Advice/Suggestions for Australia

[diamondlove]

We are narrowing our honeymoon choices down and I think Australia is winning out (Greece, Argentina/Brazil were the other considerations). For those of you who know from firsthand experience or even secondhand--- what are your top suggestions (cities besides Sydney bc we are def. going there, must do''s, etc) and do you recommend going to Australia and Fiji or Australia and New Zealand?

I''d go to all three except we are trying to fit this into 10-12 days since flying takes up almost two days of the total trip already. The honeymoon will be sometime in the Fall so possibly in October sometime.

THANKS!
Diamondlove

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/2/2007 7:55:28 PM
Author:diamondlove
We are narrowing our honeymoon choices down and I think Australia is winning out (Greece, Argentina/Brazil were the other considerations). For those of you who know from firsthand experience or even secondhand--- what are your top suggestions (cities besides Sydney bc we are def. going there, must do''s, etc) and do you recommend going to Australia and Fiji or Australia and New Zealand?

I''d go to all three except we are trying to fit this into 10-12 days since flying takes up almost two days of the total trip already. The honeymoon will be sometime in the Fall so possibly in October sometime.

THANKS!
Diamondlove

With only 10 days to go, I would highly recommend doing just one country. I know this sounds stupid, but lots of people don''t realize that Australia is as big as the the U.S, and there is a ton to see. Since this is your honeymoon, I would think that a bit of R&R is on the agenda and airports/international flying kind of get in the way of that.

Sydney is a lovely lovely city...I could fill up all 10 days with that and be happy. My Australia expertise is limited (only been there 4 times) so I would certainly defer to the Aussies who frequent this board.

While it seems to have gotten even more touristy since I first went in 2001, I still enjoy Port Douglas in Queensland. Back then I felt it had an island feel without the island prices. There are plenty of cool options for diving/snorkeling excursions, so let me know if you are interested in that, and I will make sure my recommendations are still valid.

In Port Douglas is a very special man, David Armbrust. He does the natural history safari which is a tour of his property and other parts nearby. His property is up in the rainforest and he has all kinds of wild animals on his land that trust him...so you can see some animals close up that you would never normally see. Birds will fly through the sky and come land on his head. It''s just wild. Tell him the crazy Korean girl sent you...he still remembers me. I can''t remember if I am allowed to post links here, but you can google his name or his safari and it will come up. The tour itself is VERY SLOW paced. Only go if you are really interested in learning about nature and love animals. He is a wealth of information and a bit eccentric to some. I just love his passion.

There are plenty of islands you could visit, but I remember quite a few being pricey. Others are quite budget. I don''t know what the whitsunday weather wil be like that time of year, but it may be worth a look.

I have never been a fan of Melbourne, but I didn''t give it a fair shake either. The Great Ocean Road from Melborne to Adelaide (it doesn''t go all the way, but that''s the route we took) is nice if you like scenic drives. Be careful if you are prone to car sickness though!

While Adelaide is a sleepy "town" (even though it''s a capital city, some still see it that way...it has a million people I think), I love it there. I''m biased because my hubby is from there, but nearby are some of the best wine regions in Oz. Barossa, McClaren Vale, etc. If you like wine, I highly recommend a romantic little getaway there. Best part is that most wineries do not charge to taste. I have plenty of recommendations in the Barossa if you are interested.

A lot of people want to go see Uluru (known formely as Ayers Rock - I have not made it there yet)....that big monolith you see in all the pics. Check the weather before you go. I forget when bugs get really bad in Australia, but I remember loving visiting in winter because of the lack of bugs. In November there were March flies up in Port Douglas and boy those things are vicious!

That should start you off. I am happy to share any limited knowledge I have for a country I adore!!

