Exploring Australia… but short on time

If you want to see it all, you’re going to need at least 3 weeks to do Australia – and even that is at a push as you’ll be non-stop flying from place to place.   The distances involved are just huge, the country is bigger than the whole of Europe and it takes 4hours to fly from one coast to another.  So when it comes to planning your trip you need to think carefully about what you want to get out of it and also what sort of holiday you’re looking for.

If you’re wanting some culture and bright lights, a trip including the big cities of Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane like our Cities of Australia itinerary will be fantastic. However, for many people it’s not the cities that draws them to Australia, but more the wildlife, landscape and coasts.  If this is the case for you and you want to see some amazing nature both on land and offshore, as well as take in one of the famous cities, why not stick to either the East coast or the West coast.  Either coast will deliver an incredible Aussie experience and that way you’ll have time to enjoy it and throw another shrimp on the Barbie too!

If you dream of seeing the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge and then travel up through Queensland to the Great Barrier Reef then stick to just doing an East Coast itinerary. Fly to Sydney and then head north.  You’ll have time to get acclimatised with a good few days in the city, see the iconic landmarks and enjoy the multicultural lifestyle with its vibrant restaurant and bar scene.

DON’T MISS the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk – most people just walk from Bondi to Bronte but keep going and you’ll pass gorgeous bays, suspended walkways and on to Coogee where you can reward yourself with a cold one from Coogee Pavilion’s rooftop bar.

Take a flight to Brisbane and pick up a hire car for an incredible road trip up to the coast.  Learn to surf at Noose where you’ll find the real Aussie beach culture without the Bondi Beach crowds.  Further north see dolphins and turtles around Fraser island and if you’re there between July and November you might even see the Humpback whales on their migration.

Stop for a few days to sail around the Whitsundays; those picture perfect islands where the turquoise sea makes incredible patterns with the white silica sand. Go diving or snorkelling in the tropical waters that are as clear and stunning as The Maldives.

Heading up towards Cairns you can enjoy staying along the coast in towns backed by rainforest and edged with palm trees. There’s loads of adventurous activities to do at Mission Beach – why not head inland for some white water rafting on the river?

Cairns itself is of course the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef – one of the 7 natural wonders of the world.  This breath-taking region with its incredible sea-life is worth enjoying and not rushing.

Further north of Cairns, are more incredible places to visit for nature lovers and anyone wanting to explore the dramatic rainforests at Cape Tribulation and Daintree National Park.  Here you’ll see a whole different side to the is country with its mangrove forests, deep gorges and dramatic rivers –there’re so many fun and adventurous things to do to explore it like jungle surfing or crocodile spotting!

However, if you choose to visit the West coast instead, you can still get an incredible Aussie experience.  A West Coast Itinerary may not have the Opera House but it won’t disappoint, it’s not as far to fly to and it won’t be nearly as busy either.

There’s no end to the nature and wildlife on the Western coast, instead of the Great Barrier Reef go snorkelling off the Ningaloo Reef, equally as incredible and arguably better in that you can get to it straight from the shore!  You’ll have the best whale shark experience here too along with manta rays, turtles and zillions of tropical fish.

The West coast has got awesome scenery in truck loads too! There’s the Namburg National Park with its incredible limestone pillars and there’s the Kalbarri National Park with its dramatic rock formations and canyons.  Further north there’s the Karijini National Park with its cascading waterfalls and then the Kimberley Wilderness if you dream of leaving red-dust tyre tracks through the Aussie Outback.

You won’t miss out on city life on the West Coast either as Perth is a divinely laid back with great shops and restaurants.  The city also has a stunning natural location along the Swan River as well as pretty beaches.

Take a ferry over to Rottnest Island, this is where the locals go to swim, surf and snorkel.  The best way to get around car-free ‘Rotto’ is to hire a bike – then you can explore the bays and find a beach all to yourself. Don’t miss a guided tour of the island to understand the island’s history including time as an Aboriginal prison!

Whichever coast you choose to visit you will have heaps to do and see – and both offer a true Aussie experience.  Have fun!