Author Topic: Australia (Besides Melbourne And Sydney) Master Thread (Read 90134 times)

AJK · « **Reply #440 on:** January 17, 2016, 11:39:48 AM »

I got a suite at the Hilton CNS. Very nice. For what it's worth, the lounge attendant was one of the nicest I've ever encountered. Super professional and effective.

tuvz · « **Reply #441 on:** January 19, 2016, 11:31:05 PM »

Quote from: D93 on January 17, 2016, 06:09:41 AM

Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas or Hilton CNS?

in regards to the two places, I would stay at port douglas over cairns
its nicer

D93 · « **Reply #442 on:** January 20, 2016, 12:12:54 AM »

Quote from: tuvz on January 19, 2016, 11:31:05 PM

in regards to the two places, I would stay at port douglas over cairns
its nicer

Thanks

Can you please elaborate?

tuvz · « **Reply #443 on:** January 20, 2016, 12:16:52 AM »

Cns is a bigger city
Port Douglas is a smaller resort town
I spent time in both and found PD to be picturesque, quiter and more suitable for a vacation.
Cairns is still very nice though and both places have good access to the GBR.

moto · « **Reply #444 on:** January 21, 2016, 03:49:09 PM »

Hey i plan on going to Austrailia and does this make sense or would i need more time then what im going to have ?

3 days including on day shabbos in Sydney

2 days Gold Coast

2 days Great Barrie Reef

Dan · « **Reply #445 on:** January 21, 2016, 04:02:34 PM »

Why Gold Coast over Great OCean Road+Grampians?

moto · « **Reply #446 on:** January 21, 2016, 04:05:24 PM »

Quote from: Dan on January 21, 2016, 04:02:34 PM

Why Gold Coast over Great OCean Road+Grampians?

Why Ocean Road over Gold Coast ?

I was thinking im heading up that way anyways from Australia that would make the most sense ......?

tuvz · « **Reply #447 on:** January 21, 2016, 06:44:58 PM »

your really not missing much in gold coast...its a smaller version of miami beach
plenty more unique places to visit in Australia

Yehoshua · « **Reply #448 on:** January 21, 2016, 07:58:18 PM »

Quote from: tuvz on January 21, 2016, 06:44:58 PM

your really not missing much in gold coast...its a smaller version of miami beach
plenty more unique places to visit in Australia

True. They even have a Miami Beach and Palm Beach there.

D93 · « **Reply #449 on:** February 17, 2016, 01:51:11 AM »

Has anyone done a helicopter ride over the Daintree Rainforest?

Yehoshua · « **Reply #450 on:** February 17, 2016, 01:52:12 AM »

Quote from: D93 on February 17, 2016, 01:51:11 AM

Has anyone done a helicopter ride over the Daintree Rainforest?

I did it over the 12 apostles

IsraelGuy · « **Reply #451 on:** February 17, 2016, 03:31:17 AM »

I have about 9-10 days in Australia, I'm trying to squeeze in Sydney for about 4 days (2 sets of nights at the PH), and Cairns / Port Douglas for 4-5 days (probably PD because of the Sheraton) to get PADI certified, I'm trying to see if I can squeeze in Whitsundays as well.

Anybody did a quick stopover in the Whitsundays? I won't be able to do days of sailing there (with two toddlers) but would like to try and do a helicopter tour / scenic flight, especially the ones where you can hit the reef and stopover on Whitehaven beach for an hour or so. Problem is many of them seem to leave from a small regional airport that would be harder to get to.

Yehoshua · « **Reply #452 on:** February 17, 2016, 09:03:47 AM »

I wouldn't try to squeeze in anything. See the two places mentioned well and go back to see other places.

damaxer91 · « **Reply #453 on:** February 17, 2016, 10:39:02 AM »

Quote from: IsraelGuy on February 17, 2016, 03:31:17 AM

I have about 9-10 days in Australia, I'm trying to squeeze in Sydney for about 4 days (2 sets of nights at the PH), and Cairns / Port Douglas for 4-5 days (probably PD because of the Sheraton) to get PADI certified, I'm trying to see if I can squeeze in Whitsundays as well.

Anybody did a quick stopover in the Whitsundays? I won't be able to do days of sailing there (with two toddlers) but would like to try and do a helicopter tour / scenic flight, especially the ones where you can hit the reef and stopover on Whitehaven beach for an hour or so. Problem is many of them seem to leave from a small regional airport that would be harder to get to.