 

[katebar]

Travellingal is right diamond love Australia is a very big country. I guess it depends what your interests are? Do you want a relaxing resort type honeymoon or an exciting city break. Or are the adventrous kind and want a eco type holiday? There are many choices.
Let me know and I''m sure the other AUssies in the group will chime in as well. I have just come back from spending Xmas in Port DOuglas and the reef is still awesome and this is the fourth time i have visited it. But the Barrrier Reef is huge and there are some stunning resort islands that are perfect for a honeymoon.
Ask away

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/2/2007 8:39:12 PM
Author: katebar
Travellingal is right diamond love Australia is a very big country. I guess it depends what your interests are? Do you want a relaxing resort type honeymoon or an exciting city break. Or are the adventrous kind and want a eco type holiday? There are many choices.
Let me know and I''m sure the other AUssies in the group will chime in as well. I have just come back from spending Xmas in Port DOuglas and the reef is still awesome and this is the fourth time i have visited it. But the Barrrier Reef is huge and there are some stunning resort islands that are perfect for a honeymoon.
Ask away

katebar, am I correct in remembering that flying from Oz to NZ is like a domestic flight? I can''t remember if that''s the case or not, and if customs and all that is involved. Only because that would make it easier to visit two countries if diamondlove really really wanted to.

I really love PD too. I went last in July 2005. However I didn''t dive then...is the reef still looking wonderful in the usual dive spots? I remember stories from a few years ago where the news was that due to warmer waters (I think it was warmer) there was coral bleaching. I went in 2005 from Cairns and it was very brown. However I recall that the reef gets more vivid the more north you go. I went out on a small dive boat from PD which was fabulous because they take you to more remote sites. The Cairns boat was a giant thing that docked at a pontoon. Not my first choice (or my second or third) but I was with a bunch of folks who didn''t dive or snorkel so they wanted something safe.

Diamondlove, just remember that everytime you change location in Oz, you will waste a half to a full day (although the Sydney-Melbourne route is short). Maybe 3 stops max with 4 days each would be nice? And even then, that''s a lot of moving around for my taste.

Here''s what I would do, depending on airfares:

Day one: land Sydney (most likely it will be morning.) detox in Sydney
Day 2-4: Sydney. Bridgeclimb (touristy, and now expensive since the dollar is weaker (unless you are on the pound or something) but I thought it was fun. Check out the city. Manly Beach is kind of nice (just a cool beachy town). Other places are even better, but not as easily accessible. Visit David Jones food hall...I like it better than Harrahs because it''s more "real" in a way. There are good views from Watsons Bay...Doyle''s on the Beach is well known there as a tourist spot, but I think the food is so so. It''s more for ambience than anything...on a nice day you can see the harbor bridge and city and it''s fab. I liked some of the more off the beaten path stuff, but it may not be that exciting for some. I absolutely was NOT in love with Darling Harbour.

Day 4-? Fly to Cairns and take the hour drive to Port Douglas. OR you can divy up the time and stay in Palm Cove...which is a very small stretch of hotels along a pretty beach. Very slow paced and romantic. Palm Cove is 20 minutes or so outside of Cairns. In this area there is a ton to do...diving/snorkeling as I mentioned, and rainforest tours. There''s the Kuranda rail, which I personally thought was kitzchy but we were with TGuy''s family so we had fun. Lovely views from up there though. You can go river rafting in the area as well. It helps to like the outdoors in this area!

Last couple of days...another city...preferably you can fly directly back on an international flight from.

Personally with your limited time, i wouldn''t bother going to the center of the country (Ayers Rock is not particularly close to Alice Springs, which I would believe you''d fly into).

 

[katebar]

Travelingal you still have to go through customs from Australia to New Zealand as far as I know. I did'nt dive this time at PD as I was with my teenage daughter. We snorkelled around the Low Isles (the beach actually where Steve Irwin passed away on )

.
I hate the big boats out of PD and cairns and we took this gorgous Chinese Junk called Shaolin. It was a perfect day

I totally agree with your comments on Sydney the Bridge climb is awesome and there are some stunning resturants on the Habour and beaches.
I love Melbourne just cos I do and I am from South Australia so know how wonderful the wine areas are.
Longitude 31 at Uluru (sorry thats what I prefer to call Ayers Rock

) is stunning luxury camping I have'nt been but it is spectacular if you want to experience the real Australian outback in 5 star comfort

 

[katebar]

Longitude 31 view to Uluru It is truely 5 star (and 5 star prices too) and has swimming pools and silver service restuarants

