1st Australia trip - my report
 

Hi there,
I've been on Fodors for a long time but haven't had time to really be on here much lately.

Wanted to post my trip report. I flew down to Australia on 2/14 for a week+ trip.

Arrived in Sydney late Friday night 2/16. Stayed at the InterContinental for 2 nights. Good location, awesome breakfast/bar area with wraparound balcony that offers gorgeous views of the city and waterfront, Opera House, Bridge, etc.. Then we moved to the Rendezvous Stafford hotel right on the Rocks for 2 nights. AWESOME location, cute little studio apartment.

Day 1: walked through the Botanical Gardens which is by far the nicest city park I've ever seen. Went to Bronti Beach and did the walk to Bondi. Loved this!!! Had lunch at Bondi, then walked through Paddington, wandered the markets a bit and walked back to the city. Next stop was Circular Quay where we boarded the ferry out to Manly. Walked around a bit and had dinner there. Hearing all the arguments and hoopla about Manly vs. Bondi, I had high hopes for Manly. HOwever, I was not impressed with Manly, and very much preferred Bondi.

Day 2: Got up early and hit the Aquarium. It was ok - I think Boston's is just as good but it's always fun to see gigantic stingrays! Afterwards, we walked to the Rocks and through the markets and all around there. Bought a few things to bring home. Had dinner at Pony which was spectacular.

Day 3: Got up very early and rented a car to drive out to the Blue Mountains. Stopped at Feathervale which blew me away. I loved being able to hang out with the animals there. From there, we drove through Katoomba and hit the big viewpoints of the Blue Mountains. We had lunch and then got on the road to hit Jenolan Caves. Thank you to all those that recommended this. What a highlight! We left there around 630ish and found this fantastic pizza place somewhere on the way back to Sydney. Got back around 1030 and crashed.

Day 4: a 430am wakeup call to drive to the airport to catch our flight to Cairns. Picked up our car at the airport and drove straight up to Port Douglas in the pouring rain. We checked into the Sheraton Mirage, attempted to at least view the beach but the weather was atrocious and the winds were whipping at 50mph with the waves crashing over and over. Bopped around PD a bit and then crashed in our room, which was nice. We had a huge tub with a great view over 2 of the 14 lagoons. Sure, the hotel could use a bit of upgrading but we loved it. We stopped at Coles and picked up some groceries so we saved a bit of money by buying cereal and milk, etc instead of heading out for a pricey breakfast. Had dinner at Watergate in town, which was fantastic. Very cool setting and delicious food with even better cocktails.

Day 5: being the wet season, we woke up to more monsoons and set out happily. Drove all the way up the Daintree Coast to Cape Tribulation. From there, we took our time driving back down, stopping at many spots to get out and walk the boardwalks and visit the beaches and explore the rainforests. We did the Discover Center which I personally thought wasn't worth it, but as long as my money went to preserving the area, I'm happy with it. Had lunch at Coconut Beach (can't remember the hotel there) and it was a spectacular setting. It was a long day but so much fun. We had dinner that night in PD at Mango Jam. I would not go back there, nor would I recommend it. After all the friendly people and amazing service we had gotten thus far, the terrible attitude and service and high prices of Mango Jam didn't fit.

Day 6: Surprise! Woke up to a beautiful sunny sky. Took our time getting on the road and went to Mossman Gorge where we saw more rainforest and swam around for a while. Absolutely beautiful. Had lunch in Mossman and then raced to see if we could hop on the 2:30 crocodile river cruise. We just missed it. Hung out in Daintree Village, bought more stuff to bring home and then caught the 4:00 river cruise. Saw a few crocs, a few snakes and one awesome tree frog. Went to dinner at Nautilus, which was worth every penny (and there were a lot of pennies here!). It was our splurge dinner and I'm so glad we decided to go there.

Day 7: Got picked up before 8 for our day out on the Great Barrier Reef. We ended up going with SilverSonic which was fantastic. They fed us great meals and took us to 3 different snorkeling spots. I've done a bit of snorkeling in my day and of course this one blew everything else out of the water. We were so lucky to have yet another gorgeous sunny calm day. Perfect for the GBR!!! Got back to the hotel around 430ish and went to dinner at Gone Bananas. It was ok, but had great atmosphere. I almost wish we went to Salsa, but it was nice to have an early night.

