7-8 days in australia
May 14th, 2007, 01:03 PM
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7-8 days in australia
I am planning a trip to Australia and it seems really overwhelming. I like to dive and snorkel. my husband does not have his dive cert yet but he likes the beach and snorkeling. i am looking for a realxing vacation on top of the 15 hour plane ride from san francisco. i read in a previous post a suggestion to see sydney and GBR in a 7-8 day time limit. I want to see Sydney and the GBR but is it really possible within 7-8 days? What are the pros and cons for GBR and Sydney? I want to see so much yet relax at the same time, is it all possible?thank you for your response
May 14th, 2007, 03:07 PM
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You can see bits of both places in that time. If you want to emphasize relaxation, why not go to one of the islands on the reef for 4 days (Heron, Lizard, Lady Eliot, Green etc) and spend the rest of the time in Sydney.
What time of year are you thinking of coming?
What time of year are you thinking of coming?
May 14th, 2007, 06:07 PM
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OK, IMO September would be great for any of the islands. I've been to Heron island in August and went snorkelling without a wetsuit, but I did start to get cold after about half an hour in the water. A wetsuit would solve that problem: they can be hired on the island. Heron is at the southern end of the reef, so is Lady Elliot Island.
If you go further north the temperatures will be warmer. Have a look at some of the previous posts on Lizard Island and Green Island.
If you go further north the temperatures will be warmer. Have a look at some of the previous posts on Lizard Island and Green Island.
May 14th, 2007, 06:21 PM
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ok thanks, i will look into it. my husband was telling me he would prefer to go to the beach area, and i agree. i just feel that coming to austrailia is such an experience i would want to see as much as i could. i had no idea it was the size of the united states!
May 14th, 2007, 09:11 PM
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To Primobacio
If your main reason for visiting Australia is to dive / snorkel, my suggestion is that you give Sydney a miss and head straight for Cairns.
The GBR is very patchy these days. The star fish has destroyed a great deal of it. Even so, it is an experience you will never forget and if you like sharks, there are a number of varieties up and down the coast. Reef sharks are very sleek and attractive and will not bother you if you dont bother them. There are also a large amount of colourful fish to observe and shoot (with a camera) whilst off the coast.
A word of warning about dive tours. There have been a number of incidents where a diver or divers have been left behind to drown, due to the lack of a proper head count. Some operators are just plain incompetent. If you have big bucks, hire a boat yourself and dive wherever you want and more importantly, come up whenever you want. Being responsible for yourself is the only way you can be certain of a safe return to shore.
Good luck
Oscar1
PS The main variety of sharks you need to worry about are the two legged kind on land! Same everywhere!
PPS Sydney is great and so is Melbourne, Adelaide & Perth. My suggestion that you head straight for Cairns, simply took into account your length of stay and your expressed interest. If you come all this way for eight days, you might as well give Sydney a day or two.
If your main reason for visiting Australia is to dive / snorkel, my suggestion is that you give Sydney a miss and head straight for Cairns.
The GBR is very patchy these days. The star fish has destroyed a great deal of it. Even so, it is an experience you will never forget and if you like sharks, there are a number of varieties up and down the coast. Reef sharks are very sleek and attractive and will not bother you if you dont bother them. There are also a large amount of colourful fish to observe and shoot (with a camera) whilst off the coast.
A word of warning about dive tours. There have been a number of incidents where a diver or divers have been left behind to drown, due to the lack of a proper head count. Some operators are just plain incompetent. If you have big bucks, hire a boat yourself and dive wherever you want and more importantly, come up whenever you want. Being responsible for yourself is the only way you can be certain of a safe return to shore.
Good luck
Oscar1
PS The main variety of sharks you need to worry about are the two legged kind on land! Same everywhere!
PPS Sydney is great and so is Melbourne, Adelaide & Perth. My suggestion that you head straight for Cairns, simply took into account your length of stay and your expressed interest. If you come all this way for eight days, you might as well give Sydney a day or two.
May 14th, 2007, 11:18 PM
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"There have been a number of incidents where a diver or divers have been left behind to drown, due to the lack of a proper head count."
- I've heard of only one well-publicised incident, the couple from Louisiana I think. Can you cite others?
- I've heard of only one well-publicised incident, the couple from Louisiana I think. Can you cite others?
May 14th, 2007, 11:33 PM
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i would like to see sydney and i am thinking of how to coordinate it with the trip because from san francisco i fly to sydney then cairns, so maybe the end of the trip can be spent in sydney. not sure how to schedule it. also are there any other cities or sights to see up in the north while in cairns?
May 15th, 2007, 04:08 AM
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You had no idea it was the size of the United States - why? How could you not know that?
Any other cities to see up in the north while in Cairns? I don't think so. (Some of us wouldn't call Cairns a "city"
. Have you looked at a map?
