The Weather

If you like hot weather you will love Sydney – it is generally quite hot there and there are great beaches at Manly and Bondi Beach. Indeed, there are few big cities so well set up for those who like to laze by the seaside. The same cannot be said for Melbourne and though there is a nice beach at St. Kilda’s the weather is less than ideal. The city sees a fair bit of rain, and you may never get the warmth you can expect further north.

Nightlife

Sydney certainly has some great nightlife with many bars and great clubs, yet Melbourne has a more interesting scene with alley-way bars and fun clubs everywhere. Section 8 is a particularly fun place to visit, as this former car park is one of the trendiest spots in town.

The Food

Both Melbourne and Sydney have access to great eateries. Restaurants like Aria in Sydney provide haute cuisine which leads the charge of Australia’s newly gained reputation for culinary greatness. Melbourne has a slightly different feel as many people like to head to China Town to sample cheap and delicious fare.

Travelling On

Of course there is more to see in Australia than these two cities, and it is important to fly into one which is surrounded by things that interest you. If you head to Sydney you can drive north up to the Gold Coast to enjoy the lovely beaches and the serenity of Byron Bay. If you base yourself in Melbourne you will be able to drive on to Adelaide and Kangaroo Island via The Twelve Apostles in Port Campbell National Park.

If you are looking to fly into Sydney and Melbourne you should be able to choose between these two great metropolises. Then again, the best situation would be to take in both cities as they are both truly exciting, in their own unique ways.

Visiting the Great Barrier Reef, one of the seven natural wonders in the world, was a dream come through for me. This magnificent attraction, along the Queensland coastline in Australia, was awarded World Heritage Site status by UNESCO as a unique place for protecting some endangered species of wildlife.

My adventure to the Great Barrier Reef included learning about this one-of-a-kind tourist attraction. As the largest reef system worldwide, the Marine Park extends over 1,800 miles and it can be seen from outer space. It comprises of over 3,000 individual reefs and coral cays and more than 1,500 species of fish and a wide range of marine animals and wildlife.

No vacation to Australia is complete without a visit to the famous Great Barrier Reef. For my trip from the USA to Australia I left nothing to chance, therefore, I got travel insurance cover for the non-refundable portion. My journey included traveling from Sydney to the northeastern beach town of Cairns, which is about miles 45 kilometers from the Outer Reef.

The day tour was from 9:00 am to 5 pm and I spent 5 hours at the Marine World on the Outer Reef. The 90-minute trip on the fast, stable, spacious and air conditioned motor catamaran was comfortable. The tour package offered many options for swimmers and non-swimmers to experience and learn about the Great Barrier Reef at an affordable price. It included snorkeling equipment, presentation by On Board Marine Biologist, glass bottom boat and semi-submersible tours and refreshments and lunch.

As a newbie to water sports, one of the best ways to see the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef was by snorkeling. After getting some useful tips on how to use the snorkeling equipment, I was fitted with a mask, fins and snorkel. I was then ready to begin the guided tour and experience the amazing underwater life at the Outer Reef. By using the stairs provided, it was extremely easy getting into the water from the snorkel platform at the sheltered coral lagoon. The water clarity was of the highest quality, which made for excellent visibility and I was able to look at the bottom of the lagoon to see the breathtaking view. It included different colours, shapes, textures and movements of the array of corals and marine life.

One of the highlights of the snorkeling trip was swimming alongside Wally the Giant Maori Wrasse and taking pictures with my underwater camera. It was also good to have floating rest stations that were strategically placed at points so that I could take a break from my snorkeling activities.

On the 30 minute semi-submersible tour, while sitting about 1 meter underwater, I was able to see the colorful coral gardens as well as schools of fish, including reef fish, red bass, angel fish and Jump Headed Parrot fish. I even saw Minke whales and friendly reef sharks. Another way I was able to experience the colors and beauty of marine life in the Outer Reef was by taking the 30 minute glass bottom boat tour.

