Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Proposed Two Week Australia Itinerary in September

I would greatly appreciate folks' thoughts on the following Australia two-week intinerary. We are traveling for two weeks in September of 2009.

-Fly from LAX-SYD and then Virgin Blue SYD to Adelaide

Two nights in Adelaide at Hilton Adelaide (one day exploring city and one day exploring the Barrossa in a rental car). Has anyone stayed at The Louise in Tanunda? It looks very nice but is pretty expensive--I am curious whether anyone has any thoughts on whether it is worth staying out there for a night.

-Fly Rex Air from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island

Two nights in Kangaroo Island at Hog Bay Hill Inn (one day exploring and one day on a full-day guided tour with Exceptional Kangaroo Island tours)

-Fly Rex Air from Kangaroo Island to Adelaide and connect on Virgin Blue to Melbourne

Two nights in Melbourne at the Westin (just explore the city; do not think we have sufficient time to drive any part of the Great Ocean Road)

-Fly Virgin Blue from Melbourne to Cairns

Four nights in Port Douglas at the Thala Beach Lodge (would like to do one full day at the Reef and one tour of the Daintree and then relax by the pool and beach)

-Fly Virgin Blue from Cairns to Sydney

Four nights in Sydney at the Westin

-Fly from SYD to LAX

I would be interested to hear people's thoughts about whether this itinerary seems reasonable and doable--we are both young and don't mind moving around (we pack light). Are Virgin Blue flights generally on-time? I know there are trade-offs inherent in any trip to Australia, but I would be curious to know if people think we are seeing a representative mix of the country and getting a good mix of city and outdoor pursuits.

I think you've planned a wonderful trip and you will see a lot of Oz. My own view is that I would spend a month doing the same trip LOL

You may be fit and young with not much luggage, but jetlag has an impact and you will spend a lot of time in airports and travelling.

My bet is that by the last 4 days in Sydney, you will just want to collapse by the pool (if your hotel has one) and relax.

FWIW a caution: swine-flu is hitting Oz currently (with over 1000 cases in Victoria alone) so you might want to get some Rellenza/Tamiflu before you travel

Great trip! you'll get to see alot of Australia and you may want to take an extra week off work for when you arrive back home to be able to recover.. I am based in Sydney and haven't travelled much to the other cities in Australia so won't be able to help you there.. If you want some advice on places to go, things to see just private message me or post a reply here and i'll help you out :)

The itinerary looks fine and takes in some city highlights and two wonderful nature places. It gives you a nice overview however I personally think it is a bit too full. Australia should really be experienced on a road trip to see more of the country and less of the big cities.

Having said this, if this is your plan then the only thing you might want to consider is changing the Kangaroo Island trip.
I personally would drive your Barossa Valley car down to KI. Take the ferry over. The island is big and all the big attractions are at the far western end of the island. So it is good to have a car (ideally a 4wd so you are allowed to go on unpaved roads). Please note that some roads in Flinders Park are currently closed which shouldn't matter too much as you don't have much time anyway.

Because most of the attractions are in the west, it might be a good idea to have one or two nights out there. If money is no problem, the Southern Ocean Lodge is the place to stay. If money is a limited resource, then the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Retreat is a good place to stay as well.

While you said you pack light, I'd still suggest you watch your check luggage allowance. With so many sidetrips and likely to be on separate tickets, airlines like Rex and Virgin Blue will have different allowances compared to your international flights.

The only other comment maybe consider cutting a day out from your Sydney stay and spend it on the Great Ocean Road? Some people may argue you want to spend 2 days 1 night there though. Not to mention you already have a fair amount of travel...

Otherwise, it looks like a great trip. Have fun. :)

I would greatly appreciate folks' thoughts on the following Australia two-week intinerary. We are traveling for two weeks in September of 2009.