Day 8: flew back to Sydney, getting in around 2. Went straight to the Opera House and walked around that area a bit and then headed back to the Rocks. We went to the water and had dinner at Chinta Rea on Cockle Bay Wharf. I hear the ones in Melbourne are awful, but this one was great. Huge, totally chaotic but fun with great food and very lively. Went back to our hotel - the Establishment Hotel (THANK YOU for the recs, what a truly fab place to stay) to hit the bars there. First we went upstairs to Hemmesphere but it was kind of quiet and then went down to the Establishment Bar which was fantastic. What a great night to end the trip.

Day 9: went to Pancakes on the Rocks for breakfast which was good but so over the top and not recommended for your departure day! Walked through the Rocks again (can you tell this was my favorite area??) and up to the bridge and explored for a bit. Hung out in the Botanical Gardens a bit and relaxed before catching our afternoon flight back home.

All in all, a fabulous trip! Thanks again to all you helpful Fodorites :)

Awesome trip report! I'm really getting excited now, leave in just 16 days.

Can you access Featherdale via public transportation? So your saying the aquarium is nothing special? I guess if you've seen one, well.. What kind of food does Pony serve up, etc.. what made it so spectacular if you don't mind me asking. Just trying to get an idea on places to eat since I'll be spending the whole week in Sydney.

Again thanks for the report

Nice report Bostongal - thanks for sharing.

BostonGal,

Glad you had such a great time. You mentioned staying at the Intercontinental. It's been a few years since we last stayed there and we have always enjoyed it. I was just wondering how you found the room, service etc. I assume by the description that you had a room on the Club Floors with access to their lounge? We will be staying there later this year.

Regarding the outfit you used for the GBR ( Silver Sonic ), I was wondering how large their vessels are and how many passengers were onboard?

Thanks for your trip report.

This is my 4th time trying to post, I hope it works!

The InterContinental - we had a room on the 27th floor (I think). It was nice and quite roomy (I'm used to tiny closets in Europe). The service was great. You just needed your room key to get upstairs to the roofdeck - the room there is where you have breakfast (included in our rate) and then at night I'm sure they have dinner there too but we just went for drinks and the view.

Featherdale - I don't believe public transport gets you there but I saw a bunch of buses. A lot of people might scoff at it, because really, it's just a petting zoo. My hopes were below zero for it so that's why I loved it so much. It's FANTASTIC for bird lovers. I don't like birds but still thought it was great. The 'roos were jumping around and free to visit with everyone, they had a croc feeding while we were there, the koalas were out, etc.. That's really all I wanted to see so I was very happy with it. To top it off, on the way home from the Caves we saw a ton of kangaroos in the wild, yay!

The SilverSonic - I think the max capacity was 85. Still too many ppl for my liking, and it was full despite being low season, but I didn't feel cramped at all. There were a couple points in the water where there were clusters and that I couldn't deal with so I had to just swim away from them and find my own part of the reef, which was no big deal.

As for Pony, it's very cosmopolitan. They have an outdoor section heated with heat lamps for chilly evenings (which we needed) and inside is designed kind of funky. It's loung-ey which I love. I had a terrific salad and a nontraditional gnocchi dish, and my husband had pork chops that weren't your typical porkchops and they were out of this world. The best part was we were asking the waitress for suggestions on wine and she pulled the wine expert over and he talked through all of them (we're huge wine fans) and we ended up buying one that wasn't on the list, it was a "special" one that surprisingly didn't have too much a "special" pricetag to go along with it.

BostonGal,

Thanks for your report. I'm booking our flights to Australia today (we're going in September) and am getting so excited.

I'm interested in the fact you drove to the Blue Mountains. On another trip report I read of a guided tour (private guide), so I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons of the two options. I'd love more information on your experience.

With regard the Great Barrier Reef -- my husband and I don't scuba dive and haven't snorkled for 40 years. Were there any people on your boat that just went along for the ride? In your opinion, would one find any "value" in that?

