Australia, or elsewhere?
Discussion
Folks,
At the point of booking this year's holiday. 2-3weeks... Current plan is to fly to Hong Kong, 4 night stopover then fly to Sydney, do the East coast and fly out of Brisbane/Cairns 2 ish weeks later. £830 return with Cathay including overnight stopover on way back to break up flight.
I'm 33, like a bit of sun, bit of exploring, bit of relaxing. Don't mind backpacker places so long as they're not filled with Gap Yah w
kers.
Is Australia going to provide this, or is it going to be a super-expensive coastal wander in somewhere that's like the UK but hotter.
Also considering Indonesia, Laos etc- Have seen most of the rest of SE Asia.
Ta
At the point of booking this year's holiday. 2-3weeks... Current plan is to fly to Hong Kong, 4 night stopover then fly to Sydney, do the East coast and fly out of Brisbane/Cairns 2 ish weeks later. £830 return with Cathay including overnight stopover on way back to break up flight.
I'm 33, like a bit of sun, bit of exploring, bit of relaxing. Don't mind backpacker places so long as they're not filled with Gap Yah w
kers.Is Australia going to provide this, or is it going to be a super-expensive coastal wander in somewhere that's like the UK but hotter.
Also considering Indonesia, Laos etc- Have seen most of the rest of SE Asia.
Ta
I wouldn't bother with HK unless there is some particular reason for going. I spent 3 nights there last year and saw nothing to recommend. A contrast of filth and poverty with extravagance; crowded, noisy and generally not much fun.
As far as Australia goes, I would recommend Melbourne over Sydney unless, again, you are looking for something in particular. Cairns area is good for the reef and the jungle stuff but I would suggest you try to get away from the big cities if possible.
As far as Australia goes, I would recommend Melbourne over Sydney unless, again, you are looking for something in particular. Cairns area is good for the reef and the jungle stuff but I would suggest you try to get away from the big cities if possible.
carreauchompeur said:
Thanks... I quite enjoyed HK a few years ago, was planning to go back for a bit of horse racing and walking on the off islands.
Starting to think Australia's a pricey option, holiday wise. How much would one budget for a beer/reasonable meal?
$6 for a pint, I am told! and $25 for a good meal. Less than $10 can still get you a meal somewhere. Starting to think Australia's a pricey option, holiday wise. How much would one budget for a beer/reasonable meal?
There would still be plenty to do up in Brisbane and Sydney, Gold Coast is on the way to Brisbane too. Sydney to Brisbane is about 10 hours by car, an hour by plane. Brisbane to Cairns is 19 hours by car, 2 hours by plane.
I found the East Coast to be largely dull with some stunning highlights. We drove from Cairns to Sydney and 80% wasn't worth bothering with.
That said, Whitsundays, Fraser and the reef are all absolutely top drawer. Hunter Valley wineries on a tandem was fun but you can do that kind of thing in a lot of places.
That said, Whitsundays, Fraser and the reef are all absolutely top drawer. Hunter Valley wineries on a tandem was fun but you can do that kind of thing in a lot of places.
Thanks all, to be honest I'm starting to go off the idea. I have a decent period of leave booked now, nearly a month in fact 
and I'd rather go somewhere that I can afford to stay for at least 3 weeks and actually do some stuff.
Once I've paid for the flights and am spending at least £30 a night on accommodation, having seen the general prices it's not going to leave much beer money.
So, back to Vietnam, or Laos? Phillipines?
I can't keep looking at world maps in the hope of inspiration. I may pop into Stanfords tomorrow and see what guidebooks leap out at me
and I'd rather go somewhere that I can afford to stay for at least 3 weeks and actually do some stuff.Once I've paid for the flights and am spending at least £30 a night on accommodation, having seen the general prices it's not going to leave much beer money.
So, back to Vietnam, or Laos? Phillipines?
I can't keep looking at world maps in the hope of inspiration. I may pop into Stanfords tomorrow and see what guidebooks leap out at me
Vietnam is good as is the Philippines. Both pretty cheap, phils is a bit of a pain to get around though unless you keep flying back to Cebu or Manila, highlights for me as follows:
Boracay - party
Malapascua - Thresher sharks
Donsol - Whale sharks
Northern Palawan - Uninhabited tropical islands and reefs
A real different experience compared to Thailand but you have to work a bit harder to get it!
Boracay - party
Malapascua - Thresher sharks
Donsol - Whale sharks
Northern Palawan - Uninhabited tropical islands and reefs
A real different experience compared to Thailand but you have to work a bit harder to get it!
Mobile Chicane said:
Interesting, thanks... A little more energetic than my usual holidays but a very good shout.What sort of age mix was there?
motomk said:
$6 for a pint, I am told! and $25 for a good meal. Less than $10 can still get you a meal somewhere.
There would still be plenty to do up in Brisbane and Sydney, Gold Coast is on the way to Brisbane too. Sydney to Brisbane is about 10 hours by car, an hour by plane. Brisbane to Cairns is 19 hours by car, 2 hours by plane.
If that's true then that's pretty cheap. It's about $10 a beer on a night out in WA.There would still be plenty to do up in Brisbane and Sydney, Gold Coast is on the way to Brisbane too. Sydney to Brisbane is about 10 hours by car, an hour by plane. Brisbane to Cairns is 19 hours by car, 2 hours by plane.
I lived in Australia for a bit (working holiday) and it completely destroyed my budget. That was without paying for accommodation and eating at the cheap places. I did get to see a lot though. Even for 2 weeks, it's a long way to travel, most people do seem to prefer NZ. As per the comments above, Australia is huge and mostly filled with the same stuff (sand). Beaches are nice if that's your thing.
Backpackers did seem to make up the majority of travellers, but I'm sure there are more expensive places willing to take your money somewhere too.
Backpackers did seem to make up the majority of travellers, but I'm sure there are more expensive places willing to take your money somewhere too.
carreauchompeur said:
Mobile Chicane said:
Interesting, thanks... A little more energetic than my usual holidays but a very good shout.What sort of age mix was there?
thehawk said:
NZ would be far better than Australia, but again the prices aren't cheap compared to SE Asia
I did Indonesia overland a few years ago. Flew into Bali and flew out of Medan several weeks later, taking a series of buses, trains and boats.
+1 for NZ, but I’m biased as I live there (?here) now.I did Indonesia overland a few years ago. Flew into Bali and flew out of Medan several weeks later, taking a series of buses, trains and boats.
A
witko999 said:
motomk said:
$6 for a pint, I am told! and $25 for a good meal. Less than $10 can still get you a meal somewhere.
There would still be plenty to do up in Brisbane and Sydney, Gold Coast is on the way to Brisbane too. Sydney to Brisbane is about 10 hours by car, an hour by plane. Brisbane to Cairns is 19 hours by car, 2 hours by plane.
If that's true then that's pretty cheap. It's about $10 a beer on a night out in WA.There would still be plenty to do up in Brisbane and Sydney, Gold Coast is on the way to Brisbane too. Sydney to Brisbane is about 10 hours by car, an hour by plane. Brisbane to Cairns is 19 hours by car, 2 hours by plane.
Melbourne and Sydney entered the top 5 most expensive cities in the world earlier this year, I'd guess the likes of Perth, Brisbaine, Adelaide and Cairns aren't gonna be too far behind either.
Edited by andyjo1982 on Friday 28th June 12:42
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff