Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Oz/NZ 15-day honeymoon itinerary help

Hi everyone,

My fiancee and I are planning our honeymoon and very first trip to Australia and New Zealand and would very much appreciate your help/suggestions/comments on our planned itinerary. We usually like to have things fairly well scheduled, but it's difficult to do that without knowing very much! I am planning to use frequent flier miles for everything (hotels, airfare) I can, which leaves accommodations at Ayers Rock and Bay of Islands up in the air.

In any case, here is the proposed itinerary. Any suggestions on the following would be greatly appreciated --
a) accommodations in New Zealand's Bay of Islands (not too expensive!)
b) Should we move our flight from AKL-SYD earlier by one day (the only availability would be early morning, Day 4, which would mean Bay of Islands is out)
c) Are we spending too much time at Uluru (2 days), esp. as the hotels are quite expensive?
d) Other general comments on [how much time we are spending in each location] as well as [quality of itinerary activities]

Thanks!!!

By the way, this is planned for late August/early September 2005, which I understand is winter-time!

Tuesday, Day 1
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, Sheraton Auckland
Arrive at 5:10AM from LAX
Travel to hotel/rest
Auckland city highlights
o Queen Street
o Harbour Bridge
o Mt Eden
o War Memorial Museum
o Parnell Village
o Paritai Drive
o Tamaki Waterfront

Wednesday, Day 2
AUCKLAND/ROTORUA, NEW ZEALAND day trip
Sheraton Auckland
Rotorua/Waitomo tour
o Waitomo Glow Worm Caves
o Rainbow Springs & Farm Show
o Rotorua Government Gardens
o Whakarewarewa Geothermal Area
o The Maori Arts & Craft Institute

Thursday, Day 3 – Saturday Day 5
AUCKLAND/BAY OF ISLANDS
Accommodations/itinerary TBD – any suggestions?

Saturday, Day 5
3:30PM Depart for the airport, 4:30PM arrive at the airport

Auckland NZ (AKL)-Sydney AU (SYD)
6:05 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

8:30PM arrive at the hotel & sleep.
Sheraton/Westin Sydney

Sunday, Day 6
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Sheraton/Westin Sydney
Sydney Harbour Explorer Cruise
Tour Sydney sights

Monday, Day 7
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Sheraton/Westin Sydney
Sydney Explorer Bus
Tour Sydney sights

Tuesday, Day 8
CAIRNS/PORT DOUGLAS
Depart for airport at 6:30AM, arrive at 7AM
Sydney AU (SYD) -Cairns, Australia (CNS), 8:10 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.
Travel to Hotel (1.5 hrs)
Relax at hotel
Sheraton Mirages

Wednesday, Day 9
PORT DOUGLAS
Great Barrier Reef
entire day tour on Quicksilver
Sheraton Mirages

Thursday, Day 10
PORT DOUGLAS
Daintree/Cape Tribulation Rainforest
entire day tour
Sheraton Mirages

Friday, Day 11
PORT DOUGLAS
Relax at the hotel (REST DAY!)
Sheraton Mirages

Saturday, Day 12
CAIRNS - AYERS ROCK
Travel to airport (6:30 - 8AM)
9:15 a.m. - 11:35 a.m.Cairns, Australia (CNS) - Ayers Rock AU (AYQ)
Olgas and Dunes afternoon tour
Ayers Rock Resort (Outback Pioneer Hotel, budget)

Sunday, Day 13
AYERS ROCK/ULURU
Uluru/Ayers Rock sightseeing
Ayers Rock Resort (Outback Pioneer Hotel, budget)

Monday, Day 14
AYERS ROCK/ULURU - MELBOURNE
Relax/sleep
Goto airport
1:25 p.m. - 4:25 p.m. Ayers Rock AU (AYQ) Melbourne AU (MEL)
Arrive in Melbourne and travel to hotel
Melbourne Colonial Tramcar Restaurant (8:30PM, 5-course dinner)
Westin Melbourne

Tuesday, Day 15
10:30am depart Melbourne

It sounds exhausting for a honeymoon! I'd just do Auckland, Bay of Island, Sydney & Great Barrier Reef - come back for the rest... and enjoy your honeymoon!