Sights - yes.
If I were you I would probably fly in and try and connect direct to FNQ. Get the travelling over with.
Stay up around Cairns for 4 nights. Fly back to Sydney. Enjoy Sydney and fly home.
Or you could skip Cairns altogether as other posters have suggested. Lots of other places to enjoy the reef.
If you want nothing else than beach - one of the islands: if you want a few more alternatives - the Whitsundays.
But when push comes to shove for variety FNQ is the place. You could check out the rainforest while you are there.
It ain't hard to schedule. If you were smart you would fly into Cairns and out from Sydney.
If you must fly into Sydney and can't fly out of Cairns then check out the local budget carriers;
www.virginblue.com.au
www.jetstar.com.au
Or get an all-in Qantas flight.
Any other cities to see up in the north while in Cairns? I don't think so. (Some of us wouldn't call Cairns a "city"
. Have you looked at a map?Sights - yes.
If I were you I would probably fly in and try and connect direct to FNQ. Get the travelling over with.
Stay up around Cairns for 4 nights. Fly back to Sydney. Enjoy Sydney and fly home.
Or you could skip Cairns altogether as other posters have suggested. Lots of other places to enjoy the reef.
If you want nothing else than beach - one of the islands: if you want a few more alternatives - the Whitsundays.
But when push comes to shove for variety FNQ is the place. You could check out the rainforest while you are there.
It ain't hard to schedule. If you were smart you would fly into Cairns and out from Sydney.
If you must fly into Sydney and can't fly out of Cairns then check out the local budget carriers;
www.virginblue.com.au
www.jetstar.com.au
Or get an all-in Qantas flight.
May 15th, 2007, 09:31 AM
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You have a hard choice because of such a short time, but hey, better a short time than none, right!!?!! I would think long and hard about what you and your DH want out of the vacation and go for that. If really the beach and snorkeling, then forgo Sydney and go to an island (Cairns doesn't have a beach, but it does have access to world class rainforests and other activities, but if you want beach, go for an island.) Lizard seems to be the one of choice if you can afford it. There was a recent trip report here where one of the couple went out diving and the other lolled around the beach and pool. If your DH gets certified between now and then, well, you can both go. We couldn't afford Lizard to stay so we did the one day with Daintree Air (www.daintreeair.com) but it was snorkel only (Greg might be able to arrange a dive trip, though.) It was fabulous. You might also consider a liveaboard. Do a search on this site for liveaboards and you will get lots of info on them out of Cairns. We loved Sydney a lot, but a city is still a city and the GBR is unique. It depends on what you want from your vacation. Happy planning!
Sally in Seattle
p.s. The island that we found with snorkeling off the beach and nice accommodtions that was more affordable than Lizard was Heron Island. Unfortunately there are masses of birds on it and I am allergic.
Sally in Seattle
p.s. The island that we found with snorkeling off the beach and nice accommodtions that was more affordable than Lizard was Heron Island. Unfortunately there are masses of birds on it and I am allergic.
May 15th, 2007, 09:33 AM
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p.s. again--re the GBR being patchy, maybe in a few places, but the GBR is so huge, you can find plenty of awe-inspiring, pristine places that will blow your (dive) socks off. And I don't think reputable dive boats regularly leave people behind. In fact, when we went snorkeling on a huge boat out of Port Douglas (the Quicksilver) they counted us going and coming. I'm sure dive boats do the same.
S in S
S in S
May 15th, 2007, 01:27 PM
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thanks sally in seattle. i have a question about seattle if you wouldnt mind answering.
how is the traffic traveling from seattle to kent? is it really bad?
about the diving in australia, how do you get a medical approval form?
and about aus being as big as the us, it just didnt occur to me it was that big, i didnt realize there was that much land! like many ppl that travel to the us that come from europe dont realize that it takes days to travel from one end of the country to another bacause over there they can drive hours to another country.
anyways, i know i want to enjoy the reef, where else could i stay that i would be able to enjoy the reef if not in Cairns, the islands? do you have to have a medical approval for snorkeling?
also i found a hotel in Ciarns that looked like it was close to or on the beach, so thats why i thought i could stay there and enjoy the water. for the dive trips how many people are usually on these trips? there must be a lot if ppl are getting left behind.
thanks for the advice i will search more into traveling to aus because i am sure more questions will arise!
how is the traffic traveling from seattle to kent? is it really bad?
about the diving in australia, how do you get a medical approval form?
and about aus being as big as the us, it just didnt occur to me it was that big, i didnt realize there was that much land! like many ppl that travel to the us that come from europe dont realize that it takes days to travel from one end of the country to another bacause over there they can drive hours to another country.
anyways, i know i want to enjoy the reef, where else could i stay that i would be able to enjoy the reef if not in Cairns, the islands? do you have to have a medical approval for snorkeling?
also i found a hotel in Ciarns that looked like it was close to or on the beach, so thats why i thought i could stay there and enjoy the water. for the dive trips how many people are usually on these trips? there must be a lot if ppl are getting left behind.
thanks for the advice i will search more into traveling to aus because i am sure more questions will arise!
