10days Australia Travel?
By admin. Filed in English |
Hi all,
I am planning for a self bagpack Australia trip for 10days during end of December to early Jan, my budget is around S$8500 including air-tix. Places of visit includes: Gold Coast, Melbourne city and Sydney city. I have the following questions,kindly help me with it, thanks so much!!
1. Should I fly to Melbourne and travel to Gold Coast by bus(or car), or should I just fly to Brisbane and then to Melbourne and end with Sydney? I already planning to end my trip in Sydney.
2. What are the airlines recommended? Quatas? Sg Air? China Air? Kindly give me some reviews about these airlines…
3. Any suggestions on my budget if I am only planning to stay in motels and not hotels? What are the places I should visit when I am in the three destinations?
Thanks all=)
Saturday, December 26th 2009 at 7:32 pm |
I really hope you enjoy your visit.
In summary
1. Fly - it will give you more time in each place
2. Qantas or Virgin Blue
3. Look at Youth Hostels (these days some of these are as good as motels etc). There are lots of motels available (although it is a busy time of year), one chain which is well dispersed is Best Western and they are not bad and not too expensive.
In more detail.
First thing you need to realise is that Australia is a big country and driving will take a long time (Melbourne to Sydney is one solid day of driving and Sydney to Gold Coast is another).
Cheapest option is a bus but I don’t recommend it as you don’t get to stop and look at what you want to. Also the trip up from Melbourne would be pretty boring as it would be inland Victoria and NSW. The coast road to Gold Coast from Sydney would be okay but still limiting. The train is also an option but just as limiting.
A car provides great flexibility but if you are on you own you will still miss a lot due to the need to concentrate on the road - plus in ten days you want the highlights and while it is beautiful country to drive (and I would recommend it, if you have time) I think you are best to focus on the 3 spots you have selected.
Airlines. Qantas is a very good airline and I prefer to travel them myself. However, Virgin Blue is also a good airline and can be cheaper (although in the current economic climate the difference has dramatically decreased). Virgin Blue does not serve meals as part of the fare but on short flights from the Gold Coast to Sydney this does not matter - you can buy things on the flight. Note only Jet star or Virgin Blue fly into or out of the Gold Coast. If you fly Qantas or someone else you will need to fly into Brisbane and get the Air Train (pleasant, comfortable trip) from the airport to the Gold Coast. Singapore Airlines is also a very good airline - similar to Qantas. Can’t comment on China Air and don’t know much about Tiger. Note: Tiger and Jetstar can be inflexible, even when not your fault - I would fly Virgin Blue or Qantas (depending on price).
Places to visit
Difficult to say as you haven’t indicated what you want to see, or like doing.
I will annoy people with this comment, but if you want a taste of Australia and only have 10 days I wouldn’t pick Melbourne and probably not the Gold Coast. It has been a while since I visited these places and so don’t have many suggestions for you - Melbourne has a great cafe scene and if you are there on the weekend the markets are okay. The zoo is great - but if you are going to visit one, then go to Taronga in Sydney it has great views thrown in. Phillip Island is a must if you are in Melbourne. No comments on the Gold Coast - nice place to visit for a day in my opinion but better spots either side. The Big Pineapple was interesting but I was young at the time.
Sydney on the otherhand is a must:
* the Opera House, Rocks district, Sydney Harbour Bridge (walk across, climb it, or just photograph it; note climbing is not cheap) and Royal Botantic Gardens.
* A cruise on the Harbour is a must, a trip across the Harbour to Manly and the Zoo (fantastic views from here) are also good ways to see Sydney and experience the Harbour.
* Bondi beach, although in my opinion there are better beaches in Sydney, but Bondi is iconic. However, if you have been on the Gold Coast you can probably give this a miss.
* a day tour into the Blue Mountains is excellent;
* a tour up into the Hunter Valley and a visit to some wineries is a nice way to spend a day or so.
* Other things to do include a night ghost tour of Sydney; shopping; Museums; tours of stadiums e.g. Homebush and cricket grounds;
This alone good occupy 5-6 days minimum. For more information try this site - http://www.visitnsw.com/sydney.aspx
Remember, the weather can be fickle around Sydney and in particular Melbourne so be prepared. Flies can be very anoying in summer so ensure you have insect repellent (which you can get from any pharmacy / chemist if you need it).
I trust this provides some assistance and again I hope you enjoy your holiday.
Addition comment
You are in school holiday period - so many Australians will be on holiday and even being tourists themselves. The Aussie way of life is fairly laidback and like many places depends on where you live.
If you want beaches etc and plan on focusing less on Sydney then go to Brisbane and explore the Sunshine and Gold Coast. They will also have some of the water activities you mentioned up there. An ideal place to visit is Cairns (Great Barrier Reef) but it is very hot at this time of year.
I would land in Melbourne, fly up to Brisbane and enjoy life up there. If you are coming to Sydney - check out Manly, Bondi and just explore the Northern beaches by car. You might want to consider Sydney for New Years Eve - very crowded but a fantastic place to be in and around the Harbour. Then finish up for a couple of days in Melbourne.
This website on Queensland may be of assistancehttp://www.tourismqueensland.com.au/
Saturday, December 26th 2009 at 7:32 pm |
I reckon, just because it’s so so beautiful, land in Melbourne…hire a campervan for 5-6 days and drive up along the coast areas all the way to the gold coast, it is spectacular. Then you can catch a cheap fly to Sydney from the Gold Coast/Brisbane to Sydney…. 10 days aren’t much at all, big distances to remember. so If you can’t be bothered driving alot…. then you might be better of flying everywhere - but you’ll miss out on an amazingly beautiful coastline and awesome spots….
Airlines in Australia, cheapest would be JetStar, they give out super savers for one-way travel between those cities.
Accommodation is easy if you have a camper van, otherwise just go to backpackers, youth hostels or motels they are the cheapest. or camping, non powered tent sites or van sites are also cheap.
Saturday, December 26th 2009 at 7:32 pm |
contact YHA they can book all your accomm in Aust, Fly Qantas, (don’t 4get insurance)lotsa sun block, no roos on bridge at xmas (sorry)
Fly into Brizzy and work your way down the coast,
http://www.wicked.com.au this will take care of your transport and on road accomm.
Welcome to the biggest back yard in the world
Saturday, December 26th 2009 at 7:32 pm |
1.omg dont travel in car or bus from melbourne to gold coast! It’ll take FOREVER. I suggest flying to melbourne then get a cheap flight to sydney with a cheap airline, i suggest Jetstar. Then from sydney fly to coolangatta (gold coast)
2.Firstly not to be picky but “quantas” doesn’t have a U its QANTAS. But Qantus is good, i suggest them, but it really depends on where your from?
3. In gold coast i suggest this hotel in Mermaid waters i think it 4stars really nice. But because your on a budget theres heaps of cheap motels such as Formal1 hotels are reaaly cheap and same with the Ibis’s but remember what you pay is what you get.
4. I hope you have fun, Australia’s a beautiful place (Im a bit bias i live here! LOL) and theres theme parks in The gold coast so try to check them out and don’t forget the shopping in melbourne and the Harbour bridge and the oparah house in Sydney!