Trip to Oz in October 2006

Lucie_2

We've already planned our 3 week trip to Australia for November next year. After pricing up all the components ourselves, we found Mercury Direct to be the cheapest. The whole trip is costing us less than £1500 each, although we are not visiting as many places as your daughter intends to.
Their website is https://www.mercury-direct.co.uk

sandieb

Just back from 4 weeks in Oz.

Agree I wouldn't want to stay in the middle of Cairns again. We walked past The Lakes on the way to the Botanic Gardens - a much more pleasant location than the centre of town. However, note also the location of the airport (north of the city) - not sure about noise.

We also spent a few days at some lovely apartments in Yorkey's Knob - 10 mins drive north of Cairns.

Stayed at The Lost Camel. Personally I would find a single night at Yulara en route from Perth to Cairns too tiring but I speak after 4 weeks of relentless sightseeing! We saw 2 sunrises (setting the alarm at 3.45am) and 1 sunset but, given the choice, would go for the sunset... .

Booked our flights with Trailfinders who I always find to be excellent - we spent a morning last January going over our itinerary with a very helpful young man in their Bristol office .... with no obligation to buy all the holiday from them. Bought our own insurance and booked most of the accommodation on-line.

She'll have a great time!

sandieb

PS An earlier poster suggested using Virgin Blue ... your daughter can book a flight with them on-line well before she goes - so no hassle whilst she is there. We did Melbourne to Adelaide with them very cheaply - about £65 for 2 people from memory.

creditcardking_2

Whatever airline you are flying on make sure you join their airmiles program before you leave, you will likely earn enough points to have another holiday to somewhere else. If its Qantas then join in the UK as its free, if you join in Australia it costs $80.00.

creditcardking_2

You could always travel by train, there is a 'Great Southern Railway Pass' available for international travellers, Australians are not able to use this offer.

http://www.railaustralia.com.au/rail_passes.htm#pass4

nej

Cairns isn't as bad as everyone seems to make out, but they have good points with it not being worth staying in really. I would suggest:

-Stay in Palm Cove, which is lovely and is about 20km North of Cairns. Beautiful beaches, very relaxed, wonderful esplanade. I can't recommend it highly enough.

-Have a look at Reef Magic for a reef trip. They depart from Cairns and were very reasonably priced from what I remember (although this was 4 years ago).

-Visit Cape Tribulation. I stayed at a place called the Cape Trib Beech House which is a series of small lodges and some camping set into the rainforest. Very reasonably priced if memory serves. Excellent place. It looks like it's about a millimeter on the map north of Cairns, but it's about a 4-hour drive and you have to cross the (crocodile infested) Daintree river on the ferry to get there. There is an awesome beech there (Myall beech?), which you access from a boardwalk from a bar called Pete's or something. Crystal water, white sands and often quite deserted. Lovely. They do Cane Toad racing at the bar as well, which somebody else mentioned above and is quite an experience.

-Wild World Zoo is pretty good, quite near Palm Cove, but may not be of interest.

-Kuranda is great for a bit of shopping, but mainly for the cable car and train ride up and down. Amazing.

-The aboriginal place (Tiju-something) is pretty cool as well.

I missed out Port Douglas when I was there so I can't comment on it. I spent 2 weeks in Cairns (well, Palm Cove) for Xmas and New Year a few years back, staying with my Brother-In-Law and his family and it was just the best time.

I'm sure your daughter will have the time of her life in Oz - I'm very jeleaous!

Fortyfoot

Try www.wotif.com for late hotel deals.
Rotnest Island is worth a visit from Hilaries Harbour. See the Quokka. (Not sure about the spelling but that is how it sounds!)
Fortyfoot