My adventurous trip to the Great Barrier Reef was an amazing one filled with fun, excitement, information and wonderful close-up views of a diverse range of coral reefs and marine wildlife. Overall, I would recommend this once-in-a life-time experience to everyone.

About the author: Dominic Godwinson, global finance and travel insurance expert and travel enthusiast. Dominic writes about various topics related to finances.

Australia has so many sights and attractions that are beautiful to view from the open road.  Cruising down the road, taking in the majesty that Australia has to offer can be a real thrill and camping with the family can bring you even closer to nature. Here are our top five most spectacular road trips not to miss across the wonderful and diverse land of Australia.

1. South – Southern Flinders Ranges – The ranges are a short drive due north of Adelaide near Crystal Brook.  This range makrs the beginning of the Outback, and stretches from the Spencer Gulf towards the Great Plains.  Hiking is a great pastime here thanks to the excellent rails and the clear markings.  But this place is not reserved just for the adventures by foot.  Bike trails are also spread throughout the area, adding another entertaining way to enjoy the area.
2. North – Nature’s Way –Starting at Darwin in the Northern Territory is a road called nature’s Way.  The drive moves beside the wetlands of Mary River and ends at the National Park in Cacadu.  All along the way you will see signs of the Aborigine roots that are scattered throughout this untamed area.  Once you reach the park you can witness crocodiles from the saltwater basking in the sun and moving about their native area. Lots of waterfalls and lookouts along the East Alligator River add more scenic pleasures throughout the park.
3. Simpson Desert – A real outback adventure awaits you on your travels through Simpson Desert.  When you prepare to leave, pack lots of food and water and top off your fuel tank.  The views will include awe inspiring sand dunes and colorful vegetation as far as the eye can see.
4.  West – Coastal and Esperance Trail – People who long for the beauty of the ocean and sandy beaches will feel like they are in heaven on this trail.  The route can take two days to cover in its entirety, but it is worth it.  Travelers can see the beautiful Southern Ocean as well as take in the sights of a small group of islands and terrific beaches.
5.  Victoria – Great Ocean Road – This route has a little something for everybody.  Due to the breathtaking views, this road is compared to some of the most luxurious areas in the world. The trip begins at Anglesea and goes all the way to Warnambool, including a pass by the Twelve Apostles.  Travelers will be amazed at the hillsides covered in eucalyptus and have their breath taken by the high cliffs.

Kristy writes for DriveMyCarRentals.com.au which can make enjoying one of these incredible road trips both cheap and memorable offering long term car rentals with everything from Holden’s to BMWs for hire. DriveMyCarRentals.com.au is a new peer to peer car rental community which provides access to more makes and models than any car rental company in the world from economy to luxury, from sports cars to classic cars, even caravans and with savings of up to 60% on traditional rental costs.

Most of you seasoned frequent travellers probably already know most of the tricks of travel in the most inexpensive manner possible– however, for those of you who might still need a few tips to make your travel less costly, here are some ideas that you might not have thought about:

1. Travel light – get your items into one bag if at all possible, one that you can carry-on and not have to pay the extra ‘bag’ fees, which can get pricey. Most frequent travellers have this down to a science – and know what they will use and won’t use, which develops in seasoned travellers.

2. Try to fly on a flexible schedule – most people who travel have specific dates in which they need to get to their destination, especially if it is a vacation. Some of us have specific vacation schedules – however, if you plan in advance, you can find some pretty amazing deals on airfare and other forms of travel. Sometimes, even flying into an alternate city can save hundreds on tickets.

3. Browse for the deals – when planning a trip, make sure you check every avenue available for travel. Even travel agents can have or know of some specific sales or discounts on plane fare, cruises or overseas travel. Check cheaptickets.com and Travelocity and places that offer specials. No doubt if you do your homework, you can find tickets to your destination for less than you expected.