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/2/2007 10:04:27 PM
Author: katebar
Travelingal you still have to go through customs from Australia to New Zealand as far as I know. I did''nt dive this time at PD as I was with my teenage daughter. We snorkelled around the Low Isles (the beach actually where Steve Irwin passed away on )

.
I hate the big boats out of PD and cairns and we took this gorgous Chinese Junk called Shaolin. It was a perfect day

I totally agree with your comments on Sydney the Bridge climb is awesome and there are some stunning resturants on the Habour and beaches.
I love Melbourne just cos I do and I am from South Australia so know how wonderful the wine areas are.
Longitude 31 at Uluru (sorry thats what I prefer to call Ayers Rock

) is stunning luxury camping I have''nt been but it is spectacular if you want to experience the real Australian outback in stinning comfort

OK, that doesn''t surprise me with how tough customs is in Oz. Maybe I am thinking that people can come and go from Oz to NZ pretty easily...meaning immigration and work.

And yes, I try to call it Uluru too (slipped up on the last post) as I know that is now the proper (and original?) name.

 

[diamondlove]

Thanks so much for the input so far. You guys are right... I wasn''t taking into account how vast australia is when I wrote that post. We are hoping to do a bit of resort style combined with eco adventurous exploring with some urban city life (aka Sydney such as going to the Opera), etc. Ten days is too short so we may stretch it to two weeks but perhaps we will stick to only Australia and not go to Fiji or NZ.

Longitude 131 at Uluru looks terrific and definitely down our alley. this one, rt? http://www.longitude131.com.au/pricing/?rateperiod=24&page=nightly

However, $800 (US) per person per night is a bit steeper than we''d like. We are allocating a generous budget for the honeymoon but 2 nights there will put us at $3k+ and my darling fiance shook his head at that.

We are definitely interested in the Bridgeclimb. It sounds like you both have done it--- was it scary at all? I skydive but am scared of heights (the irony isn''t lost on me) so I don''t get scared of adventure but then I get somewhat scared climbing up steep steps up certain mountains and hiking expeditions . I am fine in helicopters. DO you think I can handle it?

IF we only stayed within Australia-- it sounds like top cities to visit are (correct me if i''m wrong or if you have other advice):
Sydney
Cairns
Port Douglas
Melbourne (debatable?)

 

[diamondlove]

oh and what resorts would you recommend in Great Barrier Reef or anywhere else in Australia for that matter that you feel are super nice resorts that are ''honeymoon'' like. Like I said, I am hoping to get a bit of all the worlds so some relaxing resort time will be on the agenda.

Something on par with this: http://www.oneandonlyresorts.com/flash.html

or http://www.nukubati.com/ but in Australia.

All of your help is much appreciated!

 

[katebar]

This is a stunning resort that my DH and I stayed on when I was pregnant with my son. It was very luxurious and everything is included. Fine wines and wonderful food. It was totally wasted on me as I could'nt drink or eat that much and I have vowed to return to get the most out of it.

http://www.bedarraisland.com/

http://www.lizardisland.com.au/
This is also a fabulous exclusive retreat. More Northern so a bit warmer but in October the weather should be great.

Orpheous Island is very nice as well
http://www.firstclass.com.au/travel/Oceania/Australia/Orpheus_Island_Resort/Great_Barrier_Reef/1149.htm

and of course Hayman Island
http://www.hayman.com.au/

I'll get back to you regarding the other things But I think Sydney and then one of these island retreats would be an amazing honeymoon

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/2/2007 11:27:20 PM
Author: diamondlove
Thanks so much for the input so far. You guys are right... I wasn't taking into account how vast australia is when I wrote that post. We are hoping to do a bit of resort style combined with eco adventurous exploring with some urban city life (aka Sydney such as going to the Opera), etc. Ten days is too short so we may stretch it to two weeks but perhaps we will stick to only Australia and not go to Fiji or NZ.

