First Time from US- Suggest Three Destinations (camper, versus)
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I just received a brochure from a travel company that offers numerous cruises in Australia. I’ve been intrigued by the possibility of a visit to Australia for much of my life, but for various reasons never made it. My wife and I are thinking about a three week visit and are a bit overwhelmed at the challenge of distances between key destinations. Is Melbourne to Sydney do-able? Otherwise, what three destinations would you recommend? Are cruises a good idea versus driving to destinations, or train/bus?
My neighbour in Sydney flew to Melbourne last week to collect a vehicle he had bought and drove back in nine hours. But not recommended for tourists as there is not much to see along the motorways. Unless they have a lot of time to divert.
I suggest you take a look at brochures for land tours of the country, which will help you decide what aspects interest you the most. A cruise might then seem a good choice, offering short stays at a number of places, or you might decide to focus on just a couple of areas and fly between them.
Where is preferable also depends on whether you are limited to a particular time of the year. Our winter is not really beach weather in the south but beautiful in the far north. Our summer is the wet season in the tropics, which does not appeal to many.
While people do drive between states in Australia, usually it is better to fly.
Most cruises focus on eastern Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. If you go to western Australia, there are a lot of sea days between Freemantle and Sydney.
I've been to Australia several times.
You need to determine your interests. Scuba and snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef can be enjoyable as can a trip into the bush to visit sheep stations. Sydney has wonderful museums.
My first visit to Australia was in September, I spent a week each in Melbourne (still had their ice skating rink open), Cairns (perfect weather for water sports), and Sydney (Spring in the botanical gardens). I flew between the cities. On subsequent trips, I went hiking in the Blue Mountains and visited more inland places. I have yet to visit the western states.
A cruise would be a good way to see as much as possible over a short time. Obviously you would see nowhere in depth, but more places than if attempting a trip by means of own devices.
But while Australia is huge, there are not really so many tourist focused must see's. You could easily cover Sydney, Melbourne , Barrier Reef (Far North QLD, Cairns in that time , even Adelaide and Great Ocean Road as well.,
It would all depend on preferences obviously. Australia is rather good camper van country, so that could be a way, if willing to drive on other side of road to what you are used to. But a ship would cover far more and may suite better.
I just received a brochure from a travel company that offers numerous cruises in Australia. I’ve been intrigued by the possibility of a visit to Australia for much of my life, but for various reasons never made it. My wife and I are thinking about a three week visit and are a bit overwhelmed at the challenge of distances between key destinations. Is Melbourne to Sydney do-able? Otherwise, what three destinations would you recommend? Are cruises a good idea versus driving to destinations, or train/bus?
The inland route from Sydney to Melbourne is indeed quite boring, however the coastal drive is well worth it.
I wouldn't do a cruise. But some people seem to like them.
Perhaps, if you let us know what it is you're looking to do see/do then we might be able to make better suggestions.
I haven't visited Australia, but it seems like taking the train from Sydney to Melbourne
would be sort of like a NYC-Chicago train ride here in the US: perhaps not the most scenic route
in the country, but a day's journey between two of its most significant cities. Also, it would be a sample
of what Australia's rail service is like. I presume that's the busiest intercity route in the country.
I haven't visited Australia, but it seems like taking the train from Sydney to Melbourne
would be sort of like a NYC-Chicago train ride here in the US: perhaps not the most scenic route
in the country, but a day's journey between two of its most significant cities. Also, it would be a sample
of what Australia's rail service is like. I presume that's the busiest intercity route in the country.
I cannot even find out which is the busiest intercity route, but there are two trains each day between Sydney and Melbourne and about seventy flights. The train takes over ten hours. Other routes like Sydney to Perth and The Ghan, which goes from Darwin to Adelaide, are just tourist trains these days and really expensive.
Our country trains are not high speed. There are endless debates and political intentions to go down that path but not much prospect of them being built. Far too expensive to build and would not run at a profit.
The Sydney rail network, which includes some light rail, the new metros and the heavy rail, are very much used and are integrated with the bus and ferry networks.
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