I agree its a lot for a honeymoon. Dont forget the first few days you will be recovering from the long flight over.

What time of year are you travelling?

I agree its a lot for a honeymoon. Dont forget the first few days you will be recovering from the long flight over.

What time of year are you travelling?

We're travelling Aug 21 (arrive Aug 23 in NZ) - Sept 6, 2005.

We were originally planning to do just Auckland, Bay of Island, Sydney & Great Barrier Reef, but Ayers Rock/Uluru seems so unique! We also don't know when we'll have the chance to make it back out (our usual vacations are only 3-4 days in length), so this is supposed to be "the big one" (150,000 frequent flier miles per person, plus lots of hotel points!). Day '8' and Day '11' are rest/relaxation resort days for us. :)

Any suggestions on Bay of Islands? Is it possible to do in 2.5 days? Thanks!

We're travelling Aug 21 (arrive Aug 23 in NZ) - Sept 6, 2005.

We were originally planning to do just Auckland, Bay of Island, Sydney & Great Barrier Reef, but Ayers Rock/Uluru seems so unique! We also don't know when we'll have the chance to make it back out (our usual vacations are only 3-4 days in length), so this is supposed to be "the big one" (150,000 frequent flier miles per person, plus lots of hotel points!). Day '8' and Day '11' are rest/relaxation resort days for us. :)

Any suggestions on Bay of Islands? Is it possible to do in 2.5 days? Thanks!


Thats winter down under. Places like Bay of Islands wont be at their best - and a bit chilly for diving. OTOH there wont be huge crowds. For Bay of Islands 2.5 days is fine. I would spend a day vising Hundertwasser toilet at Kawakawa and tour some orchards, maybe head over to Opononi to see Kauri forest and a very rural area. Spend another day out on the water - sightseeing tour or fishing - or if not of interest then head to Cape Reinga on the bus (drives up 90 Mile Beach) which will take all day for the round trip. Also visit the historic towns of Russell, Kerikeri, Waitangi.

If you do go to Uluru, be warned the nights can be cold in winter (as in frosts) - need to wrap up for the sunset and sunrise viewings of the rock and the olgas.

You are spending either too much or too little time at Uluru. Given your itinerary I'd make it a single overnight stay and use the savings in MEL instead. The Westin Mel has some very nice honeymoon-friendly accomodation (just ask). An extra day there, before your flight back, would be better than at Uluru. If you do want time in the desert, you need to spend a week as most of the interesting places are some time away from Uluru (and you need to camp). But even in winter it is not a casual trip, this is fierce country and you have to be prepared if heading into it.
The weather is likely to be problematic for much of your trip, can have significant storms though you are avoiding the worse areas for that. Even so expect some rough weather for your trip, take some Gortex and you'll be fine (if you do hit a storm, you'll have a new appreciation for the meaning of torrential downpour, or even more fun to get golf ball sized hail that bounces from the ground above the roofs of houses -- I've seen that happen in Sydney in August).

Given your itinerary I'd make it a single overnight stay and use the savings in MEL instead.

I think I'd suggest the same. Kings Canyon is the more scenic mountain area out between Alice Springs and Ayers Rock, but you're not going to have time to get there. I'd personally bypass the Olgas range and add the day in Melbourne, too. You'd have time to be at Uluru at sunset the day you arrive, and sunrise the day you depart, and you could also hike around at the base, and go to the visitors center.

I have photos here (http://www.geocities.com/tom911/australiapage.html) from two previous visits, including the Olgas.

Thanks! This is a very good suggestion about Melbourne, but unfortunately we won't be able to spend more time there. The way it is booked now (Qantas via Continental), we pay 20,000 miles per stopover/segment for Qantas business class. Because our Australian departure gateway is Melbourne, we get a free overnight there (as there's only 1 AYQ-MEL flight each day). If we wanted to add Melbourne as a stopover, it would be an additional 20,000 miles/person (on top of 145K/person already!).

