Family Itinerary - Xmas 2007
 

We are thinking about going to Australia over the Xmas break next year. Can anyone help with some itinerary ideas. We have 11-12 days total including flying time from New York. Our kids will be 18, 15 and 13. We definately want to dive/snorkel in Great Barrier Reef; see kangeroos and other wildlife in safari like setting; but otherwise we are open to suggestions. I'm just starting planning. Should we fly in and out of Sydney or fly into Sydney and out of another town. Please let me know what you think. Thanks in advance for help.

You are going at the highest season so expect airfares of around $2,500 for coach and $20,000+ for First Class. Since it is summer downunder, I would consider Melbourne to Adelaide along the Great Ocean Road, Sydney and possibly Tasmania.

Consider checking flights from New York to London on BA and then Qantas to Sydney. You can do this on www.ba.com. I went to Australia for the past two years during Christmas.

You can fly into either Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane from LAX, and from London (VIA Singapore) you can fly into Perth, along with Sydney and Melbourne.

Do you want to fly on Qantas or United?

I just checked JFK to London to Sydney round trip on www.ba.com and the price was $2,041.20 in coach. Kangaroo Island is worth visiting, near Adelaide.

Going via London is the LONG way, extra 10 hours or so each way. Plus you have to go through LHR, which currently is quite a pain. Better routing is JFK-LAX-SYD and return, Qantas shows around $2300 for that. You can get Qantas 747s the whole way five days a week (not Tuesday or Thursday).

Hi,

A day to get here and a day to get back, and depending on the time you arrive, not much use to be made of day 1 (even if you aren't jet lagged)! Are you really going to come all this way for such a short time?

Can't you buy yourselves an extra week of unpaid leave, or whatever?

Sorry - but Europeans on the whole wouldn't even think of coming to Australia for less than 3 weeks (quite sane in my opinion!!)

But if you must - then - have you looked at the distances involved?

Bear in mind that moving from city to city here - from hotel to airport factoring in check in times, and not wanting to cut it too fine - same at other end - is half a day.

Is dive a must? And do your older kids require nighttime entertainment?

Another thing is that there are few places where you can see at least an assortment of the famous 'wildlife' all in one place. This maybe explains the popularity of KI. But getting there will take a huge chunk out of your very limited time.

I think you may have to chose between the wildlife 'in a natural setting' and the waterworld.

At a pinch you could maybe fly into Sydney - go south to somewhere where kangaroos and dolphins, and maybe even penguins could be seen (2 nights away). Then return to SYD and fly to a reef destination.

If you choose Cairns you could maybe fly out from there. But the only carrier I know that flies international from Cairns, with onward flights to the US is Air NZ (who are great, BTW).

Just some thoughts. Other hints for you to google include Heron Island. Whitsundays, Jervis Bay, NSW South Coast.

If you fly into Sydney and need to spend the night, be aware that you need to book early. In fact as a previous poster said it is top holiday season, so book early for everywhere.

All the best.