Brisbane Bound
I’ll admit, I was hesitant about Brisbane. I couldn’t have been more wrong. They’ve spent millions revamping this city, and that was obvious the minute we hit the new waterfront. They’ve got riverside boardwalks, tons of cafes, a really nice urban beach and one of the nicest ways to do city tours- they actually get retired volunteer locals to show you around.
Brisbane was smaller than I expected, which was actually really good. It’s compact enough to allow you to explore the sights in just a few days. The South Bank was really vibrant, there was a riverside pool and the city is really clean. You can Segway around, bike along the waterfront or see the sights like the Story Bridge.
It was a one-night stop, so I didn’t have time to visit Chinatown or Fortitude Valley’s live music, but I’m sure I’ll be back.
It’s Hard To Put The Sunshine Coast Into Words
The drive north to the Sunshine Coast was an easy 1hr 50 minutes and the views were lovely. Once you get out of Brisbane, it turns very green (almost alpine) and that made the drive incredibly picturesque.
Noosa Heads was just so relaxing. It reminded me of Home & Away- just so laid-back, right by the beach, proper small-town charm, with some pretty impressive houses too. I really loved Noosa Heads. Everything here fronts the beach, including the main Hastings Street, where there’s loads of little boutiques, breakfast spots and places to sit. It’s quite upmarket, but with everyone walking around in flip-flops, it doesn’t feel pretentious. Surfing here is pretty big, so we gave it a try and I’m still massively proud of myself for being a first-time surfer and managing to stay standing! Tucking into local food was something I’m more experienced in, and doing it overlooking the bay was brilliant.
Staying in a large resort was definitely indulgent, but I mainly liked the Sofitel Noosa for its Beach House Restaurant. We also did a lovely sunset cruise along the waterfront homes.
Next up, was a drive north to Rainbow Beach to transfer to Fraser Island- the largest sand island in the world. Fraser Island was just stunning. It’s got over 100 freshwater lakes, bumpy sand dunes and a real wilderness feel to the beaches. I spotted lizards, dingoes and Blue Whales. With a human population of just 194, it’s not like the wildlife has much in the way of interruption. The full island day tour was brilliant, as was the light aircraft option- the runway is actually on the beach here which was unique. We also got to swim in Lake McKenzie which was amazing!
I also want to take a moment to recommend the Kingfisher Bay Resort I stayed in. The sunsets here are stunning, and its modern design blends really well with its rainforest setting.
Onto Rainforests And The Great Barrier Reef
I flew to Cairns next to transfer over to Port Douglas. A lot of people feel they should stay in Cairns for The Great Barrier Reef, but Port Douglas is much nicer in my opinion. I stayed in the Peninsula Boutique Hotel. It’s family run, right by the beach and an easy 10-minute walk into town. Again, it’s really relaxing. The Four Mile Beach overlooks mountains, the main Macrossan Street has loads of busy restaurants and the Ballyhooley Steam Railway is here.
I then visited the Daintree Rainforest, which is the oldest rainforest in the world. You’ll see saltwater crocodiles popping their heads out the water here, plus loads of bird and plant species. Temperatures were hotter here, so the greenery was refreshing, as was the Mossman Gorge.
The absolute highlight of my trip though, was The Great Barrier Reef. After seeing it on TV, it was pretty much what I expected, but seeing it in the flesh was something else. I did the Quicksilver Tour, which offers scuba diving and an underwater experience. Definitely something I’ll never forget.
The snorkelling was amazing and I couldn’t stay out of the water! There’s clownfish and tropical varieties, and the waters are crystal clear. I then got to see a bird’s-eye view from the helicopter tour over the Pontoon.
Not on bucket list
Australia wasn’t actually on my bucket list, but I’m so grateful I got to go, as it completely changed my opinion of it. There’s so much culture, diversity and natural beauty there, so lots of possibilities for unique itineraries. For more inspiration take a look at our most popular Australian Multi Centre Holidays or contact us here at the office for advice. A number of the team have been, so between us we’ve explored most the country… a couple of the guys have even lived out there, so if you are considering Australia give us a call and let us help you find something suitable.
Why choose eShores?
One to One Service
Our experienced personal travel consultants will ensure you find the most suitable holiday, whilst taking care of every last detail. Everything from start to finish will be effortless.
100% Tailor Made
We can use any hotel, in any destination, so we will craft an itinerary to suit your exact needs. Also, as we can provide any itinerary, the only holiday we'll offer, is the one that's right for you.
Fully Protected
Our ATOL bonding provides you with the financial protection you need and as a member of the Travel Trust Association, you'll have 100% financial protection. Covering you for any eventuality.
Competitive Pricing
As a tour operator & travel agent, we'll search the market to ensure that we find you the best price. Also as an online business, we can ensure our prices are as competitive as possible.
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Tony
Michelle is fantastic and has so much patience with Me which I thank Her for. On this occasion the pricing was more favourable than My last trip but again Michelle has been so supportive and met all My expectations.
Posted 1 day ago -
Jane
Second time booking with Michelle at e shores. Could not have been more helpful. Nothing was too much trouble. Would highly recommend.
Posted 1 day ago -
Maureen
Nick was very helpful in finding us a suitable 2 centre holiday in Greece. He quickly amended the original quote when we had to change the dates. He was very approachable, polite and friendly.
Posted 2 days ago -
Anonymous
Matt really helped with our booking. Nothing was too much trouble. Every time we changed our mind (which was quite a few) he rearranged the plans and got back to us promptly. I will definitely use this company again.
Posted 3 days ago -
Angela
Have just booked with eShores for the second time. Gavin planned a three week Caribbean Island hopping trip earlier this year which was fantastic and very well organised. We decided to do the same thing again and look forward to our next trip in January. Would definitely recommend this company and use them again.
Posted 6 days ago -
Paul
Absolutely a fab team ...Matt has been taking care of my holiday he is really so nice and helpful and responded to everything for me..
Posted 6 days ago -
TeresaFrancina
Eshore’s are an excellent company I can’t praise them enough, especially Adam who has been amazing. He was really patient as I’m indecisive and changed my mind several times. He persevered and found us a dream holiday and put together great itinerary covering every aspect of our journey . Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances we had to cancel the trip and Adam went above and beyond to recoup as much as possible for us. It was a huge help & felt very personal as if he were a friend. We have rescheduled the holiday & will use Eshores for all future trips’
Posted 1 week ago -
DebbieAnn
Nick was helpful from start to finish, helped us with any concerns, would recommend( not been on the holiday yet but sure we won’t be disappointed)
Posted 1 week ago -
KarenBryant
Lynette has been very accommodating it meeting all of our requests and changes and also with her suggestions. Price was good too.
Posted 1 week ago -
Chuk
I had never heard of eshores till I decided to plan a multi-stop holiday in Turkey some weeks ago. The decision to use eshores was based on a quick internet search for any help I could get with this. So, i wasnt really expecting much. As the planning was at relatively short notice...and we had never travelled to Turkey, I was pleasantly surprised at the support I had from Rachel at eshores who listened to what I wanted and was patient to go back and forth with me till I had the exact holiday I wanted (Istanbul, Ankara and Antalya). I always had a response with every query(and I had quite a few!!). The travel itself worked like a dream...both international and domestic flights were straightforward, but even more surprising was how reliable the multiple taxis to and fro airports were, even when picking up at 0330!! Overall, the experience has been very positive and I would be very happy to use the service again
Posted 1 week ago