CaptCanuck

Hi everyone. Sorry for the overly long title and drama, but ah well. So, we are on our way to Perth for a week to visit family this xmas, and then off to Sydney for 5 nights. We are flying on points and wanted to have our final 5 days in the Cook Islands, but alas, this leg is unavailable! We had wanted to unwind for the last part of our trip. We have already been to Fiji as well. As I had foolishly been counting on the Cooks, my research into other areas was spotty at best.
So..umm..where to next? We have to decide later today..the choices are the following I believe...

1. Do an Auckland stopover instead after Sydney. Maybe go to Waiheke Island?
2. From Sydney, make our way to some beach area/resort that is close enough to Sydney that we would not have to fly there.
3. Go to French Polynesia.

I would love to know everyone's thoughts sometime today as I have to confirm the booking by day's end. Help!
cheers,
CC

CaptCanuck

I can't believe I spelled Sydney wrong in my title. Sigh.

LordBalfor

If you can afford the cost of staying there, I would choose FP. In part because it is sooooooo beautiful, but mainly because it would offer you a radically different experience from the rest of your trip.

Ken

CaptCanuck

I assume you have been Ken? Where did you stay? Tahiti? And what type of cost are talking about?
thanks,
CC

LordBalfor

Yes I have been - back in March/April of 2000 (quite a ways back now). All the main hotels were VERY expensive - ranging from around $300 US/night for a garden bungalow to $500 US and up (mostly up)/night for an overwater bungalow (think "very high-end" resorts in Fiji). Food at these places is also quite high, and you need to budget at least $100 USD/pp/day for meals at the main resorts.

If you are not set on an overwater bungalow or the other features of a high-end place, there are some more reasonably priced "mom & pop" type places that I've not been to personally, but have heard about (and look interesting).

Here are a couple:

This one is on the best beach on Moorea and would be easy to get to from Tahiti (where your plane will land) - you can take a short ferry ride from downtown Papeete or a 15 minute flight from Tahiti's airport at Faaa:

http://www.labaiedenuarei.com/

Here's a nice looking place on Huahine:

http://www.relaismahana.com/accueilA.htm

and another...

http://www.fare-maeva.com/


For cheaper places yet, do a search on something like "Moorea pension" or look here:

http://www.tahiti-tourisme.com/

www.thetahititraveler.com

- also, ALF posts fairly often here, so read some of his stuff (ALF's very knowledgable about FP - especially in regards to stretching your money)

Ken

CaptCanuck

Thanks Ken..that gives me some great ideas! I've done a bit of Moorea searching so I'll post a question for Alf about that...
I'd be curious if there are any other thoughts out there from anyone?
CC

lizF

Not too sure I would be bursting to go to anywhere in the South Pacific during cyclone season so that should put all of the tropical islands out.
If you like the beach then there are many areas near Sydney that would fit the bill for you - enough so that you don't need to do any research until after you have booked and you can take your time in doing so.
Alternatively and depending where you are from in Canada you may like to think of the south Island of NZ but that would mean a detour and by plane. However you could also think of Tasmania which incidently is very different from any of your other destinations, again with the requirement that you detour by plane there. If you wanted an island and the cyclone season was not a problem then possibly a detour to one of the islands off the Queensland coast would be great and at a fraction of the cost of FP and certainly as good if not a whole lot better than FP because of the diversity size and comparative cheapness. But again it is a bit of luck when you factor in the weather in any of those places at that time of year. I bit like betting on whether there will be a white Xmas or not in parts of North America.
I don't know what planes you are using so cannot suggest anything in the way of stopovers enroute which would not cost any more $$

lizF

PS: I can think of about 500 places in Australia to go to unwind at that time of year and you won't need to take out a mortgage either. Don't fret, help is at hand for your further plans.

CaptCanuck

I would love to hear a few ideas you might have in mind lizF as the time to phone is drawing nearer...and can I get to these places without having to fly? (or least fly inexpensively?) By the way, we are flying with Air New Zealand.
cheers,
CC

CaptCanuck

Maybe Palm Beach as a possibility..any thoughts on that?

lizF

Palm Beach in both Sydney and on the Gold Coast would be good. At present the fares say from Sydney to the Gold Coast for instance are about $80 one way, which is not a lot but could be if you look at return flights and there being 2 of you.
Another option is perhaps Port Stephens which is just north of Newcastle and not far from Sydney then there is everything in between. If you want a restful time near a beach then there will be many for you to choose from. It is not a long time that you have anyway and I am sure that there will be somewhere that will give you both interest AND relaxation without high costs.
Make your phone call and worry about that extra issue later. If you had been on Qantas then perhaps you could have got a cheap add on fare but never mind there are so many things to see and do that all we need is for you to list your likes, dislikes, approx ages and perhaps a wish list. Without even thinking too hard I would love to get a houseboat up the Hawkesbury River for a few days for instance. Or on the Myall Lakes a bit further than Port Stephens but still gettable to for low cost.
Then again Palm Beach would be quiet and you could still get into the city for something of interest if need be.

prue

I don't want to put you off Palm Beach (Sydney) as it is a beautiful part of the world - however you will be there in peak season when the rents go absolutely sky high - but there are many other places in and around Sydney - or as Liz suggests in Queensland or New Zealand.

CaptCanuck

Okay..I'm ready to be taken care of lizF and anyone else...we made the phone call and we went with the Sydney option (FP wasn't available anyhow, so that option was moot).
We will now be in Sydney from Dec. 27-Jan.1, and are hoping for a 4 night or so getaway after that, close to Sydney and to one of those 500 places you mentioned Liz. On Jan. 5, evening, we have to fly back to Perth.
So...we are in our early thirties, and are looking to relax on the beach for a few days...would LOVE to snorkel as that was part of the draw for the Cooks...and we would love the place to be accessible by train or bus so we don't have to rent a car if possible. Near a small town would be nice, but not necessary...was looking at Jervis Bay too which seems nice, but how we would we get there without a car?
Sooooo....ready for those suggestions!!
thanks all,
CC

lizF

Well News Years Eve is taken care of if you are in Sydney as that is a big BANG on the calender and not to be missed.
I don't know the area south of Sydney i.e. Jervis Bay but I am sure that there are lots who do and I believe that there is a wonderful area full of wild life there so hopefully someone will come to you aid.
As I said before one of the things I would love to do would be take a few days on a house boat on the Hawkesbury River which is on the very northern outskirts of Sydney. Beautiful river and there are lovely little spots to explore. Another lovely little spot of course it Pittwater - all this information is on the assumption that you like water. Then you could go a little further north and get into the region near the Hunter Valley where you could swim at the beach in the morning and drink youself to death in the afternoon at the wineries.
Further again are the Myall lakes which are a lovely spot and around there there are beaches for you to enjoy.
Going further up the coast there is Port Macquarie, again a nice spot for some summer beaching and relaxation - bye the way all these places are gettable to by bus or train. Further again is the Coffs Harbour area and there are many nice little trips around there that you can do. If you happened to want an inexpensive holiday you could opt to stay at Urunga at the Pub which overlooks the convergence of two rivers as they flow into the sea. Its a quiet little place but again is accessible to Coffs and to the area surrounding there i.e. Waterfall Way. You could organize a cheap flight to either the Gold Coast or surrounds and spend your time there with heaps of things to do. You tell us and someone will come up with an idea that you will like.