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AUSTRALIA
WHEN: Oct-Nov 2018
WHERE: Coastal Queensland
Where To Stay?
Brisbane
City Backpackers
Location
Perfect! Close walk to bars, grocery stores, food options, sites
Likes
It was very social and a good place to meet people. Staff was awesome. The private rooms were clean. Lots of amenities.
Dislikes
It was loud when we were trying to sleep. Parking was extremely tight. Wifi wasn't very good and you had to pay for it if you wanted it in your room
Price
A$79 (3 nights - private room shared bathroom - hostel style rooms were 12$)
Airlie Beach
Whitsundays Rainforest Retreat
Location
Not suitable for anyone who doesn't have a car. Otherwise perfect location. The view is outstanding.
Likes
The rooms are completely outstanding. 4 separate rooms in one building with shared living space and kitchen (full). We made steaks and potatoes on the BBQ. The view is AMAZING.
Dislikes
No wifi in room/building. Must walk up to main lobby for wifi and its a hike
Price
C$86.09/night (we stayed 3 nights)
Cairns
Bohemia Resort
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Location
Not bad but not perfect. We had a car so it wasn't bad. Was walkable to downtown though. About 20-30 minutes.
Likes
Price! It also had a mini fridge in the room which helped us save some money.
Dislikes
It didn't seem very clean or comfortable & I hated the walk to our room. We didn't find anything wrong with the cleanliness but it just came across as dirty.
Price
C$56.50/night (C$226 for 4 nights) - amazing price in my mind!
Emu Park - Yeppon
Emu Park Motel
Location
Meh. We only stayed here to sleep and split up our 15 hour drive.
Likes
Had a nice full kitchen so we could make toast. Staff was amazing
Dislikes
No wifi at all (made it difficult to google map). Lots of creepy crawlies.
Price
A$85 /night
Brisbane (BNE International)
Ibis Budget Brisbane Airport
Location
Perfect for access to the airport. (only reason we stayed here)
Likes
Comfortable sleep. Airport transportation
Dislikes
Charge for early check in.
Price
A$113.99/night
What/Where to Eat
Food was very expensive in Australia. For the most part we bought food and cooked it ourselves. All our breakfasts were toast & PB and we made lunches and dinners from as simple as a sandwich to as complex to steak dinners. As for things to try if you're not a vegetarian you should try kangaroo and crocodile
things to see/do
#1. Hold a Koala/Feed a Kangaroo
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- we went to lone pine koala sanctuary in Brisbane. I believe it was around 25$ entrance fee
- do your research before you go (times holds are available, if they place you're going to is reliable/safe to animals
- be ready for water dragons to be everywhere
- pay to feed the kangaroos (its so cool and theyre so cute - but will bite!)
#2. Surf
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- anywhere in gold coast is good for surfing (surfers paradise is a tourist trap) we personally went to Burleigh which I found was very clear of tourists
- wear protective clothing (not a bathing suit that'll fall off)
- you will fall (the waves are completely different then Canada)
- note its salt water
- if you don't know how to surf - take a lesson, its so worth it! They're about 50$ for 2 hours.
#3. Hike Noosa National Park
- want a place with very few tourists? Hike the paths in Noosa National Park
- granite bay had us and maybe 5 other people on it
- ferry pools are perfect if the tide is right (they're hard to find though)
- keep an eye out for wildlife (we ran into a poisonous snake)
- bring lots of water
- Noosa heads itself is very pretty
#4. Drive - seriously
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- driving is hard and it takes a while to get used to and I don't recommend doing it yourself but its so worth it
- country roads are something like no other (windy, skinny, and like your'e in the middle of no where)
- watch for cows (this is not a joke)
- it takes longer but you see so much more
- cost us about 500$ for 2 weeks
- note: its on the other side of the road and car then Canada and you WILL drive on the wrong side :P
#5. Daintree Rainforest
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- you can do tours or drive yourself - we did a tour (see below)
- its amazing how much you can see and learn
- you're literally in the rainforest its unreal
- cars only have access to certain parts and you have to pay to enter some trails
- Cape Trib and Port Douglas are close by and very cool to go to as well
- do a croc tour
- do NOT swim in the water (it is croc infested and people die yearly)
#6. Snorkel/Scuba
- the fish you will see is unreal
- do no touch the fish or the coral
- be cautious of where you go (its best to do it with a guide because not only do they know the best spots but the safe spots - shark attacks are not unheard of infact there were 2 attacks when we were there and close to where we were)
- if you can scuba I highly recommend it (tours below)
TOURS TO TAKE
Great Barrier Reef
Where: Cairns
This was the highlight of my entire trip & second best travel experience i've had. We had an amazing boat with lots of places to rest when we weren't in the water. It was my first time scuba diving and they did an amazing job teaching me and keeping me safe in the water (it was so amazing I did it twice - paid for the extra). The staff was very helpful with everything. The meal was very good. We saw 2 different reefs and SO much marine life (we saw a SHARK!). If you don't want to scuba, you can snorkel. I would highly suggest this tour and this company - we booked the tour from Expedia and it is called "Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise & Diving Tour with Lunch: 7:30 AM, Introductory Diving Package in English, includes Food Only" & the tour company was down under cruises (from feedback of friends we met there - other cruise lines aren't as great!)