Longitude 131 at Uluru looks terrific and definitely down our alley. this one, rt? http://www.longitude131.com.au/pricing/?rateperiod=24&page=nightly

However, $800 (US) per person per night is a bit steeper than we'd like. We are allocating a generous budget for the honeymoon but 2 nights there will put us at $3k+ and my darling fiance shook his head at that.

We are definitely interested in the Bridgeclimb. It sounds like you both have done it--- was it scary at all? I skydive but am scared of heights (the irony isn't lost on me) so I don't get scared of adventure but then I get somewhat scared climbing up steep steps up certain mountains and hiking expeditions . I am fine in helicopters. DO you think I can handle it?

IF we only stayed within Australia-- it sounds like top cities to visit are (correct me if i'm wrong or if you have other advice):
Sydney
Cairns
Port Douglas
Melbourne (debatable?)

The bridgeclimb is easy and fine. When I did it, there was also a man who had one leg who had no problems (he had a prosthesis of course). You are literally linked to the bridge so nothing is going to happen. Going over the top of the bridge are easy, shallow steps. The only tricky part are the ladders at the beginning...I think it was 4 short ladders. Anyone can handle it.

You cannot bring a camera on the climb, nor wear anything that isn't attached to you (they will give you ties for your glasses and hats and ponytail holders if you need them). You can buy photos at the end, but they are pricey. If you are thinking of buying it and are in a group, take my advice and somehow wiggle your way to the front of the line. You'll be near the guide and will come out much better in the group pic. They take individual pics too, so don't worry.

You dress in a greyish jumpsuit - or at least they did in 2001. They don't cancel for weather except lightning and high wind so if you book in advance you may get bad weather for your reservation time. If you aren't going in peak season, you may be fine just booking a day or two in advance. Some people like the dusk slot...going up during sunlight and coming down with the lights. Personally I think a glorious day is the way to go...the harbour is so blue and the opera house is stunning.

You can learn more about the climb at http://www.bridgeclimb.com.au/. They discuss the fear of heights issue too.

Personally, I don't think you need to visit Cairns. My sister in law lived there and I didn't care much for it. If you are going to be in the area, better to visit Port Douglas or Palm Cove. Prettier, plenty of decent restaurants to choose from and easier to explore without a car. Many PD hotels can arrange for transportation.

In Port Douglas, there are lots of resorts. I will try to remember which ones got great reviews and pick them out for you. However keep in mind that some of the these big resort villages are a bit out of town. I think it's more fun to stay right in town where you can walk to the main drag and to 4 mile beach. There are plenty of nicer smaller hotels right in town.

Fodors travel talk forums are wonderful, and you can do a lot of research there. There is a separate forum for Australia.

The islands Katebar mentioned seemed very cool...I remember looking at all of them when I did my research. Lizard is far north (I think) and pretty exclusive...i.e. pricey. I think Hayman is big for honeymooners but it can also be expensive...and I recall there were mixed reviews. Still, I think if you could find something in your budget, an island could be great. I picked Port Douglas because I was interested in some other things besides what the islands offered...namely the rainforest. I mean, with two world heritage sites so close, how could I not go to both?

ETA: Duh, I didn't read katebar's post very closely as I see she beat me to the punch when she said that lizard island is exclusive and further north!

 

[wolftress]

Hi diamondlove! I live in Australia and I thoroughly reccommend it as a holiday destination

I think you should consider narrowing your options to one state. Australia is a big country, and you probably won''t want to be rushed off your feet on your honeymoon.

Which month is your honeymoon? Queensland is terrific during winter months because the weather is really mild there. There''s also lots to do there. Victoria is great during autumn/spring and you should definitely visit Melbourne if you like shopping! New South Wales is great too, and the winters are milder than in Victoria. Sydney has pretty much everything you need, and the beaches there are beautiful.

Good luck, and I hope this helped!

 

[wolftress]

Oops, just noticed you said the honeymoon was in October

It will be Spring then, and Sydney is always beautiful in Spring!