-Fly from LAX-SYD and then Virgin Blue SYD to Adelaide

Two nights in Adelaide at Hilton Adelaide (one day exploring city and one day exploring the Barrossa in a rental car). Has anyone stayed at The Louise in Tanunda? It looks very nice but is pretty expensive--I am curious whether anyone has any thoughts on whether it is worth staying out there for a night.

-Fly Rex Air from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island

Two nights in Kangaroo Island at Hog Bay Hill Inn (one day exploring and one day on a full-day guided tour with Exceptional Kangaroo Island tours)

-Fly Rex Air from Kangaroo Island to Adelaide and connect on Virgin Blue to Melbourne

Two nights in Melbourne at the Westin (just explore the city; do not think we have sufficient time to drive any part of the Great Ocean Road)

-Fly Virgin Blue from Melbourne to Cairns

Four nights in Port Douglas at the Thala Beach Lodge (would like to do one full day at the Reef and one tour of the Daintree and then relax by the pool and beach)

-Fly Virgin Blue from Cairns to Sydney

Four nights in Sydney at the Westin

-Fly from SYD to LAX

I would be interested to hear people's thoughts about whether this itinerary seems reasonable and doable--we are both young and don't mind moving around (we pack light). Are Virgin Blue flights generally on-time? I know there are trade-offs inherent in any trip to Australia, but I would be curious to know if people think we are seeing a representative mix of the country and getting a good mix of city and outdoor pursuits.

We just spent 17 nights in Australia and I would have to say that your itinerary is pretty ambitious. We did LAX-SYD (5 nights) - MEL (5 nights) - CNS (6 nights Port Douglas)-SYD (1 night)-LAX and that was barely enough to really see the sights and that was with being on the go and doing things every day.

You will be spending quite a bit of time in airports and traveling across Australia. Are your intra-Australia flights direct or connecting? We flew Quantas intra-Australia and as an AA Platinum I was able to skip many of the long check-in lines and had airport lounge access, but there is still a bit of schlepping through the airports. MEL-CNS was via Brisbane and pretty much took all day (when you arrive into CNS and after you have retrieved your luggage and picked up your rental car, there is still at least a one hour drive from CNS to Port Douglas. IMHO, don't spend any meaningful amount of time in Cairns and make a beeline straight to Port Douglas. We spent a couple of hours in Cairns before dropping off our rental car and found very good prices for cheap souvenirs (prices are cheaper just a couple of blocks from the waterfront).

In Port Douglas we did a one day drive of the Daintree (start early as the ferry across the river into the Daintree backs up and the wait could be easily 1+ hour) and a one day trip on the Great Barrier Reef. If you want to get all the way to Cape Tribulation, start REALLY EARLY as it is quite a drive along twisty curvy roads. I'd recommend skipping a jaunt up to Cape Trib and just picking a few places in the Daintree and doing some of the very nice jungle hikes. For a fantastic secluded picnic or walk on the beach, try Cape Kimberly. A beautiful palm fringed beach that we had completely to ourselves as it is about 20 minutes down a dirt road. Cow Bay was also a pretty nice beach that we stopped at for our picnic lunch.

Are you diving or snorkeling? We took the Poseiden (I am a diver and the Mrs. snorkeled and we were both very pleased) and one person in our group instead decided to take the Quicksilver out to the reef. She was immensely dissapointed with the Quicksilver.

Since you may be pressed for time, in the Daintree area skip the Mossman Gorge as the bridge to the longer hiking trail was closed for repairs and all that was available was the short trail that takes all of 20 minutes.

I would cut out Adelaide and just enjoy Sydney, Melbourne and the Port Douglas area.

Thanks everyone for their input. I agree the itinerary is somewhat ambitious, but it is not likely we will make it down to Australia soon after this trip, so we wanted to get a lot in. For the record, all of our flights are direct, except Kangaroo Island to Melbourne, where we connect in Adelaide.

Two additional questions:

1. We will have any trouble connecting from our Delta flight, which arrives in Sydney at 640am, to our Virgin Blue flight to Adelaide, which leaves at 835am?