Price: $395 for 2
Whitsundays
Where: Airlie Beach
This tour was a bit of a disappointment but it was still something we don't regret doing. The boat we had originally booked for was changed to something else & we weren't a fan of the boat - we would have rather a yacht styled boat. The tour itself was a perfect layout. We got the chance to do some snorkelling in the GBR, beach on the famous and beautiful Whitehaven beach (they provided us with paddle boards as well!) and got to walk the Hill Inlet. I would have preferred to do this tour with a private charter so we could choose our own time frames at each stop. The weather also wasn't the best this day which affected how we thought about it.
We booked the tour with Explore/Sailing Whitsundays on the 'bullet'.
Price: $350 for 2
Daintree Rainforest
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Where: Cairns
This tour we booked last minute while we were there. We had originally planned to tour the rainforest and cape trip by ourselves but after doing a lot of research we decided it would be worth the money to have a guide and it was WELL worth it. With having a guide we had special access to certain trails, a bunch of information we wouldn't have learned by ourself (things like everything in that rainforest is literally deadly). The food was good and all of the stops were amazing and tourist free. The tour also included a river cruise where we could spot crocodiles & a stop at Mosman Gorge! We booked it with Sightseeing Tours Australia and the tour itself was called "1 day Cape Tribulation & Daintree Rainforest Tour". The picked us up right at our hotel & dropped us off - something that neither of the other tours we did provided.
Price: $293.48 for 2.
WHEN WE WENT
So we went at the end of October and into November. We were there just over 2 weeks and I think that was a perfect amount of time. We got to see and do everything we wanted and were getting low on cash by the end of it. We were honestly ready to come home! The weather was decent. Its their spring so it was more rainy then usual but the sun was super hot and both came back with sunburns. If you're going solely for the crocodiles then this isn't the best time of the year because they're not out because its too hot so their underwater. As for crowds it wasn't too bad! We never felt over crowded and met so many people!
General Tips/Tricks
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if you're going to Australia, go to Queensland and see Whitsundays & Great Barrier Reef
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skip the touristy spots (surfer paradise)
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talk to locals and they'll tell you all the special spots with good beaches
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drive!!!! seriously we had so many stops which had zero tourists but our regret was rushing our drive - do it in a week and stay places - rent a camper its cheaper
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book hotels/hostels with cooking facilities to save money
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get a sim card (especially if you're driving)
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do your research on the waters (sharks, crocs, dangerous waves)
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bring sunscreen - skin cancer is HUGE there as they're super close to the sun
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if you're scared of snakes, lizards, toads or anything of the sort - don't go if you can't handle it because you WILL see ALL of it
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i didn't see any spiders (doesn't mean others didn't)
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we didn't party because the time change and keeping busy we were too tired but Cairns and Brissy have good nightlife
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be prepared to spend double of what you expected
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you need at least 2 weeks
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do everything you can fit in
Final Thoughts
Australia is a huge country - but it is a beautiful one! Its a place I have wanted to go for a very long time so I was a tad disappointed because I was so hype for it (so I jinxed myself). But it was truly a wonderful country.
Would I recommend going?
Yes but only if you're going to see everything, have enough time to see/do it all & can afford it
Would I go back?
Possibly. But I wouldn't do Queensland again since there so much more to see
Total Cost:
Around $2000+ per person
(please note: we flew standby with my airline)
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