We are considering changing adding one more day to Sydney (taking away one day from New Zealand), but we could also add one more day to Sydney by removing one day from Ayers Rock/Uluru. What do you think?

Thanks!!

Oh, also, do you have any suggestions on tour companies anywhere? (esp. for Daintree/Cape Tribulation, Great Barrier Reef excursions, and Rotorua excursion) What do you think about driving (I'm from the US, so it would be the other side of the road!)

I'd usually recommend a trip to the Blue Mountains from Sydney, one of my favorite places there, but you'll be there in winter and they'll be snow on the ground there (3,000 foot level, 2 hours out by train from Sydney). It would still be a nice trip, and there is a visitors center and food court across from it, but will likely be too cold to get out on any of the trails.

There is plenty to do around Sydney. There's a marketplace in Chinatown (Paddys Market) that sells all the T shirts and souveniers you would want to bring home, but it's not open everyday. Hopefully you'll be there on one of the days it is running. On Sat and Sun there is an outdoor market with a lot of crafts in The Rocks area. Don't rule out the Taronga Zoo, also. They also have a maritime museum in Darling Harbour that's worth a visit.

I've always booked my tours after arriving, so can't help with what's available in Port Douglas (I always stay in Cairns). I think Letiole stayed there last year and wrote a trip report. You might search for it.

Your Day 2 plan is far too rushed, IMHO... There's a lot of driving just to go to all the places you listed, let alone do anything meaningful... I'd suggest go to Rotorua via Waitomo from Auckland (I don't think Waitomo is on the way to Rotorua from Auckland, so there's extra driving time there).

By the time you've done Waitomo and arrive in Rotorua, it'll probably be early/mid afternoon. Can you spend a night in Rotorua?

I'd usually recommend a trip to the Blue Mountains from Sydney, one of my favorite places there, but you'll be there in winter and they'll be snow on the ground there (3,000 foot level, 2 hours out by train from Sydney). It would still be a nice trip, and there is a visitors center and food court across from it, but will likely be too cold to get out on any of the trails.

.

Sorry Tom, but trust me, snow in the Blue Mountains is not a regular occurrence and, when it does fall, it usually doesn't stay on the ground too long.

The temps may be a bit brisk, but a sweater and jacket is about all you would need. For the most part, temps are only about 5 to 10 degrees lower than Sydney..depending on which part of the mountains you are in. In August, Katoomba usually hovers around the 10 to 15 degrees celcius mark. The westerly winds can make it feel colder, and August is known for it's westerlies.

If you are going to go the Blue Mountains, and you want to avoid tourist traps, try Blackheath instead of Katoomba. Govetts Leap is one of my favourite places and the pub right opposite the railway station should have it's log fires roaring that time of year. It also has good food.

Phoebe

I'd usually recommend a trip to the Blue Mountains from Sydney, one of my favorite places there, but you'll be there in winter and they'll be snow on the ground there (3,000 foot level, 2 hours out by train from Sydney).

Complete and utter rubbish. It will be cool, but there will NOT be snow. This winter, we had one (I repeat ONE) snowfall, occurring at around 2300, and whilst it was still on the cars at 0800 the next morning it had melted off the ground. Last winter, we didn't have any snow (apart from some flurries around 0500) likewise the winter before.

It would still be a nice trip, and there is a visitors center and food court across from it, but will likely be too cold to get out on any of the trails.

Again, complete and utter rubbish. As someone who spends a LOT of time in Katoomba (I work there) please try and get your facts right BEFORE you post this drivel.

It WILL be cool, but it won't be TOO COLD to get out and about. Looking at around the 8°C mark, which with an adequate jumper and jacket will enable you to check out all of the scenery.

Dave

Well, I wasn't up there this winter (went to New Zealand instead). I have been up there before when it has been freezing cold and thought I recalled snow on the ground, but I'll defer to you that I must have been incorrect. Thankyou for calling this error to my attention.

Sorry Tom, but trust me, snow in the Blue Mountains is not a regular occurrence and, when it does fall, it usually doesn't stay on the ground too long.

Thankyou for calling this error to my attention. I do recall being up there when it has been very cold in the winter, but can see I'm incorrect about the snow.

