Erngonzalez

Hi guys, I am a first timer!

My wife and I are going to Australia for 10 days and 4 days in Auckland. We are landing in Syd and want to go up north to Cairns. We want to enjoy the beach! Any suggestion? We are going in the beginning of September. We have enough miles to fly from Syd to Cairns with an option of one stop over.
Any suggestions? Where should I use my stopover? What would be the best itinerary for 10 days in Aus?
Thanks!

cliffandkimowens

I was about to post a similar message with the timing in November. Will monitor your responses

Alan

If you only have ten days in Australia, I think I would forego the stopover and just concentrate on Sydney and the Reef. Really, the only two places you COULD stopover -- without going inland and way off your route -- would be Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Brisbane is a pleasant, sunny city, but not really in the same league as Sydney, so you may be better off maximising your time in the best city; the Gold Coast is a string of nice beaches which have been massively over-commercialised (think Miami), and the area is now better-known for the theme parks there (Movie World, Sea World, Dream World), which are not everybody's taste (compared to theme parks in the USA, these are pretty small potatoes anyway). You will see great sun and surf areas up in Cairns without too much of the "down" side of the Gold Coast.

So split your ten days pretty evenly between Sydney and Cairns... and have a great holiday!

wlzmatilida

Hi Ern!

A little clarification needed on your term of "stopover".....Alan took this to mean while IN Australia; I took it to mean a possible stopover in either Fiji or Tahiti....... in either case, Alan's correct. To maximize your time and get the most out of your vacation, forego the stopover and concentrate on Sydney and Cairns.

I'm thinking your miles must be on United or Air NZ, since you're going into AKL for 4 days .....for your stay there, I'd suggest just an overnight in Auckland and then the other 3 days in a different area of the North Island. Auckland's a big city, and not really what most people travel to NZ to see (and besides, Sydney has it all over it as far as a city stay is concerned). (just my opinion).

As far as your mileage's concerned, my advice would be to contact your carrier ASAP and see about using it. Have some alternate dates available; be flexible. Remember there's only "x" number of seats any airline will allot for mileage on a given flight, so even though you may have enough miles it doesn't guarantee you can actually make a reservation!

Hope this is helpful!

Melodie
Certified Aussie & Kiwi Specialist

Erngonzalez

The stopover is for any city in OZ. I think that I'll spend a day or two in Brisbane. Thanks guys for your help.

So one day in Auckland. What do you suggest for the next three days?
Thanks

thomasol

Welcome to Australia. As a poor Melbournite I would recommend a nice stay in Sydney-(the most interesting city in Oz) 5+ days and then to Port Douglas (an hour plus north of Cairns) to see the reef and the rainforest in the hills nearby just north in the Daintree forest. Ive been to Brisbane many times but nothing special and nothing nearby really. You could stop Mid Queensland on the way to Cairns near the Whitsundays ie Proserpine or Rockhampton to see more reef or Maroochydore and visit Fraser Island (largest sand island with a rainforest in it-may even see some whales nearby depending on the time of year). Cheers

RalphR

If enjoying the beach is your primary driver, then I'm not so sure Cairns and far north Queensland is the place for you. There are some beautiful beaches up there, absolutely, but none of them have any surf to speak of due to the protective effect of the Barrier Reef. For beaches with good waves and crashing surf, I'd stay south...Noosa, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, Byron Bay, northern New South Wales. Yes some areas like the Gold Coast are quite commercialized, but there are still many fabulous uncommercialized ones in the same general area. Not far inland, as in Cairns, you'll find lots in the way of natural beauty, rainforests, mountain scenery, waterfalls, etc, etc.