OT: q to the aussies-holiday in Aussie

After many years I convinced my dear wife to make holday in Aussie. Best might be a rental from Britz.

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Plan: arrive at Cairns (7 - 8 hours from Tokyo), then go where no people are.
I do not want to see a city and crowds, that we have enough here.
Duration: 2 weeks.
Do you think Cairns is a good starting point?
Had 2 trips to Perth and Cairns to see Daintree Forest abt. 2-3 hours from Cairns to the north (?).
Diving was also included at the great barrier rieff. You have some nice places there to make holidays.
Well, probably it will be July or August this year, which means winter time in your country.

Thanks for any advice to visit your country.

Cairns is a good place to start but not the best place to stay for long. Winter is fairly busy there. You can head north to Port Douglas (an hours drive), further north in the Daintree where you must have a four wheel drive to get around. You can head west to Kuranda (about an hour or 2). Some of the reefs and islands off the tropical north are great, but the ones closest to the coast are the busiest and the poorest quality. Stingers and jellyfish are not normally a problem in Winter either so that is a bonus too. You can also find some great island holidays off Townsville and Mackay further south.

One of my mates has just been to Magnetic Island and said it was great, and my old man has just been to Daydream Island. I think Daydream has won some awards lately as being one of the best in the area.

I'm hoping to hire a yacht for a week in July. We will sail around the Witsundays with some friends and do some swimming and fishing.

I haven't heard much about the different van rental companies. Last time I went to Cairns, I drove 18 hours from where I live in Brisbane.

There should be a few opinions from other guys on the board too.

here is the official government website for the area:

http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au/

for me, visiting the Great Barrier Reef and taking a glass bottom boat/snorkel/scuba dive over parts of the reef is a real highlight

If you intend staying on an island, they each have different markets-some are no kids very quiet, others cater for kids, Hamilton Island is the most developed but has a bit of everything, Hayman Island more upmarket etc.

some years ago from Cairns to Lizard Island and return with a small airplane to Cairns.

Great time on board and wonderful diving

So far the best diving experience in my life. Then we rented a car and went to Port Douglas and Daintree Rainforest for some days till there were only 4 WD cars allowed.
I am now thinking of renting a camper car and then drive a bit down the coast in direction to the Goaldcoast or maybe inland, if there is something intersting. Looks not that far on the map, but in reality it is all very far, compared to small Japan.

Problem is the time.
Whole trip incl. flying there and return max. 2 weeks. Otherwise I get probs with the company.
I enjoyed very much the hospitality in Australia.

Thanks to all of you for the input.

Its nearly 3 years since I was in that area, but as an ex-patriate Melburnian I can recommend your choice. You may wish to consider an alternative to the Britz thing -- renting a car and staying at cheaper accommodation like backpackers (there are restrictions on where you can drive in rental cars, basically your insurance won't cover you if you go off the blacktop (bitumen), check Britz on this also). Port Douglas is nicer than Cairns, smaller and more scenic. Cairns is your starting point only because that is where the airport is. I can recommend the Crocodylus Resort at Cow Bay, in the Daintree area. It is a backpacker place with a difference, quite unique, set in the rainforest. If you don't want to go to the reef from Pt Douglas, you can go from Cape Tribulation (or you could) on a sailboat catarmaran (sp?) that can carry about 20-25 folks + crew. Cape Tribulation is the end of the sealed road in the Daintree National Park. We did an introductory scuba dive on that reef trip -- real neat (as well as snorkel). The QuickSilver reef experience (Quicksilver is a major reef operator) from Pt Douglas is quite good, but you are on a large cat that can carry up to about 300 people, a good smorgasbord lunch is provided, there is a pontoon pier at the reef where the boat ties up while you eat and snorkel. Just a bit more sophisticated and in my opinion, a bit less exciting. But if you have tendencies to be seasick, it is a better bet.

If you are going to Perth, leave it as late as you can because the wildflowers come out in mid September, but it sounds as if you would be there earlier. Perth is a great place. I have lived there for 2 stretches of time. If you go there in July be prepared for rainshowers, but it doesn't get very cold. Perth has a winter maximum rainfall and mediterranean climate. The good thing is you can see the squalls coming, and once they're done you have a few hours of fine weather. Remember you are on the edge of the roaring 40s there on the west coast.

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Originally Posted by shogun

After many years I convinced my dear wife to make holday in Aussie. Best might be a rental from Britz.

click

Plan: arrive at Cairns (7 - 8 hours from Tokyo), then go where no people are.
I do not want to see a city and crowds, that we have enough here.
Duration: 2 weeks.
Do you think Cairns is a good starting point?
Had 2 trips to Perth and Cairns to see Daintree Forest abt. 2-3 hours from Cairns to the north (?).
Diving was also included at the great barrier rieff. You have some nice places there to make holidays.
Well, probably it will be July or August this year, which means winter time in your country.

Thanks for any advice to visit your country.

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Shogun

It is a bit of a drive from Cairns, but Tasmania at that time of year is beautiful. It is a proper winter in this part of Australia, but nothing like as cold as winter in Japan.

But if you seriously are looking to get away from the crowds, but experience more than just beaches or desert, Tasmania is worth a look.

More info can be found at:

http://www.discovertasmania.com/

Cheers and good luck. If you come to Tassie, drop me a line.

David Bushby