Thanks everyone!! This has been exceptionally helpful! It's too bad that some of the links for older threads no longer exist (i.e., Letoile's trip report)...nevertheless, there's still a lot of good information on prior threads also.

Thank you!!!!

:)

Btw, has anyone stayed at the outback pioneer lodge at ayers rock/uluru?

I think you are coming at the best time .In sunny Queensland it is well and truly spring in August.I think that for your honey moon spending the most time at Port Douglas is a great idea.I agree that you must spend a day on the reef and a day trip to Cape Tribulation should be great.For your honeymoon it is very sensible to have a rest day here.
I would think it is probably a good idea to have the 2 nights at Uluru-as you say it is a long way to come and I think you are getting a good sample of the highlights.
You could always do with more time in Sydney and Melbourne not to mention my neck of the woods -The Sunhine Coast -Home of The Crocodile Hunter.
Driving is not a bad idea but be warned Australian drivers are far less courteous than Americans IMHO.
I think you will truly enjoy your planned itinerary and hopefully make you start planning your next trip downunder.
Sydney may be cool but should be pleasant.New zealand will probably be cold but the Bay Of Islands can be a quite romantic place.
Have a great honeymoon.

Thanks everyone!! This has been exceptionally helpful! It's too bad that some of the links for older threads no longer exist (i.e., Letoile's trip report)...nevertheless, there's still a lot of good information on prior threads also.


My wife and I will actually be going on our honeymoon down in Australia arriving on Sunday 11/28. Here's a snapshot of our itinerary:

day 1: arrive Sydney 9am, drive to blue mtns, relax, de-jetlag
day 2-3: blue mountains
day 4: drive to Canberra, sight seeing
day 5: more canberra, drive to thredbo at night
day 6: climb mt kosciuszko
day 7: drive to apollo bay (great ocean rd)
day 8: great ocean rd
day 9-10: melbourne
day 11: drive mel-syd
day 12-14: Sydney. Going to see "The Messiah" at the Opera House our last night.

It's a lot of driving, but I like a good drive, and I've got us some fun wheels (Jag X-Type) to drive in.

I'll do up a trip report after we get back.

My wife and I will actually be going on our honeymoon down in Australia arriving on Sunday 11/28. Here's a snapshot of our itinerary:

day 6: climb mt kosciuszko
day 7: drive to apollo bay (great ocean rd)
day 9-10: melbourne
day 11: drive mel-syd

It's a lot of driving, but I like a good drive, and I've got us some fun wheels (Jag X-Type) to drive in.



Have you checked the driving distanes. Not sure about driving from Mt Kosciuszko to Apollo Bay in a day. Or from Melbourne to Sydney in a day..unless you are sharing the driving adn don't plan on doing too much stopping. And if you plan of driving up the Hume Hwy to Yydney I would make sure you stick to the speed limit..the police are out in force on this road.

Have fun

Phoebe

Have you checked the driving distanes. Not sure about driving from Mt Kosciuszko to Apollo Bay in a day. Or from Melbourne to Sydney in a day..unless you are sharing the driving adn don't plan on doing too much stopping. And if you plan of driving up the Hume Hwy to Yydney I would make sure you stick to the speed limit..the police are out in force on this road.

Have fun

Phoebe

Phoebe,

Thanks for the head-up. I ran the route through whereis.com.au, and it's a long day, but do-able. If they're anything like Mapquest in the US, they grossly over-estimate drive times on long trips. Sydney-Melbourne is the same driving distance as Chicago-Memphis, and that's a 9-hour trip with minimal use of a heavy right foot.

Remember speed limits are lower in Australia and there are a lot of traffic police on that route, including hidden speed cameras.

Syd-mel is a very hard 10 hour drive, and not enjoyable. You can't do it in less time, and it can easily take over 12 hours. Much of your schedule is a bit aggressive to be enjoyable. For example have you seen 9 am traffic in Sydney? Coming off the flight from LAX and driving on the wrong side of the road (presumably not a manual, but if manual shifting with the wrong hand, and turn signal/wipers are reversed as well from US convention) is challenging unless you had a good sleep on the plane. I've done it, and won't if I have a choice. In general driving is more challenging there so you have to be confident of your driving skills and knowledge of traffic laws (quite different from the US which sometimes leads to misunderstandings about the right of way). I think your schedule is viable but you really have to like being in that car.

