lauren27

Please critique my Australia itinerary. We will be there for two weeks in early September next year. We are really looking forward to snorkeling and wildlife viewing as well as a little city exploring. Do you think the time I have allotted in each place is sufficient given our limited time? I know there is only so much that we can see in two weeks and I'm not sure if this is too ambitious. Also, will we need to wear wet suits for snorkeling in September? Thanks for your advice!

1-arrive Melbourne-rest and explore city
2-Melbourne-explore city
3-Melbourne-Phillip Island
4-fly to Adelaide, go to Kangaroo Island
5-Kangaroo Island
6-fly to Cairns- stay in Cairns or Port Douglas
7-Port Douglas or Cairns-Wavelength Snorkel Tour
8-drive to Undara Lava Tubes, stay overnight
9-drive back to Port Douglas or Cairns
10-fly to Lizard Island
11-Lizard Island
12-Lizard Island
13-fly to sydney-explore city
14-sydney-explore city or visit Blue Mtns
15-fly home

johhj_au

You won't need wet suits.

You are trying to do too much.You have to decide between adelaide/ki and melbourne.

Sydney is special..you are selling it short.

TreeRoo

lauren27,
You obviously like taking your holidays sitting down. On buss, plane and car seats. Myself, I would drop two of your locations so I could get out more but you must do what suits you. if you have the money but not the time one can fly to Undara but if you are driving then a stop of a day or a week on the Atherton Tablelands is worth it.

fuzzylogic

Yes - too much. If you must fly into MLB, then skip the trip to ADL and KI (I have never understood why this place crops up so often on the itineraries of overseas visitors - for sure on a second or third trip - but it really isn't worth so much time out of a two week itinerary.)

Ditto Phillip Is - now I confess though I have been to KI I have never been to PI (but have had plenty of opps to do so). What is the attraction there - sitting in a grandstand to see tiny penguins under floodlights? What's the point?

Your plans for FNQ look good - but one day in Sydney is a joke.

Forget KI and Adelaide - spend more time in Sydney.

And yes, IMHO - unless you have lots of flesh on you - you bloody well do need a wetsuit in September.

If you want to know why, then please post again. Would be glad to give details.

happy travels.

Fabio

I did 2 trips to Australia for a total of 7 weeks and think this country would deserve at least 4/5 trips just to have only a rough idea of most of the wonders !!

We love Sydney and would spend more time there !
With 2 weeks time, skip ADL/KI and MEL and spend more time on the barrier reef. Our planet's condition is changing so fast that the reef might deteriorate quickly in the next years ! Only one degree C of the water temperature can destroy a lot, too much !! Stay more time there and visit more islands !

lizF

I second what Fuzzylogic and Fabio say and suggest that you cut out Melbourne, Adelaide and K.I. none of those are first time visit places of international interest. I think you are underestimating how long it would take to fly from place to place i.e you have said for day 13 "fly to Sydey - explore the city" it is going to take you the best part of the day getting to Sydney and from the airport to your accommodation with no time to explore anything. The flight alone is a minimum of 3 hours if its direct and more like 5 hours if its not direct. Put the time on to that for getting to the airport and from the airport etc and you have done a day.
Just add to Sydney and the GBR areas as there is far more to do in those areas that the other places that you have suggested.

caligirl56

fuzzy-
I'd like to hear the "whys" about the wetsuit!

lauren27

Thanks everyone. I thought you all would tell me that we are trying to do too much! Will probably cut out Melbourne, Adelaide and Kangaroo Island. We are really interested in seeing wildlife--any suggestions for seeing animals in the wild in a day trip from Sydney or near Cairns?

pat_woolford

If fuzzylogic's anything like me the "why" of wearing a wetsuit in September, or at least a "shortie", is that water is cold for prolonged snorkelling. I know "cold" is relative and depends on what you're used to but have spoken to quite a few Americans lately who were surprised that water isn't warmer. In fact a couple from Texas said they were positively "freezing" on way back from reef when wind came up. Water temperature in early September is about 72F, compared with January temp of 84F.

You can have a serious wildlife experience from Cairns with Jonathon Munro www.wildwatch.com.au - do book him well in advance though.

Bill_Bolton

> any suggestions for seeing animals in the wild in a day trip from Sydney

Best best would probably in the Kur-ring-gai Chase National Park to the North (West Head is usually a good location) or in the Royal National park to the South.

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife web site has a lot of information on the Parks. They do guided walks in many of the Parks which may be of interest. See http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/

Cheers,

Bill

LynAK

Re: wetsuits
Just back from an August trip to FNQ and we snorkelled. I am very cold natured and found the water way too cold, but with a wetsuit I was just fine. The boat rented a "shortie" (stopped at the knees) for AU$10.

My husband is too big for the standard wetsuits so he just snorkelled without one and although he thought the water was chilly he didn't mind it. Our 10 yr. old tried a wetsuit but found it too tight and confining so she snorkelled without one.

So it really is an individual thing. I don't think I could have done it without the wetsuit but lots of people were fine. It will be warmer in Sept. so you should not worry about it, wait and see and check to see if they will rent you one after you determine the conditions. I'd be surprised if they didn't have them available at Lizard.

Also, I second the comments about not trying to do too many places. Especially stay longer in Sydney. This is one of the greatest cities of the world (though folks from Melbourne will say that about their city too and it does have much to offer), but for a first time trip I'd say to explore Sydney..3 day minimum there, meaning 3 real days to explore, not partial days concerned with getting there and leaving there.

Also, Undara Lava Tubes..I've never been there so can't comment on whether it is worth it, but this is a long way from Cairns and there is so much to do just around there, including a couple of days driving through the Tablelands which gives you a different picture of QLD than the reef, water, tropical stuff. Someday I'm going to Undara but you might want to look into some other things in the area that aren't so far away.

fuzzylogic

caligirl - I guess the wetsuit question has been answered, more or less.

For me - a first trip to FNQ in Nov (no wetsuit - didn't even think about it) did not prepare me for a trip to an island at the southern end of the GBR in late Sept some years later. I really, really tried to keep going cos the coral was amazing, and I had taken up the option of a flotation jacket - being not the strongest swimmer in the world!! - but I couldn't. I was so cold I asked to be picked up and shivered for a while on the glass bottom boat. I shivered some more back on the mother ship. I was chilled to the bone and will always remember the sweet crew member who made me a hot drink and lent me a jacket.

I learned!! So on next trip to FNQ July 2004 I made sure I booked myself a wetsuit as the ship left dock.

I don't want to worry you. My own need to be sure of a wetsuit on trip 3 was down to the fact that I am a small person and I knew if I left it until the last minute all that would be left would be extra large!!

Please don't be taken in by the fact that the land temps in Tropical QLD will be delightful even in Australia's winter. The water is quite different.

SnRSeattle

We always wear wetsuits for the sun protection as well as extra bouyancy. Once my husband only got sunburned on the back of his ankle between the wetsuit and the flippers. Boy, it was painful and he was glad it wasn't all over his body. After half or one hour, the water drains you of heat and you'll be glad you have one. We have 3ml/2ml full suits and wear them in all the warm water snorkeling places (GBR and Caribbean--and upcoming to Hawaii.)
Sally in Seattle where the blood is thin