outside of the Palm cove area area also available, with pick-ups at your hotel’s front lobby.  The airport shuttle only takes apprx 25 mins and costs $A15 round-trip.

Most hotels are located along a small road which divides the hotel zone from the beach. Fortunately this is a low traffic road and crossing over this narrow road to the beach is hassle less. Since the main drag is short with, its only a 20 min. walk from one end of the strip to the other.

Some hotels I recommend staying at while in the Palm Cove village:
*Angsana Resort & Spa. An elegant resort and the only one located directly on the beach.
*Sebel Reef House and Spa.  A boutique hotel located in the middle of the hotel strip.
*Clarion resort. A moderate class property which has a few King spa rooms that face the beach. Has the largest, free form pool in Australia, set among tropical gardens in Australia.
*Outrigger Beach club and Spa.

ROMANTIC DUNK ISLAND
This is one of the most popular islands off Australia’s coast. This island only has one resort, aptly named, Dunk Island Resort. This island is an attraction for couples and families, so I would think twice before venturing off to stay there as a single person, such as I did.

There are two ways to get to Dunk Island, fly or boat launch.  For those not comfortable being transported in a twin-engine otter place which holds 24 passengers and offers an exposed view of the cockpit and its pilots. There is an option of flying one way and taking the launch on the return or visa-versa.  The flight takes 35 min. and allows for a spectacular view of the great barrier reef and island. This is not only a way of transportation to/from the island but its also a sightseeing tour as well.

Luggage. When flying o to the island from the Cairns airport,  you are only allowed 16kg of luggage. Since there are no lockers to be found anywhere at airport these days, you'll have to stow your extra luggage  There are exceptions to the luggage limit, but make sure they will allow your extra luggage to return with you as well.

Upon arrive, you will register at the reception area which can be found just right of the runway. Its a very casual environment so no need to bring formal wear. After signing in, you will be personally escorted to your

VICTORIA

Melbourne
This is my favorite city, by far. The diversity, and attractions of this city and its surrounding area are incomparable. Its also where you'll find the best shopping, cultural performances and dinning experiences. Its culturally diverse cosmopolitan center, whose appeal is only increased by its vast acres of green space, beachfront towns and characteristic trolley cars.

Philip Island