 

[katebar]

I agree with Travelingirl you only need to go to Cairns to acess the airport and the Kuranda railway or skyway cable car. cairns airport services Port Douglas and Palm Cove. I love Palm Cove but Port Douglas is slightly larger and the drive up their from Cairns is one of the top ocean drives in the world. If you got a car you could just drive down to many of the beauiful cove beaches and have the place almost to yourself. As it is''nt stinger season (jellyfish) you could swim too. At Xmas it was stinger season and the beaches were very tempting but unswimable without a stinger suit (very unattractive)

.
Near Port Douglas in the Daintree rainforest is the Silky Oaks Lodge and Spa which is again a luxurious but eco hotel. A lovely relaxing place. Tyra Banks was just there apparantly and she loved the food which was decidedly bush tucker in orgin (crocodile etc).

The Bridge climb is great and I am height phobic too. The worse part was walking in the beginning on the metal catwalks and you could see the cars and harbour below

but after that it was a breeze.

 

[Cheekyprincess]

October is one of the best times for going up north (QLD) in Australia- i''ll be there myself at that time for my family wedding ceremony.

Must sees- Blue Mountains west of Sydney- can do a day trip or stay in a cozy Bed &bfast for a night. Go there for views, wildlife, bushwalking, cottagy villages. North of Sydney is the central coast and Hunter Valley, Hunter Valley is a famous wine region, so go there if winerys are your thing, also lovely scenery and some greenery even though if the drought doesn''t break it will be a little drier. Central coast is just beaches and restaurants- nice but not necessary unless you want to go on your way to Hunter Valley. Taronga Zoo- beautiful zoo, beautiful view. For Koalas though i''d recommend Featherdale wildlife park in western Sydney- last time I was there you could pat and feed the koalas, or the Koala park in Pennant hills (north). Take the Manly Ferry from circular Quay to visit the Manly Beach area, nice seafood, bustling huge beach. you can also take the ferry to Taronga Zoo as mentioned above- it is a normal passenger ferry so price is not exp. You can get a day rider train fare with ferry ticket and unlimited train trips included. Bondi Beach is the famous beach in Sydney, worth a look, lots of crowds.

Melbourne weather could be unstable (it usually is, spring is worse) If you are picturing beaches and skimpy bikinis then best to go north- If you do go to Melbourne and have time to drive you can drive along the great Ocean Road and see the 12 apostles (gorgeous drive- but long!).

Queensland- the honeymooners destination! think Whitsunday Islands, the great barrier reef, beaches, rainforest, shopping, restaurants and nightlife (might want to check out schoolies dates and locations- best to avoid the migration of Aussie high school graduates who go to drink and run amok)- especially if you go to Gold Coast. The Sunshine Coast is just north of Brisbane and nice, but a family oriented destination. Must sees/dos are snorkelling/diving on the reef, beaches! There''s plenty of golf and shopping, cruises, fishing, and restaurant options. Daydream Island is probably the mid range honeymoon island, a friend went there and they had a helicopter drop them off to a private island for a picnic lunch. The daintree rainforest has some beautiful places to stay including a treetop hotel (you stay in a treehouse). The rainforest is AMAZING, but you must like wildlife, and not mind 1m long goannas or the possibility of snakes etc.

You can stay in cheap accomodation, as a kid we used to stay in self contained cabins in caravan parks- these are often on the best location possible- private beaches, beautiful pool etc, lots of families and you self-cater, no room service etc. If you plan on packing in heaps of activites then I would seriously go this option if you are budget conscious. I stayed in a gorgeous one with resort facilities in Airlie Beach, close to the islands etc. You probably won''t spend much time in your room anyway.

10 days is not long at all to spend in Australia- it is HUGE, you really don''t want to limit yourself to the capital cities as you will miss so much. I would spend 3 days at least in Sydney and the rest in QLD, the other way around if you are more interested in shopping than beaches.

Fiji has iunstability at the moment and a coup or something, Australians have been warned not to go there, people have been killed etc. Personally I''d spend your time in Australia, you don''t have too much.

 

[janinegirly]

diamondlove, we''ve considered the same thing. When is your wedding? Where would you be flying from? Why did you rule out Greece out of curiousity?

I love the idea of Australia but it''s a bit far for us (NYC). I wanted to see Fiji, but hearing things about coups is disconcerning. Then I thought Tahiti combined with Sydney, but then i got overwhelmed and put it away for awhile. We are marring in late Sept 07. Keep us posted on your decision!!!!

