Planning a honeymoon in Australia - anybody been (or live) there?

[bustermom]

My boyfriend and I got engaged on May 15, and now we're finally getting around to planning a wedding. It's the second time around for both us, so the wedding itself will be small - we're focusing more on the honeymoon!

We're going to plan our three weeks in Australia and then schedule the wedding for the Saturday before that....do we have our priorities backwards or what? :rolleyes:

A visit to our travel agent is in the works for sometime in the next few weeks to work out all the details, but I was just wondering if anyone has any Australian travel experiences they would be willing to share? We've been told that the best time to visit is in Feb-March, so we're looking at early March.

My only problem is going to be leaving my furbabies for 3 weeks - I'll probably go into kidney bean and slobber withdrawal. Fortunately, my parents' house has been dubbed the "Canine Mariott" by me and my siblings, as they puppysit regularly for all their grand-dogs...

Any suggestions / ideas / warnings would be greatly appreciated! Harold and I are both the adventurous type, and can't wait to go exploring in the land down under!

- Gloria

 

[HELENE]

I agree that the Blue Mountain area is beautiful, we were there quite a few years ago now, but will always remember it.....especially the ride in the 'train?' that goes over the mountain side! I think it all depends on what area you want to go to , what time of year you go. The first time I went was in Oct.-Nov. which is the Australian spring and the Jacaranda and Poinciana trees are beautiful. The second time I went was in Feb.-Mar. (Fall), we went to Adelade, the Snowy Mountains, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane and right up the east coast to Cairns, visiting some of the Islands in the Great Barrier Reef on the way, we also took the special train into the rian forest, there is a lovely little station called Kuranda.
You will enjoy it werever you go, just take plenty of film with you for all of the birds and wild life you meet.

 

[ColleenAus]

heheh yeah go australia!!

i may be a bit bais.... but we do have some of the most beautiful coastal areas in the world.... the 12 apostles......Apollo Bay........Great Barrier Reef... and dont be misguided - any where you go in our great country you will absolutley love!! my preference personally would be coastal - and in January-March - you have no idea how beautiiful the coast is in summer *melt*


love colly:D

 

[Ankendari]

HI BusterMom

A belated congratulations on your engagement! and best of luck in the planning of your wedding. Like some of the others, i live in Aussie and think we have a BEAUTIFUL country.

Here are some must see places for any tourist

Queensland - Great Barrier Reef. ( Gorgeous - one of the seven wonders) Do a camp/4x4 explorer into the daintree. That is amazing!

New South Wales - Blue Mountains

Victoria - Melbourne, Great Ocean drive like Colleen suggested. Yarra Valley and the mountains

South Aussie - Adelaide is the city of churches.. very nice. Kangaroo Island is untouched, and as the name says, HEAPS of kangas

Western Aussie - Never been there, but i hear the beaches are magnificant! Especially monkey mia where you can swim with the dolphins

Northern Territory - Kakadu and Uluru would be the highlights

If you are coming in the Australian Summertime and are not used to humid heat, be careful in coming to Queensland in late december/January. Maybe i am a big sook, but it really knocks you about! :D

Cheers

 

[kt_brandy]

you will love australia - Ankendari has given you some great places. my hubby and i went to cairns and did the train ride to Kuranda trough the rain forrest and a dive/snorkel out on the barrier reef - i would recommend both but remember if you go that far north the heat will get you especially since you will be leaving your cold winter - we found it very very hot but it was great the water was beautiful, the markets are like in hawaii open around 10am and stay open till late. i loved Cairns will go back again for sure

Gold Coast have the beaches, movie world, sea world and a water park if your into that oh a a good night life so i'm told.

Northern Territory - Kakadu and Uluru this would be magical - i hope to get there one day my self.

NSW - you have Sydney, blue mountains, great beaches along the coast, the hunter valley for wine tasting etc

we aussies could just go on and on - but hey we are the lucky country and we love it.

congrads on your engagement

karen & brandy

 

[myrocky]

She might have already been there since her original post is about 2 years old.