3 Weeks in Australia and Stopovers

dingding

Thinking of going to Australia next Summer for 3 weeks (July) Any suggestions on stopovers and an itenary for the trip, what must I see, what can be missed.

Many thanks.

daiixi

Plenty of threads on this already if you have a look.

What kind of things do you like doing? What kind of things would you want to see? How much of Australia do you want to see and which way around the world do you plan on flying?

dingding

This is my first trip, I would not be going by the US as I have been there several times before. Is Perth worth going to or would it be better to stick to Brisbane, Sydney and Queensland (East side). Would like to see Hong Kong or Dubai. Thanks for all the help.

daiixi

As far as I'm concerned, everywhere is worth going to see however with three weeks your time is limited. You could fly Emirates via Dubai (a couple of day stay) or via Hong Kong and spend a couple of days there. Then if you want to check out the west coast then it's definitely worth visiting. I haven't been to Perth but I've been:

All though Victoria & Melbourne including Philip Island. Don't forget to drive along the Great Ocean Road. I've been throughout most of NSW, through South Australia and driven straight through the middle of Australia through Coober Peady, Kings Canyon, Alice Springs, Katherine & Katherine Gorge, Mataranka, Kakadu, Litchfield National Park and Darwin. I've been over the north west of Western Australia driving the Old Gibb River Road through the Kimberly and Bungle Bungle region over to Broome. I've driven through the middle of Queensland through Longreach and seen the Stockmans Hall of Fame, through Brisbane and the Gold Coast back down to Sydney.

I've not been up the Cape but would love to go. Would also like to get myself to Tasmania one day as well as Perth and wineries around there.

It takes about a year to travel around Australia properly and even then you won't see it all. I have no desire to do dangerous sports but think there's nothing better than camel riding in the middle of the country through the red dirt. Flying in a hot air balloon at sunrise over Kings Canyon is amazing. Swimming in Mataranka's thermal springs surrounded by wildlife is awesome. Travelling the Old Gibb River Road and meeting other travellers is unforgettable. Walking down the beach at Broome is brilliant too.

I love Sydney as I am a Sydney girl but find Melbourne to be a haven of cafes and grand shopping. Philip Island is brilliant because penguins are. I'd skip Brisbane and the Gold Coast unless you want to visit the theme parks at the coast.

Hiking and boating Katherine Gorge you'll never forget just as you'll never forget crocodile feeding / spotting in Kakadu or staying in the crocodile hotel.

Seriously you are going somewhere which I could not sell hard enough or easy enough but for three weeks you'll be limited to budget and what you like to do and see.

dingding

Daiixi,

Thanks for your comphrensive post.

daiixi

Oh yeah and I forgot water skiing in the lakes near Darwin with the crocodiles. You haven't lived until you've done that. Maybe "swimming" up rivers on airbeds with them in Litchfield Park comes close..