4. Make sure you sign up for all of the available airline programs that you possibly can. For example, Qantas has a Frequent Flyer program that can help you to more a elite status, as well as United Airlines, Australia –which lead to more and more savings – and rewards come to those who sign up and stay in contact with the airlines, and I mean every airline you might use in the future. Frequent traveller programs vary for each airline and the rewards can be offered at different times as well. Those rewards really save you money in hotels, airfare, insurance, car rentals, upgrades, pre-boarding time and special vacation package deals.

5. Do the same with the car rental places. Sign up for every possible service they offer, such as the ‘Preferred Member’ service. It saves money, time and frustration when travelling. Membership is n ice because sometimes when the car rental place knows you are coming, as a member, you gain special benefits such as an agent starting your car to warm it up for you during cold winter months.

6. Sign up for credit card rewards – these can pay off big in many ways. Credit cards offer free travel and free hotel after you reach a certain status with their company, and American Express offers member rewards annually, sometimes minimal sometimes larger, depending on your expenditures, but these rewards save you money on travel.

7. Join frequent flyer forums, for info on the latest deals and sometimes even cheap or free tickets. A good one is Flyertalk –where frequent flyers meet and post their encounters and specific tips they have learned in years of travel. They claim “Flyertalk” is an interactive community that provides up-to-date information on travel-related loyalty reward programs. It’s the hub that brings everyone together — from leisure travelers to mileage junkies — to converse about programs, get the latest program buzz or discuss how to maximize points or miles. You’ll even get some good general travel information!” on their website – however there are many others available via search engine.

8. Carry food with you at all times. You never know when a delay will keep you waiting for hours, and we all know how expensive food can be at airports. Having snacks and foods with you will cut back on frustration, hunger pangs and save a bundle in food costs. Things like dried fruit, nuts, fruit leathers, and those individually wrapped cheese sticks are great, and keep for days.

9. Be nice at the airports and other travel agencies – the nice guy always wins in this situation. An airport agent who has been yelled at most of the day due to delays will welcome a smiling face, and has the ability to bump you to a higher class, for free. Always remember that when travelling, you get more with honey than you do with vinegar.

10. Last, but not least by any means, consider your ‘travel window’ and start looking at hotels and airline tickets at least 2 months in advance. The worst thing is to jump in and buy tickets, only to find out that they were discounted the following week. Know where to look, and check with travel agents, they sometimes have the inside info to future specials and deals, or better yet, check out Smarter Travel for tips on the best time to travel, and the best deals.

Using good old common sense will generally save you money, and planning ahead saves headaches. Always take more cash than you expect to use, but control spending as much as possible – and relax and enjoy the ride!

Ally is part of the team that manages Australian Credit Cards, a free travel money cards comparison service in Australia. Before joining ACC, she was a Media Planner with McCann Worldgroup Philippines, Inc., with award-winning executions, including the Levi’s 501 “Live Unbuttoned” global campaign.

Melbourne has an amazing range of attractions for all ages like the Federation Square. Melbourne River Cruises, Eureka Skydeck 88, Melbourne Zoo, Royal Exhibition Buildings, National Wool Museum, Captain Cook’s Cottage and many more including these attractions.
www.visitmelbourne.com

Melbourne Museum – Explore and Discover

The Melbourne Museum always has an extroadinary list of exhibitions, a Discovery Centre, an IMAX theatre and an Education Centre for students and teachers.
Melbourne Museum houses a permanent collection in eight galleries, including one just for kids. The museum is located in Carlton Gardens, opposite the historic Royal Exhibition Building.  www.museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum

Crown Casino Melbourne – The Entertainment Centre

The Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex is an absolutely amazing building, I have been to an awards ceremony night it was a spectacular night, walking through the ‘Crown’ is just an amazing experience I highly recommend it to everyone. The ‘Crown’ is located on the south bank of the Yarra River in Melbourne.

The complex includes luxury hotel accommodation, the Palladium Room is Melbourne’s grandest ballroom, the Promanade Room, River Room, Garden Room, Conderence Hall and much more.

