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My Mini Guide To Travelling The East Coast

The East Coast of Australia; 4000km of goon-filled fun and frolics. I’ve compiled a guide for the Ultimate East Coast Experience to help you navigate your way through the coast!

How much time will I need?

There’s no right or wrong amount of time to travel the East Coast in. The most common amount of time is 4-6 weeks, as this gives you plenty of time to see all the main highlights without feeling rushed.  I decided to slow mine down even more and spent about 2 and a half months doing the East Coast, as I thought this is probably a once in a lifetime trip, and probably isn’t something I’d get the chance to do again in full. (1.5 years down the line and I’ve revisited my favourite parts of the East Coast and still have more plans to see more of it!) 

Ways to travel

There are many different ways to travel up the East Coast. The main three ways are Campervan, Guided Tour and Hop on Hop off Bus. I decided that hop on hop off bus was the way for me, as it meant I didn’t have to worry about the stress of driving, paying for petrol and finding places to park – parallel parking definitely isn’t my forte.  I chose to travel by Greyhound, which meant I could just sit back and relax, and hop off whenever I wanted. 

Byron Bay

This has to be one of my favourite spots along the East Coast. This beach side town is the perfect spot for surfing, and if you time it right, you could be surfing with the dolphins if you head out early morning or early evening. It’s definitely a surreal experience. If surfing isn’t your thing, try kayaking with dolphins for chilled experience.

Another activity (which just so happens to be free!) to do in Byron Bay is the Cape Byron Walk to the lighthouse. I highly recommend doing this at sunrise or sunset (I chose sunset as I’m not an early riser) as its hell in the heat of the midday sun! You will also see possibly one of the best sunsets ever – definitely one of the best I’ve ever seen, the colours were incredible!  You also get to the most Easterly Point of Australia which is pretty cool (and possibly another to tick off the bucket list if that’s your thing?).

Most Easterly point of Australia

Noosa & Fraser Island

Fraser Island (also known as K’gaari) is the largest sand island in the world, with the beach on the island being 90 miles long! There are some awesome trips that go out to Fraser Island. I myself did a camping trip – which I must admit I wasn’t so keen on the idea of camping at first (the princess in me did not like the sound of sleeping on the ground with the spiders…), however, it was so much fun! If I were to do it again, I’d like to try a tour with cabin accommodation instead of tents such as the Nomads Fraser tour – however fun camping is, a run in with a rogue Huntsman spider has put me off for the time being! Keep an eye out for Dingos whilst your there too as they are Fraser’s local inhabitants!

Noosa itself is a great little town too. Australia Zoo AKA home of the Crocodile Hunter (how Aussie!?) is roughly an hour away from Nossa so make sure to check it out – even if you just want to hold a Koala as they are ridiculously cute! I am not ashamed to say I have done this 3 times! You can also stand up paddle board here too which is super fun and you might even spot some cool wildlife whilst paddling around.

Cuddling a koala

Airlie Beach & the Whitsundays

When you’re visiting the East Coast- this is a must see! The Whitsunday Islands is definitely my #1 favourite place and top experience along the East Coast. What could be better than sailing around a selection of the 74 islands that make up the Whitsundays on a boat whilst drinking a cold beer? I can honestly say I saw more fish here than I think I’ve ever seen and the colours are unbelievable, so definitely snorkel if you have a chance to here! Whitehaven beach is also out of this world!

Fun on Whitehaven beach

Magnetic Island

Again, another one of my favourite places along the coast – I have a feeling I’ll be saying that about a lot of places!  This island has such a chilled out vibe. I would definitely recommend heading out on the Forts Walk across the island, the view from the top is unreal, and you literally have a 360 degree view of the whole island! There are also loads of wild koalas that line the trees along the walk, so definitely keep your eye out for those. Also..where else can you drive around in a barbie car!? My life is complete.

Magnetic Island barbie car

Cairns

Home to the thickest part of the Great Barrier Reef; a touristic hotspot for snorkelling and scuba diving, Cairns is also the party central and adventure activity capital of the East Coast. With backpacker bars aplenty, you’re definitely in for a cheap night out! If there’s just two things you do during your time in Cairns, make it snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef and chasing waterfalls (sorry, couldn’t resist!) My personal favourite had to be Millaa Millaa falls in the Atherton Tablelands. Anyone remember Peter Andre’s Mysterious Girl video? Well that was filmed right there during the Waterfall scenes, along with the herbal essences adverts. Make sure to get that perfect hair flick photo!  

