GBR or New Zealand?
 

We are going on a trip to Sydney in January. We have the option of paying extra (approx. $1900 U.S. extra per person) to extend our trip 3 nights at Hayman Island resort or Millbrook resort in New Zealand. This is alot of money and we're not sure which destination is best or even worth the extra cost. It includes lodging, air fare and some meals and a few excursions. Which is better Great Barrier Reef or a chance to see New Zealand. Another option is trying to book our own reservations at one of these places, air fare etc.

No doubt about it - book your own! For that time of year it is the Off-Season on the GBR and you will get cheaper rates. I would imagine that Millbrook is also in the off-season at that time of year too because Christchurch is more of a 'winter holiday' destination - although it is nice at any time of the year. However Millbrook is situation in Arrowtown which is just a few miles out of Christchurch. $1900US p/p would get you a hell of a lot of options though so I would not be doing anything until I looked at all options first.

Well, Millbrook is pretty near Queenstown and it is the high season all year around in Queenstown. I was there last Jan - it was great and pretty busy.

Flights = $400 NZ each
Night at Milbrook maybe $350NZ for a double per night all inclusive except meals
Meals = $130NZD per day - this is living it up - can do it much cheaper
Random acts of terror in Queenstown $150 per day (but I spend three whole days there and didn't risk my life once - which is also musch cheaper I would recommed the Milford Sound trip tho).

So you do the math then times by 0.6 for USD. Much cheaper. And that is a pretty generous costing as well.

Sorry never been to GBR. Guess it depends on what you want to see.

Hope this helps

L

Just had a quick look on Qantas holidays specials for January, which includes airfare and 3 nights accommodation for 2 people on Hayman Island in a Lagoon Delux room, and that is $1902 Australian for 2 people - about $1500US or thereabouts.

Liz and willees are giving good advice. Except for Canada there couldn't be places easier for an American to travel independently in than Australia and New Zealand. No matter how luxurious the resorts are, three days is very little time for an outlay of US$3800. Good grief, that's over $5400 where I come from! You could have a great 3 days at Cairns or Palm Cove, say, in excellent accommodation, eating yourself silly, seeing the Reef, the Daintree rain forest and the Atherton Tablelands, for way, way, way less than that. Same goes for the stunning South Island of NZ. Depends what you're after, of course, but it looks like a no-brainer to me.