The Crown Casino is the largest casino in the southern hemisphere, has a license for 350 table games and 2,500 poker machines. If you want to play online
casinos visit the best online casino poker review website www.casino.org/australia/

The Crown Entertainment Complex includes several nightclubs, a Village Cinema complex and multiple restaurants, food courts and a variety of shops. The Water features have to be seen to be believed, they are featured both inside and outside the Crown casino complex.  www.crowncasino.com.au

Melbourne Aquarium

Melbourne Aquarium is a Southern Ocean and Antarctic aquarium and It is located on the banks of the Yarra River. See aquatic creatures from many different worlds.

Get up close to giant stingrays, sharks and hundreds of amazing fish.

Go to Antarctica with Australia’s only King and Gentoo penguins in their icy new home, viewing areas let you Watch them swim from underwaterand you can walk beside them as they frolick on the snow covered ice.

Then experience the Weird & Wonderful and most beautiful and bizarre marine species, including spiky lionfish, dangerous stonefish, huge crabs, and stunning sea-dragons.

Enjoy the amazing journey from River to Reef and experience a wild jungle with extraordinary freshwater animals, that include sharks, sawfish and Australia’s largest freshwater fish the Murray Cod. Also explore beautiful billabongs and lagoons, rocky reefs, a spectacular floor to ceiling Coral and sea-jellies.

Experience Sharks Alive and be surrounded by 360 degree views of ferocious sharks, massive stingrays, turtles and hundreds of schooling fish in the 2.2 million litre oceanarium.
www.melbourneaquarium.com.au

See Melbourne Discount Card

Free entry to over 35 top Melbourne attractions  and things to do for one low price!

Your ‘See Melbourne’ & Beyond Attractions Pass will give you the chance to discover everything that Melbourne and its surrounding regions has to offer. The pass comes with a full colour travel guide so you can plan your itinerary easily. The pass is valid for 12 months.  www.seemelbournecard.com

There is no reason why you can’t have a great holiday when working with a limited budget. You may wish to stay in a 5-star hotel but in reality you will probably be staying in a tent, cabin, motel, backpackers, homestead, which my family has done plenty of times and we had many wonderful holidays.

Plan your holiday within your budget so it can be relaxing and you are not stressing about what you are spending. You can still get out and see all the sights, enjoy being with family and friends and meet new people. There are many free activities that you can enjoy. Don’t forget to take plenty of photos or videos so you can create memories to look back on in the years ahead.

Depending on your budget, it may be possible to treat yourselves to something special that you have always wanted to do. This could be hot air ballooning, abseiling, swimming with dolphins, scuba diving, playing golf, visiting gardens or art galleries, seeing the whales, going on a flight, seeing Uluru (Ayers Rock), or experiencing one of thousands of other things you can do.

Remember that the little extras can quickly add up. Consider taxi fares, restaurant meals, takeaway food, drinks, fuel for your vehicle or car rental, tips, entry prices for attractions, souvenirs and any medications you may need. Allow for all these things in your budget. Plan ahead, budget and you will have a great holiday.

If you are planning your holiday months or even a year ahead, be smart and start saving now. Put away as much as you can into a separate account or somewhere else so you won’t be tempted to spend it.

Even if you are on a budget you can have a great time and holiday, there are many activities you can do for free.

Look out for them, sometimes they can be the highlight of your holiday. Happy Travelling!

Online campervan and car hire company DriveNow™ introduces their up-to-the-minute campervan and motorhome rental website to all travellers across Australia and New Zealand, comparing the lowest prices and guaranteeing the best option at the highest quality.

DriveNow.com.au partners with reputable campervan brands including Apollo, Backpacker Rentals, Britz, KEA Campers and Maui to provide road-trippers with all the best models under one roof. This means that those planning a trip away can choose from a great range of self-drive campervan rental vehicles at substantially discounted drive-away prices, on one easy to use website.

