I'm off to Oz! Help please...

Juicy_Tube

Hi All,

Just made the decision today to go to Australia beginning of December for 3 weeks, including Xmas, back around the 28th December.:j

We have relatives there for the near future and are taking up an offer before it expires!! They are currently living in Hobart.

So, I need all the info you can give me please if you have a while to spare..

Where to book flights, what type etc..

Where to visit...Don't want to be completely exhausted mind you, but obviously want to make the most of the trip..

So, any recommendations please??


JT x

stratford_2

I spent a few weeks in OZ last year. In my opinion the best bits are:

Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the rest of the red centre - do a 3/4 day outback trip. The smaller the group the better. Not sure if a bit too hot at that time of year though!

Cairns - nice town for a bit of fun. Great Barrier Reef on the doorstep and some adrenalin type sports as well. Recommend white water rafting on the River Tully - v. commercial and largish groups but really good laugh.

Sydney - great world-class city. Enjoy the harbour and a good atmosphere etc. Lots to do, maybe even take a couple of days out to the Blue Mountains

Loads of other things to do - yachting around the Whitsunday Islands is really goodfor example. You can take internal flights (a must for the red centre given your timescale) but maybe greyhound bus it from say Cairns to Sydney/Melbourne and then on to Taz...

markmat

I went for just over three weeks at the beginning of last year, which also included staying with friends. The biggest problem is that it's obviously a huge place, and you've got less than three weeks to see it once you've visited your relatives. So you need to be choosy!

The Barrier Reef and Northern Queensland rainforest tours were a couple of obvious favourites from my brief trip. Cairns itself isn't that exciting if you're no longer of student age, enjoyed Brisbane, Sydney has some obvious 'must see' attractions.

I assume you've got some ideas about the kinds of things you want to see (ie. you want to spend a week on a beach, or a week touring vineyards). I'm a fan of the DK Eyewitness guide books for city breaks, but they're stretching it a bit trying to do a whole country, I found the Fodors guide to be a lot more useful in this case.

Pick up a weekend newspaper travel supplement for flights, there's plenty of companies offering good deals (Trailfinders, Austravel, Australian Affair etc.). Also, as a good moneysaver, make sure you sign up for an appropriate frequent flyer program to save the miles/points

As for internal flights, I'd been told they were quite expensive but I didn't think they were too bad considering the distances involved. Both Qantas and Virgin Blue had some good prices online, especially if you could book some of them a few months in advance. I'd recommend checking the Qantas site for their cheap deals (Red e-Deals I thnik they call them), I found some of these prices were much lower than the same flights quoted on Expedia.


hope some of this helps

yonk

Airline Network was always the cheapest when I shopped around.

Great fish and chips in Hobart! I wouldn't try to rush around too much but it's a great place to visit and very easy as the accommodation is good.

https://www.wotif.com is excellent for booking places so long as you can hold out to just before you go.

Dimity

Christmas is the most expensive time of year to travel to Australia (not to mention the hottest), it may be worthwhile reconsidering the time of year you want to go? You can halve the fare by travelling during shoulder seasons...and have more money to spend there!

Try travelbag for cheap flights to oz @ https://www.travelbag.co.uk

Virgin Blue are the best for cheap internal flights.

Well worth the trip (but maybe i am biased, as i am australian!)

Shez

Hi, Been to Oz a fews year back, my brother lives now lives there.
Great Place - Can also recommend Sydney and Cairns.

We booked our trip at the time through Austravel, dont know whether they will be of any use to you for prices etc?

Good Luck and have a great time!

Shez

Opps sorry didnt type last message that well!

austravel - https://www.austravel.net

blindman

Went to OZ a couple of years back, March-April for 5 weeks, spending 4 weeks in Aus.

Booked through Trailfinders , got a ticket that included 2 stopovers (1 each way) and 5 stops in Aus.Cost was £750 each.

May not be available in Dec tho and may be cheaper to book internal flights separately.

Flew into Perth via BangKok then to Uluru then Sydney.

Booked an internal flight with Virgin Blue for Sydney to Melbourne.
Spent a week with relatives (to do washing and chill)

Then to Cairns and finally Darwin.

Three weeks is not much time in Aus, depending on your itinerary.
You've picked the expensive time to go so make sure you plan it well.

Get a visa on-line from here cheaper than the travel agent.

Personally I'd go to Perth and surrounds for a week, with a stop over of 2 nights in Uluru (expensive rip off, but unique).

Sydney, of course, climb the Pylon Lookout which is a LOT cheaper than climbing the bridge and go on a Ferry to Manly, just to pass the Opera House and get a view of the bridge.

Also walk to the botanical Gardens for another view.

I could go on....

MeMe

Was in Oz for 6-7 months a couple of years back, lived in Sydney for 3 of them, it's such a fantastic city!

I can also heartily recommend the Whitsundays sailing trips, coupled with a Fraser island safari - you can usually get good deals if you book both together. Doesn't take too long either - a few days for each trip.

Have a fabulous time!

Juicy_Tube

Thank you to all of you have posted..Will definitely look at them all a bit more closely and then take on your recommendations.

Did think December was more expensive(yikes), but planning to get flights sorted asap. Just fancied Xmas with family..ahh well..
Can't miss an opportunity like that!

JT x

bazza1603

Hi,

Dont forget a British Passport holder needs a Visa. (Should cost you £0-5) depending on who you book your flights will.

Best regards

Barry