Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - How to make best use of 4 weeks

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How to make best use of 4 weeks

Hi there, We are planning our honeymoon for March/April 2003 (yes, time to get a move on!) We have four weeks to fill, and had pretty much decided to dedicate the whole time to Australia. The objective is to see the sights for 3 weeks (not too ambitious, probably NSW/Vic, and then some of Queensland) and spend the final week catching some sun and relaxation in quiet luxury before flying home. We have no money commited to anything yet, but have basic return flights reserved (LHR to Sydney) and a hotel reservation for the last week. Now we're doubting, and wondering should we instead try and stop of at another Pacific island on the way home, and have our last week there? We don't want to double the price of our tickets (about GB£700) with an awkward stopover, but we do fancy some tropical bliss and aren't sure that Cairns can provide it (or whether the weather in Australia will cooperate during April...). Any advice from anyone? Anna

Where is the week long stay you are planning booked? There are many tropical islands ( for a price ) that you can stay on in the GBR that will provide that luxury/relax/honeymoon atmosphere. We are doing the same thing in fact and staying for 5 nights at Lizard Island at the end of our three week Honeymoon. Good luck and check out www.poresorts.com -- their properties are top notch and all over queensland area. PS -- go to Port Douglas instead of Cairns as you will find many recommend on this board!! Fly into Cairns and drive north to PD.

Hi Dawn, Thanks for your reply. We've booked the Sebel Reef House in Palm Cove for our last 5 days. Would be glad to look at any other recommendations you have also, though Sebel Reef seems to have good reviews here (only found this forum today). Anna

The Whitsunday Islands in Queensland and the islands around Cairns and Port Douglas are far better than anything else in the Pacific. I have travelled extensively around the South Pacific and if you want *clean, great food, lots of things to do, no Government unrest, and comparing with say New Caladonia and Tahiti - much much cheaper things then you would have to go with Queensland all the time* Hayman Island is one of the Worlds top 10 islands and it is not even the best in Queensland* I am from NZ, spent my early life in Hawaii and Tonga and I do know most of the other destinations and let me tell you Port Douglas and north of there is Paradise and the islands are a bonus!

Hi Bert, Thanks for replying. Sounds like you know a good bit more about this that I do! So, armed with the knowledge that we want an idyllic week in Northern Queensland to end our honeymoon, can you give me a couple of places to check out? Islands or otherwise... Thanks, Anna

This is a great forum -- the best on the net for Australia in my opinion. As far as other resorts... check the website I listed there are more than 6 different properties that are owned by that company and they are all incredible. Dawn

Dawn is correct. The properties offered by P&O shipping (the six destinations she mentions are just great )however,Australia is loaded with Islands, rainforest destinations, and out back stations which are every bit as good and in some cases better, and you will not be paying round 1500 or 2000 a night. Do some research, find the smaller Australian operators whom have been there all their lives. You will find all these wonderful places which people pay $2000.00 a night for, are also available to the people who do not have that sort of moey. For instance, the camping ground at Lizard is a few meters from the resort and is actually positioned better. You fall out of your sleepimg bag and you are on the most beautiful reef in the world.The fee is around $12.00 per week. If you can not afford to over night at Dunk, stay at mission beach and do a day trip acroos there. In the Daintree rainforest there are literally thousands of b&bs small resorts, hotels, farm stays ( etc etc )and some of them are as much as $80.00 per night per person. But for that much money you are right in the rainforest in a beautiful small resort which is built on a rainforest stream. You do not have to pay the thousands required by the bigger resorts to see the very best of Australia. I stayed in a magnificent farm stay last week next to the 12 apostles , $75.00 for four of us. Your own BBQ beautiful and quiet, and just a few meters from a little country cafe where the bacon and egs were actually fresh, not made from powder. The Australian Island with the worlds greatest view, search cockatoo. Australias most beautiful gorge, search Lawn Hill, The birth place of Australia search Cooktown, 30,0000 year old rock art search arnhemland, some of australia's most beautiful old buildings search bendigo, best wines search South Australia, most stunning scenery search and THE MOST EXCLUSIVE ACCOMMODATION if you just want to travel the world by going from resort to resort search El Questro. The very most Northern Island WITH ACCOMMODATION search Murray, the best positionedIsland on the reef 700 kms north of Cairns 8 people max search Cape Grenville. The worlds most stunning caves search Jenolan. The worlds largest rock 2.2 times bigger than Ayres Rock, situated on a cattel station which is roughly 3 million acres, search --------- naaa Ill let you look that one up. Travelling to Australia is much much more than a handful of Islands where you pay $2000 a night for a bed. But on the other hand if you can afford it they are nice beds.

Hi Pete, I've been reading back over old replies to messages I posted, and I wanted to ask somethink about a comment you made below - about the camping ground at Lizard. It would be great to visit Lizard. We will have had our fill of hotels elsewhere and this would be a nice change in an idyllic location. How would we manage a couple of nights there - are there regular motorboat transfers or private hire only? This is the only camping we would be doing in a 4 week trip, so how much of our own equipment would we need to have? And I really don't mind you giving Daintree Air a plug, as long as you give me some alternatives too! Anna