Millaa Millaa falls

Last but by no means is least – the Grand Finale of most people’s East Coast Adventure, snorkelling or scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef. Having snorkelled my way up most of the Coast, I decided to give scuba diving a try whilst in Cairns, and I can honestly say although terrifying, (picture me clinging onto the side of the boat trying to force myself to dive down) is amazing! From sharks and turtles to rays and rainbow fish, it’s definitely an experience I would recommend to everyone!

 Fitzroy Island

 

Want to travel the East Coast of Australia but not sure where to start? Get in touch for help and advice or check out the UltimateOz 28 day East coast package!

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Cairns: The ULTIMATE backpacker destination in Oz?

There’s no doubt that Cairns is one of the most popular destinations for backpackers in Australia and I can see why! Cairns has got a bit of everything: The world’s oldest rainforest, great nightlife, stunning beaches, heaps of adventure activities (it’s the adventure capital of Oz!) and a tropical climate to enjoy it all in! Cairns is also the gateway to the world’s largest reef (so large it’s visible from space!), the Great Barrier Reef!

Ultimate Travel legend Max has spent the last 10 days visiting Cairns to find out more about this cool little city up in Northern Queensland. Here’s what he has to say:

What was the highlight of your trip?

I would say the highlight of my trip was swimming with turtles on the Mackay & Udine reefs. I’d never seen turtles up close like that before and being able to swim with them was amazing! The reef I went to on the snorkel trip had so much marine life – it was awesome!

 

Swimming with a turtle in Cape tribulation

What do you think of Cairns as a city?

I love that cairns isn’t too big or too small. Everything is in walking distance and you have all the main shops, restaurants, bars and clubs right in the centre so you don’t miss out on anything. It’s got a real tropical feel to it too. The weather was amazing when I went which was such a nice change from the winter temps in Sydney! Also, at night hundreds of fruit bats fly over the city which was amazing to see. I’ve never seen anything like it so it was definitely memorable!

 

The beautiful lagoon in Cairns

How long did you spend in Cairns? Where did you stay?


In total I spent 7 days in Cairns. I stayed at Nomads Serpents which was great. It has a proper chilled out but sociable vibe to it. I spent my time at the hostel relaxing by the pool getting a tan and playing volley ball and table tennis. They have a bar right near the pool with amazing food so you can grab a beer and chat to the other backpackers too which was great.

 

Chilling at Nomads Serpent

Did you go anywhere else?

Yeah..I went on a 2 night trip to Cape tribulation which is about 2 hours drive from Cairns in the Daintree Rainforest. I love Cairns but it was great to get out of the city and see another part of Northern QLD. In Cape Trib, I stayed at Cape Trib Beach house which was incredible. It’s right on the beach (literally a 30 second walk!) and you have the option to stay in dorm rooms or private rooms. I was lucky enough to stay in their St Crispin accommodation – well worth the upgrade! The bar/restaurant at Beach House does amazing food too. It’s safe to say I ate well during my stay!!

 

The beach at Cape Tribulation

Did you do any activities in the Rainforest?

During the days I did Jungle Surfing (zip lining through the jungle!), horse riding on the beach and kayaking. I also went on a snorkel trip with Ocean Safaris which is when I got to swim with the turtle – that was such a great tour! I spent the evening in the Beach house restaurant eating calamari, steak and having a few drinks! After dinner the staff at Cape Trib beach house got a small fire going on the beach so I sat round chatting to other people on the tour. The view of the stars from the beach was incredible cause the sky was so clear!

 

Zip lining through the rainforest

Did you see any wildlife?

I spotted a few crocs on the Active Tropics Cape Trib tour! One of the biggest crocs, Scar face is around 85 years old!

 

Crocodile spotting in Cape tribulation

What else did you get up to in Cairns?

I did white water rafting, did a day trip to the Atherton Tablelands, went diving, chilled by the lagoon, went fishing and explored Cairns – it was an action packed, fun holiday!

 

White water rafting in Cairns

Your diving pics looks amazing. What was it like?

I did a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef with Deep Sea Divers. I booked on to do an Introductory dive as I had never dived before and I’d heard how amazing it is! All of the staff were really great and made everyone feel so comfortable. They ran through all of the safety aspects with us then showed us what to do before putting our gear on. We went down in groups of 3 or 4 with an instructor so I felt safe the whole time. Being underwater with all that wildlife was amazing. I met Wally, a massive Maori Wrasse, found Nemo and saw a reef shark! It was amazing – I can’t wait to go diving again!

 

Meeting the locals in the Great Barrier Reef

What is the nightlife like in Cairns for backpackers?

The nightlife in Cairns is as crazy as Sydney! The main bars I went to were Woolshed and Gilligans. I think Woolshed is a great bar to start out at then head to Gilligans which is more of a club. They had loads of drink specials too (between $5-$8) so it was a great night!