2. On another note, does anyone know of, or has anyone had a good experience with, any wine tour operators in the Barossa and/or McLaren Vale? We are looking for a one day tour with a driver to visit some wineries and see some sights. We would likely prefer a private tour, rather than a shared tour, but would appreciate any recommendations either way.

I like the itinerary (have been everywhere except Cairns) but I feel it is a bit heavy at the start. I do not know how you deal with jet-lag, but if you are flying coach, you'll probably need at least a day to recover.

I would suggest putting SYD at the front of your trip, the four days will allow you some stability. Arrival in the early AM is pretty good for recovery (as long as you don't succumb to taking a 'quick nap' and wait until dark to sleep). Going right to ADL and wanting to explore via car sounds tiring.

1. We will have any trouble connecting from our Delta flight, which arrives in Sydney at 640am, to our Virgin Blue flight to Adelaide, which leaves at 835am?

Virgin Blue normally have an "on-time" performance in the nineties - just google it. So you should be save there, unless there is a delay from Delta.


2. On another note, does anyone know of, or has anyone had a good experience with, any wine tour operators in the Barossa and/or McLaren Vale? We are looking for a one day tour with a driver to visit some wineries and see some sights. We would likely prefer a private tour, rather than a shared tour, but would appreciate any recommendations either way.

There is a thread just below this that gives some good ideas. Check Private Car & Driver recommendations for Adelaide (Barossa & McLaren Vale)?

1. We will have any trouble connecting from our Delta flight, which arrives in Sydney at 640am, to our Virgin Blue flight to Adelaide, which leaves at 835am?



I'd say you will be OK with this gap, but be aware that SYD is busiest for international arrivals during the morning (all the Europe and a fair few of North America and Asia flights) so queues at immigration and customs/quarantine can take a while. Note that there is no "Green Channel" in Sydney so you will have to go through at the very least quarantine and possibley customs.

Are you protected on your Virgin flight?

1. We will have any trouble connecting from our Delta flight, which arrives in Sydney at 640am, to our Virgin Blue flight to Adelaide, which leaves at 835am?

Virgin Blue normally have an "on-time" performance in the nineties - just google it. So you should be save there, unless there is a delay from Delta.


It'll be tight, but it should be OK. I think Delta and Virgin have some sort of agreement... Are the flights on the same ticket?

Regardless, you'll need to collect luggage and go through Customs. That time of day is rush hour with lots of long hauls from everywhere.

I'm not sure if Virgin have a desk at the International Terminal for you to drop your bags before getting yourselves to the Domestic Terminal...? Otherwise, you'll need to get the bags there yourselves.

http://www.sydneyairport.com.au/SACL/Terminal-Transfer.html

I'm surprised Virgin have a on-time performance in the 90's... Even they don't claim that themselves...

http://www.virginblue.com.au/Personal/Flightinfo/Ontimeperformance/index.htm

I, too, vote for the overland route when possible as you get to see the countryside and meet more locals than flying point to point. i went for two weeks in December with a friend. She flew point ot point and came away with much less local interaction and much less appreciation for the size of the country and the beauty outside downtown.

In a mere 14 days - utilizing the amazing railroad network, I was able to do Melbourne, Adelaide, Alice Springs / Ayers Rock, Cairns (a flight from ASP to CAI), Brisbane, and Sydney. Included time for excursions outside the cities, loved traveling through the night and meeting locals on the trains to chat with. I also got to see lots of little towns when the train stopped for an hour and grab a beer at the local pub. :)

you can do a lot in a short time if you don't sleep in and have a desire to maximize your time. Pick the cities / activities you want most, but I do think some land time is imperative to truly see the beauty of Oz (whether it's the road tour to Kangaroo Island or a train ride instead of a flight).

