Wherever you are in the friendly Down Under, there’s another worthy stop just a few miles away. Cindy’s serendipitous stay in Melbourne urged me to share a bit more of this magical continent, but it’s impossible to choose a single trip for your first visit. I’ll leave it up to you to take your pick and return with an abundance of memories and inspiration for checking off another spot from your travel list next year!
It’s almost 250 km of pure ocean beauty, dramatic coastal views and local wildlife, all wrapped up in a sweeping horizon and crashing waves. Staring from Torquay and ending in Nelson, the stretch is brimming with picture-perfect spots, where you can swim with dolphins, spot whales, and meditate with a view of the limestones of the 12 Apostles, which are just some of the many natural wonders you’ll get to soak in.
From the iconic city of Sydney and all the way to Brisbane, the mesmerizing Pacific Drive is for many visitors the sole reason to go to Australia. It’s what got me hooked in the first place! Staying in Sydney would be a perk, but NSW is well-connected, so no matter your location, you’re close enough to start this versatile journey. Prepare for emerald meadows, crisp clear beaches and charming little towns and boutique wineries within your grasp.
The North of Australia hides a particular untamed beauty – and believe me, the pictures you’ve seen of Uluru cannot come close to the real deal. Combine it with the hidden gorges and canyons, and you have the ultimate adventure for your thrill-seeking soul. I was visiting Alice Springs for the aboriginal artwork and the idea of going directly to Uluru and Kata Tjuta was too good to miss. The five-day-long ride is well-worth the effort!
Craving a true off-the-beaten-track excursion? Head straight to Tasmania’s East Coast! Everything is different there from what you’d expect to see in an Aussie territory. Villages with stone-made houses, vivid countryside scenery and five national parks are bound to feed your nature-loving spirit over the course of a couple of days.
The two names that are the quintessence of all things Aussie, Sydney and Melbourne are the cultural hubs and very difficult to let you abandon their loving embrace. But the scenic road between these two cities is made of dreamy lagoons interspersed with wild beaches and curious kangaroos to greet you almost every step of the way. My favorite? The Seven Mile Beach in Shoalhaven Heads.
Victoria’s crown jewel, the Great Alpine Road involves city names you’ll barely be able to pronounce, but equally curious and awe-inspiring vistas over the course of just five hours, which you should definitely expand into a couple of days. Imagine dramatic mountain ranges overlooking the vineyards and lush valleys, all the way to the Gippsland Lakes which will greet you upon your arrival to Metung.
A week in a Coogee apartment where it’s ideal to share accommodation with the locals gave me a few insider tips on the best spots on this short road trip adventure. No time to go the full Pacific Drive? Then visiting Jervis Bay is perfect – check out the Royal National Park, the second oldest next to Yellowstone, bask in the views over the Sea Cliff Bridge and finally soak your feet in the whitest sand on Hyams beach you’ll ever see!
Short and sweet, but as memorable as the longest on the list, the shores of North Queensland are your exotic dream-come-true, and with all the potential to become a full week-long adventure. With access to the Daintree Rainforest and the famous Great Barrier Reef, you’ll be best off taking the trip in the winter months when fewer people and less heat will affect your experience.
About the author
Marie Nieves is a lifestyle blogger who loves unusual trips, gadgets and creative ideas. On her travels she likes to read poetry and prose and surf the Internet. Her favourite writer is Tracy Chevalier and she always carries one of her books in her bag. She spends most of her free time at home walking her Labrador Retriever named Max. She is an avid lover of photography who loves to talk about her experiences. You can find Marie on Facebook or follow her on Twitter and Pinterest.
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Everybody said that I was traveling the world. I think not. Traveling the world, to me, is bumping from one place to another, crossing continents and visiting at many countries as possible, many of which were randomly selected.
I’m not traveling the world as I am going home, a long way home in deed. The 1st home means where I came from before, and where my parents lived. The last home is where I live now. And if it worked out and I crossed to Vietnam from China, the title would be “Home, Home and Home.” It takes so long because I wanted go overland as much as possible. If I had more time, instead of flying in and out of Australia, I would to do it by ships.
When I planned my 6-month off, the second destination (the first was Siberia) I wanted to be was Tibet. I concocted a plan how I would spend a month or perhaps two there, roaming the highland, staying with local Tibetans, tended goats or sheep, then trekking to North India. Yeah you can tell this plan has the smell of Brad Pitt’s Seven Years in Tibet all over it. But more than just a pure adventure, I wanted to be in this deeply spiritual and religious land to relearn Buddhism.
My name is Cindy, also rhymes with travel junkie. A friend said I was probably a gipsy in my previous life. One of my many secret missions in life is to convert you to run off every once in awhile.