Syd-mel is a very hard 10 hour drive, and not enjoyable. You can't do it in less time, and it can easily take over 12 hours. Much of your schedule is a bit aggressive to be enjoyable. For example have you seen 9 am traffic in Sydney? Coming off the flight from LAX and driving on the wrong side of the road (presumably not a manual, but if manual shifting with the wrong hand, and turn signal/wipers are reversed as well from US convention) is challenging unless you had a good sleep on the plane. I've done it, and won't if I have a choice. In general driving is more challenging there so you have to be confident of your driving skills and knowledge of traffic laws (quite different from the US which sometimes leads to misunderstandings about the right of way). I think your schedule is viable but you really have to like being in that car.

Well, the flight does arrive Sunday morning, so that should help to ease the traffic crunch a bit. I'm a Chicagoan, so I'm used to traffic ranging from bumper-to-bumper parking lots to 75mph wolfpacks. About the only traffic I don't like is what I classify as the "aggressive idiot" drivers (but I'd like to think that type isn't quite as prevalent in Australia as here in the US). And, like I said, I used to do a Chicago-Memphis run of similar distance a few times a year, and that covers some mind-numbingly dull scenery. All I need is a little caffeine, some good music, and I'm set. My wife's along (obviously, being our honeymoon and all!) and she keeps me entertained...we drove all around Alaska for a couple weeks last summer.

Besides, I hit the wipers instead of the turn signals a lot anyhow, so I may be better off once I arrive :)

Thanks again for the advice.

Well, the flight does arrive Sunday morning, so that should help to ease the traffic crunch a bit. I'm a Chicagoan, so I'm used to traffic ranging from bumper-to-bumper parking lots to 75mph wolfpacks. Besides, I hit the wipers instead of the turn signals a lot anyhow, so I may be better off once I arrive :)

Thanks again for the advice.

I would read up on roundabouts if I were you. My husband still finds them confusing and he has spent considerable time in Australia. :)

Check out... www.rta.nsw.gov.au

Phoebe

I would read up on roundabouts if I were you. My husband still finds them confusing and he has spent considerable time in Australia. :)

Check out... www.rta.nsw.gov.au

Phoebe

I actually came across a 400-page monster PDF which is the official driving rules for Australia, and skimmed through that during my slow day-before-Thanksgiving workday.

Roundabouts - left lane to turn left (left signal on as you enter), either lane to continue "approximately straight", no turn signal on entry, left signal before exiting roundabout. Right lane to turn right, right signal on entry, switch to left signal before exiting. Sound right? :)

Syracuse, NY has a couple multi-lane roundabouts, and I used to go through one about once a month on business travel, so I just need to remember to mirror my thinking. :D

--Ben

I live in MEL and I wouldn't be doing that trip. It's Wayyy too tough.

If this post is in time, I'll give you a heads up.

Koziosco is in the middle of the OZ Alps and to get to Apollo Bay there are really only two routes to take.

One is via Cooma, Cann River, then Highway 1 to Melbourne. I'd allow 7 hours. The other is via Albury, then Highway 31 to to Melbourne. I'd allow 5.5 hours. Both routes have longish streches of tight winding roads through mountainous terrain (well for OZ anyway). The max safe speed you could expect would be about 70kph (40mph). Once you get to Cann River or Albury, the roads are a lot better.

Once through Melbourne you need to drive to Geelong, then onwards, Another 1.5 hours.

Then the Great ocean round; I used to motor cycle along this for fun (Grouse, nice and windy), but only last week (due to a rash of people killing themselves in car crashes) the authorities have lowered the great ocean road speed limit to 80kph. More tightish winding road, just what you need to finish your day off. You need to allow an additional 2.5 hours after MEL at least to comfortably get there.

What I would do would be to drive to MEL and stay there overnight or a couple of days first. The G.O.R .is a nice day trip or even an overnighter after that.