Vehicle pick-up is available from all major Australian cities and airports including Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Cairns, Adelaide, Alice Springs, Hobart, Darwin and Sydney. With a great choice of vehicles, from luxury motorhomes to budget and 4WD campervans, DriveNow prices start from only $25 a day depending on the chosen vehicle and size of your family or group. 

Managing Director of DriveNow™, Russell Matters says that with different campervans and motorhomes available in the market, the selection of vehicles provided ensures that all travellers’ needs and budgets can be met.

“Motorhomes offer state of the art facilities to make your holiday a safe and comfortable one within a real ‘live-in’ environment, whereas campervans still offer comfort, but are smaller and have more basic  facilities,” explains Matters.

“Depending on your budget and requirements, you can book and pick up at any location, a 2 Berth campervan, complete with linen and cutlery, for as little as $35 a day. Alternatively, a high quality six berth motorhome that accommodates six people and comes fitted with double beds, a gas cooker, air conditioning, a shower and TV and DVD players can be hired for $90 a day.” he says

Offering convenience and comfort, DriveNow prides itself on the quality of its campervans so travellers can rest assured that they are cruising in the most reliable fleets available. There is no better way to see the Australian landscape than on the road in a trustworthy campervan and being in control of your own itinerary.

What better way to spend time with the family, than to hire a campervan and take the kids on a road trip. Hire a 4 Berth Campervan, for two adults and two kids for just under $750 for a whole week, or for a larger family, a 6 Berth Campervan for as little as $769 for a seven day period.  There’s no need to pack bedding or cooking utensils as these are all provided.  Other family benefits include baby booster seats for as little as $5.50 per day.

DriveNow.com.au donates $5 from each baby and child restraint booked through the site to Children’s Hospital Foundations Australia (CHFA), helping to make a real difference to sick and injured children nationally. These funds will be used for research, services and equipment within the main Children’s hospital in each state. DriveNow also offer their customers the option to make an additional contribution upon payment.

DriveNow also offers a “Double the Difference” lowest Price Guarantee. They will match any genuine price for an Australian and New Zealand based business and website. Not only that, you will get a bonus discount equal to DOUBLE the difference between the prices you have been quoted.

Making a booking at DriveNow.com.au is quick and easy online with instant confirmation. Alternatively, call 1300 547 214 to get helpful advice to secure your next Campervan Holiday.

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Start planning your road trip adventure.

www.travel-australia-planning-guide.com/road-trip-planner.html

For anyone deciding to travel to Australia, I think it must be compulsory to be given one of those maps that shows Europe fitting inside the country with room to spare.  I think the size of Australia is one of the most shocking aspects to tourists that come here with only a few weeks to explore as they quickly realize that it’s not all fun and games when trying to see as many of those iconic sights scattered about.    It takes planning to make the most of your time down under, which is why size matters immensely in Australia.

The Dilemma:  Flying versus Driving

I met a traveler the other day that had literally 5.5 days to spare, and he for some reason thought he was about to do the driving trip from Sydney to Cairns in that amount of time.  After being smacked back into reality, he then decided to take a cheap flight to Brisbane and start from there.  It was a much more reasonable plan that would allow him to actually see some sights along the way.

In some cases, such as this, catching a flight within Australia is necessary, but the problem is that – in my mind – the journey is one of the best parts.  There’s nothing like driving to the Outback and seeing the towns get smaller and  more spread out, and what about the curvy and jungle-encased roads of tropical north Queensland?  It’s the scenery that you really get to see when driving in Australia.

 It’s not only the scenery you miss when flying over driving; it’s the little fun bits in between.  Take, for instance, Granite Gorge.  Granite Gorge is a nature park near Mareeba (about an hour’s drive from Cairns) that tempts tourists to visit with the promise of seeing and feeding rock wallabies.  Adorable? Yes, and definitely worth it in my opinion.  However, chances are you will not make it to fun little places like this from the main cities unless you are self-driving.