4 days in SYD is a bit much. I'd prob do 2 and try and do the Whitsundays as well for 2

Yehoshua · « **Reply #454 on:** February 17, 2016, 10:42:26 AM »

Quote from: damaxer91 on February 17, 2016, 10:39:02 AM

4 days in SYD is a bit much. I'd prob do 2 and try and do the Whitsundays as well for 2

It depends what you want to do in SYD. You don't need more than 2 days to see the opera house and and harbour bridge, but if you wanted to go to the beaches (Bondi, Manley, etc), the zoo, and/or the Blue Mountains 2 days is not that much at all.

IsraelGuy · « **Reply #455 on:** February 17, 2016, 10:44:40 AM »

Quote from: damaxer91 on February 17, 2016, 10:39:02 AM

4 days in SYD is a bit much. I'd prob do 2 and try and do the Whitsundays as well for 2

Interesting- even if it's Friday / Shabbos for Sydney?

Maybe or note we did two days in Bangkok at the end of Thailand and felt it was almost a total waste of time...there were a couple cool things but overall could have skipped

Problem with whitsundays for > day is lodging - trying to spend as little money as possible and no whitsundays redemptions - also Hamilton island is crazy expensive and if I recall correctly unless you're staying at qualia not that great

Yehoshua · « **Reply #456 on:** February 17, 2016, 10:49:49 AM »

Quote from: IsraelGuy on February 17, 2016, 10:44:40 AM

Interesting- even if it's Friday / Shabbos for Sydney?

Maybe or note we did two days in Bangkok at the end of Thailand and felt it was almost a total waste of time...there were a couple cool things but overall could have skipped

Problem with whitsundays for > day is lodging - trying to spend as little money as possible and no whitsundays redemptions - also Hamilton island is crazy expensive and if I recall correctly unless you're staying at qualia not that great

If you're in SYD for shabbos you for sure need longer than just Fri to see things. In that case I'd got Th-Sun pm or Mon am; or Fri-Mon pm or Tue am.

Dan · « **Reply #457 on:** February 17, 2016, 10:59:44 AM »

We rented a private home on HTI, wasn't too expensive.
Qaulia looked amazing though.

IsraelGuy · « **Reply #458 on:** February 17, 2016, 11:32:03 AM »

Quote from: Yehoshua on February 17, 2016, 10:49:49 AM

If you're in SYD for shabbos you for sure need longer than just Fri to see things. In that case I'd got Th-Sun pm or Mon am; or Fri-Mon pm or Tue am.

That's what I was thinking - EY gets in at around 6 on Thursday - was thinking of staying until Monday PM - then to PD for open water PADI, but not sure how to fit in Whitsundays, as I'd like to get to NZ by Sunday/Monday to start there...not enough time really. I thought about doing a PADI referral course doing theory/pools dives in Israel and then open water in PD, but the price is almost as much as the full course, and I would have to spend a few days in Eilat which isn't cheap either...

Quote from: Dan on February 17, 2016, 10:59:44 AM

We rented a private home on HTI, wasn't too expensive.
Qaulia looked amazing though.

Indeed, but well out of our price range - I guess too expensive is all relative. Most things I saw were 200+ per night which is way more than I want to spend on any single night, and aside from Whitehaven beach and a scenic flight / helicopter, not sure what else I would do there. Was thinking of HTI as more of a day trip thing, spend the night if I had to, but not sure if anyone does that...

Another factor is I would love to take EK SYD-AKL, but getting to Sydney from CNS to take it in the morning seems not possible without an overnight. Also need to get to CHC eventually to start NZ road trip, so maybe would be better off skipping EK altogether (never been, and thought F on the a380 would be really fun).

So I was thinking maybe just start in PD -but that requires 4 flights Ex-TLV, plus connecting flight in the evening from SYD/BNE to CNS doesn't seem possible, so I'd have to overnight somewhere in that case too. All in all the timing is a mess right now essentially

Yehoshua · « **Reply #459 on:** February 17, 2016, 12:11:06 PM »

Quote from: IsraelGuy on February 17, 2016, 11:32:03 AM

That's what I was thinking - EY gets in at around 6 on Thursday - was thinking of staying until Monday PM - then to PD for open water PADI, but not sure how to fit in Whitsundays, as I'd like to get to NZ by Sunday/Monday to start there...not enough time really. I thought about doing a PADI referral course doing theory/pools dives in Israel and then open water in PD, but the price is almost as much as the full course, and I would have to spend a few days in Eilat which isn't cheap either...

I like that idea. If getting PADI certified is important it may be worth skipping the Whitsundays unless you can get certified there.

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Author Topic: Australia (Besides Melbourne And Sydney) Master Thread (Read 90134 times)