(PS Scattered showers and rain moving from west to east are forecast for Tue , Wed and Thu)

(PPS Canberra in renowned for it Round-a-bouts)

You all are nuts - honeymoons are for relaxing & romance - these itineraries are insane - especially after flying in from the States!

Remember speed limits are lower in Australia and there are a lot of traffic police on that route, including hidden speed cameras.

Which means nothing to a US licence holder, who will wear no demerit points - only fines.

And only those if they want to visit Australia a second time. ;-)

Speed cameras will only be "hidden" on the Victorian side of the border - on the NSW side all fixed speed cameras are signposted, and a sign will be placed beside the road to indicate the presence of a mobile speed camera (becoming rare).

As for the travel time, I've left Newcastle at 04:00 and have been sitting down to lunch at Crown Casino at 13:30.

MEL-SYD in a day is very, VERY possible.


One strong tip for driving on highways and motorways in Australia - KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING.

This applies to 3 lane roads as well, unless overtaking you should be in the leftmost lane. Failure to comply will possibly result in police attention, and almost certainly result in road rage directed your way.

Probably by me.

Thanks to all for the feedback on driving times and whatnot. I'll be doing a full-blown trip report at some point, but here's my notes on driving and the roads:

1) With a decent night's sleep on the flight over, getting used to right-hand drive was really no problem for me. Initially, I was having some minor issues with centering myself in the lane from the other side of the car, but I had that worked out by the time we made it to the Blue Mountains. Roundabouts were a piece of cake - thanks for the heads-up, feebster :)

2) Thredbo to Apollo Bay was 9.25 hours, including meal/personal breaks. We took the route up to Albury-Wodonga. Traffic wasn't too bad, aside from a slow stretch through Geelong, and I was feeling a bit weary after the winding part of the GOR on either side of Lorne. Melbourne to Sydney was 9.5 hours.

3) If Australian traffic engineers did things in the US, I-80 between Chicago and New York City would actually run from Chicago to somewhere half-way across New Jersey, much as the Hume doesn't actually get you into Melbourne before converting to stoplights. That, and it'd convert to 2-lane road signed at 55mph with a few small-town speed traps at 30mph in Ohio, much as the Hume does east of Albury.

4) Get some kind of insurance excess reduction to cover your behind for acts of God. We hit a golf-ball sized hailstorm near Goulburn that'll probably end up costing A$1000 when it's all said and done.

5) If you're used to driving vacations in the US (my family usually spent 2-3 days each way driving on every vacation I took from ages 7-18), my itinerary wasn't a problem (Assuming unlimited free KM on your car - we put 3700km on the Jag).

6) Rush hour in the Sydney CBD is *worse* than NYC. We missed our show at the opera house because it took 120 minutes to get from the Sheraton Four Points (Sussex/King St - Darling Harbour) to the Opera House. No cabs available, and we couldn't walk since there was a nasty downpour and we didn't bring umbrellas. Then, when we got to the opera house, all of the car parks in the area were full.

Otherwise, my wife and I had a wonderful time. Thanks for the info, everyone! Here's a teaser image to whet the appetite until my trip report:

Sunset over Apollo Bay, VIC (http://www.ben-johnson.org/blog-images/DSCN1803.jpg)

(taken right across the road from our ocean-view lodge) :)

You missed The Messiah? Oh no. SYD traffic has been mentioned a few times on FT, it really is amazingly bad given the 1 way street grid which makes it better. That 120 min drive is about a 15 min walk, and the monorail will take you a (small) part of the way (too bad it is such a useless system).

You missed The Messiah? Oh no. SYD traffic has been mentioned a few times on FT, it really is amazingly bad given the 1 way street grid which makes it better. That 120 min drive is about a 15 min walk, and the monorail will take you a (small) part of the way (too bad it is such a useless system).

Yeah, we were both rather unhappy over it. We would have done the walk had it not been a somewhat torrential downpour. Live and learn, I guess.

I must've missed that bit about Sydney traffic between reading FT and the Lonely Planet Australia guide. :(