May 15th, 2007, 02:01 PM
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Last time I saw Cairns there was no beach, I'm afraid, just mudflats, so the likelihood of any hotel having a beach outlook seems highly problematic. If you want beach you shoud look a little further north - to Palm Cove for instance. Your reef tours will be just as accessible from there and it isn't far into Cairns city.
May 15th, 2007, 02:12 PM
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Oh for heaven sake "a lot of people left on reef". This happened ONCE in dubious circumstances. Millions visit the reef safely and Queensland has the safest diving regulations in the world.
You do not need a medical to snorkel, or to take an introductory dive.
Cairns city doesn't have a natural beach, it does have a huge artificial stinger and crocodile safe lagoon. The "beach" are mudflats which attract migratory birds from all over the world; many would far rather have the birds nearby than covered with tourists. However, many Cairns hotels/resorts have harbour views and most of the reef trips leave from Cairns city.
For sandy beaches you need to go a little north of Cairns - Holloways up to Palm Cove. Reef tour pickups are available from northern beaches.
You do not need a medical to snorkel, or to take an introductory dive.
Cairns city doesn't have a natural beach, it does have a huge artificial stinger and crocodile safe lagoon. The "beach" are mudflats which attract migratory birds from all over the world; many would far rather have the birds nearby than covered with tourists. However, many Cairns hotels/resorts have harbour views and most of the reef trips leave from Cairns city.
For sandy beaches you need to go a little north of Cairns - Holloways up to Palm Cove. Reef tour pickups are available from northern beaches.
May 15th, 2007, 02:49 PM
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traffic in Seattle is quite difficult at prime times, but a snap (usually) at other times. If you have more than one, there are carpool lanes which help. From Seattle to Kent, the main drag is I-5 and it is a parking lot from 4-7ish (except the carpool lane) but otherwise, great. I drive from Bellevue to Gig Harbor regularly and see the stalled cars there on the way back, but in the late morning, it's fine.
We stayed in Cairns at a B&B and are planning it again at a different one (Pat W.'s lilybank, www.lilybank.com) this time. She is a font of great information about the area. RE the dive certificates, we looked in to this since we are over 55 and getting our PADI certificate this June. The liveaboard we are going on (the Spirit of Freedom www.spiritoffreedom.com) said it was fine to just have the recent PADI certificate. A place we are going in the Whitsundays said we needed the Australian certificate (maybe), but we decided if that was the case, we'd just snorkel there. For intro dives they still ask you the health questions (like asthma, heart conditions, etc.) and won't let you dive if you have any of them without an Australian certificate. Once you decide where you want to go, ask them about it and if they require it, they will tell you how to get a medical exam and certificate. They want your dive money as much as you want to dive!! You really can't go wrong anywhere in Australia, it's all great. The Cairns area has so much to offer, we were there for 10 days last time and going again for 2 weeks. As other people have said, Palm Cove has a beach with stinger nets and also Port Douglas has an excellent beach, too, but none have snorkeling from the beach. The GBR is a 90 minute boat ride east. That is why we opted for the liveaboard so we wouldn't have to go the 90 minutes back and forth each day. We are really keen snorkelers and hopefully soon divers. Don't stress about choosing the wrong place, they are each great in their own way. The hard part is choosing! Once you have narrowed down your target area (and look at Lonely Planet Queensland and the GBR and also Insight Guide to Queensland and the GBR) then check out www.tripadvisor.com for reccys on the different hotels. That's after doing searches here, though! I agonized about where to stay in Airlie Beach until someone here recommended a place and it looks fabulous. Well, this is long, but hopefully helpful to you.
Sally in Seattle, where it is warm, sunny, seventies, and a slight breeze
We stayed in Cairns at a B&B and are planning it again at a different one (Pat W.'s lilybank, www.lilybank.com) this time. She is a font of great information about the area. RE the dive certificates, we looked in to this since we are over 55 and getting our PADI certificate this June. The liveaboard we are going on (the Spirit of Freedom www.spiritoffreedom.com) said it was fine to just have the recent PADI certificate. A place we are going in the Whitsundays said we needed the Australian certificate (maybe), but we decided if that was the case, we'd just snorkel there. For intro dives they still ask you the health questions (like asthma, heart conditions, etc.) and won't let you dive if you have any of them without an Australian certificate. Once you decide where you want to go, ask them about it and if they require it, they will tell you how to get a medical exam and certificate. They want your dive money as much as you want to dive!! You really can't go wrong anywhere in Australia, it's all great. The Cairns area has so much to offer, we were there for 10 days last time and going again for 2 weeks. As other people have said, Palm Cove has a beach with stinger nets and also Port Douglas has an excellent beach, too, but none have snorkeling from the beach. The GBR is a 90 minute boat ride east. That is why we opted for the liveaboard so we wouldn't have to go the 90 minutes back and forth each day. We are really keen snorkelers and hopefully soon divers. Don't stress about choosing the wrong place, they are each great in their own way. The hard part is choosing! Once you have narrowed down your target area (and look at Lonely Planet Queensland and the GBR and also Insight Guide to Queensland and the GBR) then check out www.tripadvisor.com for reccys on the different hotels. That's after doing searches here, though! I agonized about where to stay in Airlie Beach until someone here recommended a place and it looks fabulous. Well, this is long, but hopefully helpful to you.