 

[Dandi]

Another Aussie chiming in here... sounds like you''ve already got some great tips, but I''m with katebar... Hayman is magnificent. And not too far that you couldn''t spend a few days there, then visit one of the major cities, I''d probably do Sydney before Melbourne, but the shopping in Melbourne really is fabulous

Mum and I were there last week wedding dress shopping! If you do Sydney, definitely do the Bridgeclimb!

 

[katebar]

Also check out the travelforum http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g255086-i2616-Hayman_Island_Whitsunday_Islands_Great_Barrier_Reef_Queensland.html
I have used them for lots advice both for Aussie Holidays and OS. One poster talks about these luxury yachts that cruise you around on your own and are cheapr that the resorts. That might be something to look into too

 

[diamondlove]

You guys are fantastic-- thanks so much for all the help. I''ve been passing on the suggestions to the fiance and he was teasing me about how I always turn to my PSers for advice now but I pointed out how well it always works out.

janinegirly, Greece is still a consideration I think because we are debating whether we have enough time to really explore Australia fully and if we''re going to fly 20+hours, we should probably make sure we can explore several areas. All this information is still helpful since Australia will be on the calendar next year if we don''t make it happen for the honeymoon.

Greece seems like an easier option for a 10-12 day trip and it is gorgeous. I''m still torn. My fiance and I just really like to explore and pack things in so we just want to make sure there are more ''activities'' at the destination than just relaxing time which we''ll probably only need 2 or so days of in all. Most people who have been there recommend Mykonos and Santorini if you are considering Greece as a destination.

Bali is also a new consideration because we could do the R&R thing there for a few days and still fit in Japan/Hong Kong. *sigh* so many choices.

Australia is on the very top of our honeymoon list so we''re still trying to see if we can add a few days on to make it happen. I just wish I could take at least 14-18 days -- that would be perfect.

 

[Cheekyprincess]

You could do hong kong, Bali then Darwin/NT/Uluru. It would work out time wise I think, you would get 3 countries, don''t have to travel so far all at once, and you would be seeing the most unique part of Aust. HK for shopping and nightlife, Bali for beaches, food and nightlife then darwin for unique Australia, the real outback, kakadu etc- and over to Uluru.

 

[cara]

We did a month long vacation with maybe 20 days on the South island of NZ and 10 days in Queensland, and if we had to do it over again we would have just done NZ because we were quite rushed. Now, the Great Barrier Reef was awesome (!), but part of the problem was we planned in a 1000 km drive from Port Douglas to Brisbane that was not that enlightening. We stayed for a few quiet days in PD and did some beginner dives and saw a bit of rainforest, which was nice, and we did a few days sail in the Whitsundays, but probably should have just flown in and out of Cairns, and driven immediately to Port Douglas for the Australia portion of our trip so that we were a bit more relaxed, and spent most of our days looking for Nemo on the reef!

NZ is absolutely fabulous and we loved it, but given your time frame I would just concentrate on seeing what you want to in Australia. There is plenty to see, and you don''t want to throw time away on custums or anything.

 

[janinegirly]

what is the weather like in those regions in early Oct? (Aus, HK, Bali, S Pacific)
Thanks....

 

[Gypsy]

Okay.... I''ve been to Cairns, Sydney and Melbourne... and quite a few other places along the Great Barrier Reef. Honestly, and don''t shoot me for saying so... Sydney was my least favorite by far. If I had to go back to one area it would be various points along the GBR. REALLY stunning, unique and romantic.

 

[Jas12]

Hi

sorry if i repeat what others have said (since i just read your question & didn''t have time to read all the responses)
I lived in Aust. and it is not the easiest of countries to travel (b/c of it''s size) I recommend people give themselves at least a month if you want to hit a few cities and are planning on driving/busing etc..
That said, if you still really want to go for 10 days--fav places:
Big cities--> Sydney and Melbourne
small, gorgeous spots--> byron bay, cape tribulation,
amazing sights--> the red centre (uluru), Kakadu national park


NZ is absolutely fantastic as well--you can comfortably travel both islands in about 2 weeks and maybe do a 2-3 day stop-over in the cook islands or fiji to sit on the beach and do nothing on your way home (also majorly deceases jet lag i found)

If you need any more advice, i''d be happy to assist!!