Thanks everyone for their input. I agree the itinerary is somewhat ambitious, but it is not likely we will make it down to Australia soon after this trip, so we wanted to get a lot in. For the record, all of our flights are direct, except Kangaroo Island to Melbourne, where we connect in Adelaide.

Two additional questions:

1. We will have any trouble connecting from our Delta flight, which arrives in Sydney at 640am, to our Virgin Blue flight to Adelaide, which leaves at 835am?

2. On another note, does anyone know of, or has anyone had a good experience with, any wine tour operators in the Barossa and/or McLaren Vale? We are looking for a one day tour with a driver to visit some wineries and see some sights. We would likely prefer a private tour, rather than a shared tour, but would appreciate any recommendations either way.


Personally, I would not be comfortable with the two hour window period, unless 1) your flight is actually connecting (flight out of Sydney is actually your final destination--they may code share so it is possible), 2) you arrive during a non-peak day/time and 3) you have been to this airport before and know your way around (you have to get over to the domestic airport from the international one).

We are doing something similar...14 nights though. Flying in from SFO to SYD and landing in SYD at 7:10 a.m. I chose the 11:00 a.m. flight. I'm just not going to chance it. Who knows if the airline will be on time, but even so, we will have been flying for 14+ hours. I don't know where, but we will need to find a place to wash up/brush teeth, just do a few hygiene rituals....get bags, go through customs/immigration (someone even said quarantine...say what?), find out the best way to get to the other airport, breathe, and possibly get a little breakfast or lunch. Our bodies will have NO idea what time it is and it just is not a good time to add unnecessary stress. We are on vacation and we are going to relax and that really starts immediately. For me, I'd rather be an hour early than 10 minutes late--and I mean that generally speaking. Others are absolutely fine with barely making planes, meetings, work, appointments, but I just don't like the feeling I get when I'm running late.

Now, I'm pretty "old" at 46 (tee hee) but I needed to lay down and take a quick nap after reading your itinerary. Quite frankly, I could never get my husband to sign off on an itinerary like that....not even 20 years ago. I don't think it really has anything to do with age...I would imagine there are plenty of 70 year olds that can keep up or exceed your pace--although I would imainge most choose not to.

I just hope you can take it all in and remember where you took your pictures!

You'll have a blast....I can't wait myself.

Dawn

someone even said quarantine...say what?

AQIS (http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/travel)

To help protect Australia’s agricultural industries and unique environment, quarantine officers screen all flights, passengers, baggage, mail and cargo using X-ray machines, detector dogs, physical inspection, questioning and profiling.

....get bags, go through customs/immigration (someone even said quarantine...say what?), Australia has very strict quarantine (http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis/travel/entering-australia/cant-take) laws - do not even think about bringing in any food (anything you can eat/cook etc.) or any wooden items, plants etc. etc. If for some reason you do - declare them. There are usually quarantine dogs roaming the baggage/customs halls - if the dog sniffs your bag and then sits down, you've got a problem.

OP- We did a similar itenerary (MEL-CNS-AYQ-SYD) a few weeks ago. Your itenerary looks great if you're active and energetic like we are. I highly recommend Ayers Rock (AYQ) because it's iconic, will stir something inside you, and a tour of The Outback will give you a totally different slice of Australia and one that is closer to the stereotype we have in the USA.

I recommend a Daintree tour instead of renting a car. We are DIY tourists, but were glad we decided on a tour. Otherwise it would have looked like a bunch of trees and we would have missed a lot of fascinating things about the area.

Domestic flights in Oz are like airlines in the USA 20 or more years ago. Even Jetstar (widely complained about in FT) was better than UA, AA, etc.

I recommend a Daintree tour instead of renting a car. We are DIY tourists, but were glad we decided on a tour. Otherwise it would have looked like a bunch of trees and we would have missed a lot of fascinating things about the area.



This http://www.aptouring.com.au/content.asp?Document_ID=24513 is one that we took and I can recommend it. Here http://www.tropicaltours.com.au/day_tours.html#a is a similar one.