Sally in Seattle, where it is warm, sunny, seventies, and a slight breeze
May 15th, 2007, 03:38 PM
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I should have mentioned, as did Sally, that for an introductory dive, sometimes called "resort" dive, you will be asked to fill in a medical form on board. Sally has mentioned some of the conditions which would automatically bar you from diving without a doctor's certificate; others are diabetes, epilepsy, high blood pressure.
Just noticed you're planning for September, its before the marine stinger season starts, so no necessity for a beach with stinger net. Nets are usually set out from patrolled beaches early November.
Just noticed you're planning for September, its before the marine stinger season starts, so no necessity for a beach with stinger net. Nets are usually set out from patrolled beaches early November.
May 15th, 2007, 04:48 PM
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i do not have any health conditions but i havent dove in 3 years. i have been snorkeling just because sometimes i have problems equalizing going down so i have avoided diving for a while, but i am all for snorkling.
and is it difficult getting to the islands?
and is it difficult getting to the islands?
May 15th, 2007, 05:35 PM
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Hi Fellow Bay Area Person!
Wow! do you really only have 7-8 days in Australia? Because if that's the case, and you're looking for a "relaxing" vacation, I'd say scrap Australia and go to Hawaii or Cancun/Cozumel for a relaxing time on the beach and snorkelling!
Couldn't really tell from your post if that's how much time you actually have or if that's what you read.
Oscar mentioned giving "Sydney a miss", which would be a shame, and as I'm sure you know, you can't get to Cairns direct from SFO, so that would mean another 3 hr. flight on top of your international, which is doable (yeah, I've done it, and am going to be doing it again for business, and I'm NOT looking forward to it) but not fun.
Okay, people don't beat her up because she didn't know the size of Australia! Few Americans do. This is a common misconception and I blame it all on the school system which doesn't teach geography anymore! I run up against clients who think they can take a leisurely drive from Sydney to Cairns in a few hours, and are amazed that flights don't go to Ayers Rock on an hourly basis (like from San Francisco to Los Angeles).
And, as Pat and Neil said, they haven't left anyone on the Reef for a very long time - that was a very isolated incident and that poor b****d is out of business for sure.
Bottom line, fly into Sydney, spent 2 days, up to Cairns, do the Reef, Rainforest, spend your last night before going home in Sydney...but honestly..consider saving Australia until you have more time to explore it fully.
Hope this is helpful!
Melodie
Certified Aussie Specialist
Wow! do you really only have 7-8 days in Australia? Because if that's the case, and you're looking for a "relaxing" vacation, I'd say scrap Australia and go to Hawaii or Cancun/Cozumel for a relaxing time on the beach and snorkelling!
Couldn't really tell from your post if that's how much time you actually have or if that's what you read.
Oscar mentioned giving "Sydney a miss", which would be a shame, and as I'm sure you know, you can't get to Cairns direct from SFO, so that would mean another 3 hr. flight on top of your international, which is doable (yeah, I've done it, and am going to be doing it again for business, and I'm NOT looking forward to it) but not fun.
Okay, people don't beat her up because she didn't know the size of Australia! Few Americans do. This is a common misconception and I blame it all on the school system which doesn't teach geography anymore! I run up against clients who think they can take a leisurely drive from Sydney to Cairns in a few hours, and are amazed that flights don't go to Ayers Rock on an hourly basis (like from San Francisco to Los Angeles).
And, as Pat and Neil said, they haven't left anyone on the Reef for a very long time - that was a very isolated incident and that poor b****d is out of business for sure.
Bottom line, fly into Sydney, spent 2 days, up to Cairns, do the Reef, Rainforest, spend your last night before going home in Sydney...but honestly..consider saving Australia until you have more time to explore it fully.
Hope this is helpful!
Melodie
Certified Aussie Specialist
May 16th, 2007, 10:26 AM
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actually you are right, i would rather come all that way and spend more time. i know there is so much to see in Aus that i would like to have at least 10-14 days and not limit myself to 7 days. thanks, that makes more sense.