It’s About Being Realistic

As in the driving example above, it’s about being realistic about your options.  If you are dead-set on driving through Australia and are on limited time, you will definitely be better off trying to narrow your focus by choosing one region or one state.  By doing so, you’ll get to really know that area as opposed to grazing over the surface.

On the other hand, flying from major city to major city and hitting all the big named places can be just as amazing.  I guess it all comes down to your personal travel preferences.  Here are some ideas to keep in mind:

• Your trip length.
• Your willingness to drive in a foreign country.
• The likelihood you’ll return to Australia.
• Your budget.
• Your love, or hate, of flying.

 All of these points should be considered when planning a trip down under, but I often feel that distance from one location to the next isn’t stressed enough.  Let’s face it, Australia is pretty gigantic.  And, I think it’s safe to say that this is one place where size really does matter.

About:  Brooke Schoenman is the expert author for WhyGo Australia, an online travel guide with life. 

She currently resides in Sydney, Australia and tweets about her Aussie life daily.

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Plan your own exciting holiday

www.travel-australia-planning-guide.com/travel-in-australia.html

This was an amazing adventure, one of our favourite towns was Birdsville. Birsville is a small outback town with a population of about 120 residents and is ready for the many travellers that pass through this very unique town regularly.

The Birdsville Hotel is a very famous outback pub, that is a must visit when you go to Birdsville. The have several motel rooms for accommodation, great meals and of course beer.

The edge the Simpson Desert is near Birdsville. Another must see is ‘Big Red’ the first and highest sand dune of the Simpson Desert, which is a challenge to conquer. Which we did and view is amazing.

The Birdsville Working Museum is well worth a look, it displays an amazing collection of all things old and Australian. From household products, toys, farming, coins, stamps just about everying and anything you can think of is there.

The Birdsville Races are held annually and thousands of people flock to these famous unique races. for more information about the races and Birdsville have a look at this website www.birdsvilleraces.com

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Start planning your road trip adventure.

www.travel-australia-planning-guide.com/road-trip-planner.html

We stayed with a family that we met at Ayers Rock Resort 10 years ago, so it was  a 10 year anniversary of when we met. Every year since we met we have arranged to meet them and holiday somewhere in Australia. We have been to the Kimberley, Central Australia twice, Fraser Island twice, Noosa several times, Murray River houseboat cruise and more. All wonderful trips and adventures.

As they are Sydney locals we went on several tourist drives that certainly gave a new outlook on Sydney and gave us a better understanding of how massive Sydney is.

 I had been to Sydney twice previously with my parents many years ago and with our local primary school to see the Paralympics in 2000 and had seen the popular highlights Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Which are of course stunning and worth seeing.

There are many  Things to do in Sydney, everyone that visits should visit the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. There ia also plenty more to see and do like the Rocks, go on a harbour cruise, visit Taronga Zoo and Luna Park.

Sydney has some beautiful very popular beaches to visit like Bondi as it very close to the city we also visited Cronulla beach and several other beaches which had a few brave surfers catching the waves! It was way to cold for swimming!

If you are planning to visit  Sydney and looking for more adventure how about an amazing full throttle  jet boat ride in the harbour, see the unique harbour views while going flat out sliding and aplashing in all directions.

If you want the best view of Sydney try the Skywalk on top of Sydney Tower only 260 metres above ground level. Of course you will be wearing Skysuits and harnesses for your own safety.  What A View!!

Many cruises on the harbour can be enjoyed as well as sea plane flights, aerobatic flights, sky diving, rock climbing in the Blue Mountains, drive a racing car around Eastern Creek race track, Harley rides, hot air ballooning and so much more.

Fathers Day is not far away so start thinking about a present sooner rather than later. The above  activities would make excellent Fathers Day Gifts as well as the more sedate adventure activities suitable for all Dads.

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Start planning your road trip adventure.

www.travel-australia-planning-guide.com/road-trip-planner.html