 

[Ruby Shoes]

Hi Diamondlove and all,

I have lived in Sydney, Australia all my life and can highly recommend our land downunder (hehe so corny...)

Diamondlove, I think having your honeymoon in Australia is a fabulous idea.

I agree with the statements above that Australia is such a vast country, and every capital city is so far apart, that limiting your destinations to one or two or three is the best idea. I''d love you to experience Spring in Sydney, it is so beautiful, the sky is always blue, the weather is warm, the sun is out, the beaches are beautiful and swim-able, the cities are filled with happy people and there is so much to do. The BridgeClimb is a must for a tourist, such a great way to see the whole city and harbour. I''ve done the climb twice, once on a beautiful sunny September morning, and the next time on an October night on which during the climb it began to sprinkle with the finest rain, and under all the lights, it looked like snow. So magical! I was a bit apprehensive about the height issue, but i assure you, once you are ON the bridge, you could be anywhere... It is so wide and sturdy that you don''t feel that high.. the steps are shallow and wide and solid. The only part which may be slightly unnerving is the ladders, and one part where you have to walk across a metal meshy thing, but just don''t look down, and you''ll be right. Once you''re on the bridge its easy! Sydney has so much to offer, great restaurants, great bars, great beaches, fabulous atmosphere... Make sure you visit either Manly or Bondi beach, for the touristy beaches. Walk around Circular Quay and the Opera House.

Other than Sydney, I would suggest either Queensland or Victoria.

Queensland offers a huge choice of tropical holidays on beautiful islands with white sand and turquoise water... I''ve stayed at Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays, the whole island is a resort, with a few different accomodation options. We stayed at the Beach Club, a 5 star adults only resort (within the resort) which specialises in honeymoons, it is very private and discreet and beautiful.

The other option which i believe is a must do in our country is the Great Ocean Rd in Victoria. A few days spent in Melbourne would be a great way to start, then a lazy drive along the dramatic and beautiful cliffs/coastline/beaches. You could hire a cute little convertible car and stay in little boutique hotels along the way. Very lovely

Hope this helps xx

 

[Pandora II]

I went to Greece for a holiday a few years ago and hated it. I spent 3 days in Athens and 10 days in the Cyclades during the summer.

I found it very 3rd world compared with the rest of Europe. I get very upset seeing mistreated animals, and Greece just broke my heart. There were so many sick, starving and injured cats and dogs everywhere and no-body who seemed to care.

Athens was incredibly dirty and I didn''t feel they were looking after their antiquities properly. I was aked to sign a petition to return the Elgin marbles and I told them I thought Elgin did the best thing possible. If they had been left there, they wouldn''t exist anymore and that they should learn to properly conserve what they had first.

I had been living in Italy for 5 years at this point and thought Greece would be similar. Was I ever wrong!

I''m sure that some people like Greece and have other views of the place. I wouldn''t go back if I was offered it for free!

 

[Jas12]

thought i would also mention that qantas (i think that''s the spelling) and virgin airlines often have really great domestic seat sales if you are looking to visit a couple australian cities (b/c i wouldn''t imagine you want to spend a days driving from NSW up to queensland on you honeymoon. Sometimes the flights are cheaper than bus tix.

As for greece, my family has travelled there many times...santorini is heavenly.
Italy is wonderful in general, i also highly recommend (but will be very touristy)

 

[Miss Andi]

Hi im also from Australia, Melbourne,
another suggestion is to do the islands off the north like the whitsundays, they''re really known as the honeymoon destination for Australians.

Another really good option is just do Cairns and from there go diving at the Barrier Reef and see the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation area. That would be possible in a two week period and its really easy to rent and drive a car around because its not as busy as the bigger cities. Also the weather is fantastic at the time your thinking of going, its warm but not disgustingly humid like it can be in full summer.