Any suggestions/advice you can offer will be appreciated! We're just starting to put the framework of our trip together, so are looking for lots of input.

nevermind, snorkeling on the reef is easy; boats will supply flotation devices which help, and everything's shallow. If you're still unsure, ask for help- they will be glad to. Alternatives are any of the larger boats with platforms - they have underwater view areas and semi-submersibles. Even better, go to Frankland Islands where you can walk off the beach and just dip your head to see coral, fish etc. Practice a bit in waist-deep water, then continue on the the slightly deeper water over the reef. The reefs there are excellent - not quite as good as the outer reef, but still great. If you have time, then go to the outer reef on another day wih your refreshed experience. Second alternative - go out with Ocean Spirit to Michaelmas Cay, and snorkel off the beach then out to the reefier areas there. They also have a semisub. Lastly, ask to borrow a mask and snorkel at your hotel, and practise in the pool - it'll all come back.

BostonGal,

Thank you for your additional comments. A couple of more questions re your reef cruise. I have problems with motion sickness and wondered how the trip was on this size vessel and also if this particular boat offered any dry activities as well? Thanks.

To get to Featherdale without a car - and if you are not keen on the bus tour - the best bet is to get the train to Blacktown and get a taxi.

Featherdale advises: Public Transport: Train to Blacktown, then Busway bus No.725 from the station.

http://www.featherdale.com.au/

Doonside station is closer, but taxis may not be available.

nevermind - please do not worry about snorkelling. We used Synergy 11 last yearout of Port Douglas -1 2 persons max and lovely boat / crew / food who used excellent quality wet suits , flotation devices , and even had optical goggles for those who needed glasses . So any of the good tour operators will look after you .These were extremely attentive and watchful for anyone in difficulty ( like me spluttering 'cause I swallowed water )And there was no pressure to spend a lot of time in the water if you did not wish to do so .Tbe trip out was lovely in itself .

I appreciate the comforting words about snorkeling. The platform boats sound interesting. I'm not wild about the thought of lots of people, but it gives me something else to investigate.

I booked our flight this morning, so am beside myself with excitement. I can now get down to the specifics. I suspect I'll have a "wasted" day, as I research this trip, listening to what I hope is ice sliding over my roof. (It is either ice melting as the sun shines upon it or a very large animal!)

How did you find driving in Australia? We are doing a similar trip with a bit more time which we may spend in the Whitsundays. Also thinking of staying at the Establishment on the back end of the trip and somewhere else at the beginning. Did you like staying in different areas. I enjoyed your trip report very much and included it in all my notes.

I hope I can hit on everyone's additional questions, but if not please let me know what I've missed..

Snorkeling on the Reef - Our specific boat, most everyone got in the water, either diving or snorkeling. Like many others commented, it's really quite easy. There were A LOT of first timers, and the staff on the boat were terrific. They gave those people that were nervous or iffy either life jackets and/or noodles (those long things that kids like to whack each other with in pools, but they're also used for buoyoncy). We had to wear stinger suits which also helped keep us afloat more than if we went without. If you are truly concerned and want something that will give you more options to not get in the water, the regular Quicksilver boat has a glass bottom so you can see all the fish without actually getting in the water. However, this boat holds something like 450ppl, which to me sounds a bit claustrophobic, but if you're ok with that many people, it might be a good option for you. But I would recommend the smaller boat if you have even the slightest interest in getting in the water. There are also 2 decks where you can lounge in the sun while the boat is docked, which I used - I wasn't in the water the entire time we were docked, I would have exhausted myself!

As for sea sickness - I am forever plagued by motion sickness, car sickness, sea sickness... I took dramamine about 1/2 hour before getting on the boat and again during lunch. If you forget, the staff were handing them out to whoever needed it. You just definitely need to take it BEFORE the boat starts moving. I felt a bit queasy during our first briefing because we were inside and rocking quite a bit, but then for the other briefings they had us outside which was much better. Anytime I felt queasy (basically, anytime the boat was stationary and I wasn't in the water) I was outside on one of the decks getting fresh air and staring out onto the horizon. I was actually quite pleased with how I felt, I thought for sure I'd be worse. It's a long ride - about an hour and a half each way from Port Douglas and the Reef.

I wish we had more time to get on another boat and go to another spot on the coast, I hear wonderful things about so many other islands and areas. Next time (if there is a next time), I want to try and get out to the Whitsundays, even though it'll take MANY dramamine pills!!!

Driving - sure, it was reallly weird at first driving on the wrong side of the road, but you get used to it pretty quickly. We even got a stick shift and were fine! You just have to remember to stay left, stay left stay left!

As for the Blue Mountains and driving there vs. getting on a bus. For us, we would prefer to do things our own way over hopping on a tour any day. It's just a personal preference. We like going at our own pace, etc.. When we got to Featherdale, we were the only ones there for about 15mins which was great, we had all the animals to ourselves, and then the busloads starting showing up and it got kind of crowded. We probably spent less time at the Blue Mountains than most tours. An Australian associate of my husband's said to him - oh, the Blue Mountains. People from the States come go there to see them and they say Mountains?!! Those are more like hills! And it's pretty much true. There's not a lot to see there - granted, it's awfully picturesque and I'm glad we stopped, but we couldn't have been there more than an hour.
There's no way we would have had time to head down to Jenolan Caves if we didn't drive ourselves - we grabbed a quick lunch and got right on the road to join the last tour of the Caves. Granted, this was the first cave tour I've ever been on, but if you're going out in that direction, you really should do what you can to check out the caves as well, they were spectacular!
So for us, it all worked out. We got back pretty late that night, around 10ish I think, and I know all the tours for the combo Featherdale, Blue Mountains and Caves depart around 8 and get back around 6-630. So I think you'd miss a lot. But again, to each his own and if you're more comfortable getting on a bus rather than driving yourself, I'm sure the tour would be fine.

Definitely stay at Establishment if you can! I did enjoy staying in different areas, however next time I would chose to stay only in the Rocks. It's such a fantastic area, we really enjoyed it there and spent most of our time there, even though we did venture out to many of the other neighborhoods like Darling Harbour and Paddington, etc..

I'm sorry, I tried to edit before posting and it didn't work.

1) I don't know for sure about the tours leaving at 8 and getting back about 630, but I'm pretty sure that's what I remember seeing.

2) The hotel with the best location by far was the Rendezvous; however the extra 5 minute walk for staying at Establishment would be well worth it!

Thanks, BostonGal, for your update. I'm still contemplating the scuba diving, but think we'll rent a car to go to the Blue Mountains. We enjoy driving and following our own itinerary. Was the tour of Jenolan Caves difficult walking? I'm not a strong walker, but would like to see the caves if access isn't too difficult.

I appreciate you comments on accommodations, as well. You said that you liked the Sheraton Mirage but that it needed upgrading. Would you mind elaborating? We'll definately look into Establishment.

Again, thanks for the details. They are so helpful!

Great report BostonGal, glad you (mostly) enjoyed it all. You got out and looked at areas other than the city which was good and I was happy to see you liked my suburb of Bondi. It usually gets short shrift on here in comparison with Manly but most people don't see the cliff walk you did and never get further than the street front by the beach which is underwhelming. For anyone else wondering, my recommendation is , if you can, see Bondi AND Manly for two different experiences but do see the scenery of Bondi not just the street front.

BostonGal,

Again, thank you for your additional comments regarding your reef cruise. I think if I do like you did and take something I will probably be ok out on the water.

We will also be staying in the Blue Mountains near the end of our trip and hopefully will also be able to see the Jenolan Caves. I guess this can easily be done in a day trip from the Katoomba area.

DJE - correct, we did all that in one day and (for the most part) didn't feel rushed. It would have been nice to visit the Aboriginal site in the area...

nevermind - re: walking in and around the caves, the only part you may have difficulty with is the stairs. On the tour we took, we had to walk up a small hill and climb a bunch of stairs to get to the entrance, and then once we went through the tunnel we had to descend about 5 flights of stairs. However, we had 2 elderly women with us, one using a cane, and they were ok with it, they just went a little slower but by no means did the hold up our group at all. That being said, there are many tour options - if you get there at the right time - so you can always ask at the ticket desk for the most appropriate tour for you. If at all possible, try to get there around 1pm for the most options. We took the last tour of the day which started around 4-430.

The Mirage - not so much that it needed upgrading, just the rooms were a bit dated. Of course, this is coming from "posh/hip" city hotels in Sydney, so maybe my review is a bit biased. It was a fine place to stay, and in fact we would definitely stay there again if we ever return to Port Douglas.