 

The beach in Cape Tribulation

Is Cairns good for backpackers on budget?

Yes, definitely! It’s a lot cheaper than Sydney. You can book a week in a dorm room at Nomads Cairns for $120! Food prices are about the same as other cities but everywhere had drink specials on so it all balanced out in the end.

 

Cairns is a beautiful city

Would you recommend other people to visit Cairns? How long do you think you would need?

I personally love Cairns and with there being so much you can do in the town it’s hard to get bored. Saying that, for me the highlights are on the trips outside of Cairns like the rainforest and the Atherton Tablelands. I’d say you’d need at least a week if you want to do Cairns properly and see other parts of Northern Queensland whilst you’re up there.If you can stay for longer than a week, you’ll definitely still find things to do..even if that just means chilling by the lagoon on the esplanade!

Where is next on your bucket list?

I’ve got a trip to the Northern territory with Topdeck booked later this year. I’m doing a trip to Kakadu and Litchfield national park and will get to spend some time in Darwin too. I went to Uluru last year and had a wicked time so I’m looking forward to seeing another part of the Northern Territory. I’ve heard amazing things about Kakadu NP and doing the tour with Topdeck will be awesome!

 

Darwin, Litchfield and Kakadu are amazing to visit in Australia!

A massive thank you to Deep Sea Divers Den, Foaming Fury, Active Tropics, Waterfall Wanderers, Ocean Safari and Jungle Surfing Canopy Tours for having me on your tours (I had an awesome time!) & to Nomads Cairns and Cape Trib Beach House for giving me a place to rest my head after a fun day of activities!

Fancy a trip to Cairns? Get in touch with Max for suggestions and to book your trip/accommodation!

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East Coast VS West Coast Australia

If you’re planning a gap year and wondering how to fit in all the amazing places Australia has to offer, you’re not alone. It’s a big country! But with some careful travel planning, there’s a good chance you’ll have enough time between work to travel the East and the West coast of Australia.

The East Coast (between Sydney and Cairns) and the West Coast (Perth to Broome for the sake of this blog) offer two completely different travel experiences. If you have to decide between the two (sob), keep reading to decide for yourself which side of this massive country you’d like to explore more!

Weather

The weather in Australia was (amongst many things) a big draw for me when deciding where I wanted to travel and whilst Australia is known for non stop sun, there are seasons here like anywhere else! If you plan carefully you can ‘follow’ the sun and avoid the wet season here in Oz as much as you can. For me, the West coast wins hands down when it comes to weather. That’s not to say that you don’t get great weather on the East coast but WA is renowned for A-M-A-Z-I-N-G hot, sunny days. Perth boasts more sunny days per year than any other Australian capital and with all those beautiful beaches to enjoy it on, it’s a great place to head to if you’re a big beach lover! During the ‘wet season’ which runs from November to April, you can expect hot, humid days with heavy rainfall on the East coast of Australia in northern Queensland. This area is also prone to cyclones in the wet season so it’s best to avoid it if you can and travel smart. The best time to visit northern QLD is from April to November but don’t be completely put off from visiting northern Queensland during the wet season. It doesn’t rain every day and when it does you’ll get heavy showers for a few hours followed by sunshine. It’s an amazing place and if your trip does fall in the wet season you’ll get to experience the Daintree Rainforest in all it’s glory!

Timeframe

Australia is massive. You might have heard that you can actually fit the whole of Europe or North America inside it! Western Australia is the largest state in the world (1/2 the size of Europe!) and QLD comes in close second so it’s no surprise that you’ll need a good few weeks to travel either coast properly. If you’re travelling overground on a bus, train or driving yourself, I’d suggest between 4-6 weeks to travel the East or West coast. Giving yourself a month or more to travel means you’ll be able to see everything properly and not rush. There are so many amazing things to see and it really is the trip of a lifetime so it’s worth doing it properly! If you’re limited on time, organised group tours are a great way to go. You’ll be able to travel either coast in about 14 days where you’ll see the highlights and have an experienced guide with you along the way.  I know people who have spent months on both the West and the East coast, stopping to work along the way so if you’re planning a longer trip that’ll work too!

The Ultimate East coast package is a fully flexible 30 day package that can be extended if you’re planning to travel for a bit longer. Check it out here. We also have lots of amazing tours on offer and great deals on campers if you want to do a road trip instead so get in touch with our travel agents for help and advice!

Australia

What to do

Apart from spending your days chilling at the beach, visiting national parks and firing up Aussie BBQ’s on the beach (It’s a tough life!), there are so many other things you can do on both the East and West coast of Australia.

WA is perfect if you want to get off the beaten track a bit more. The Kimberley’s, a region in the north of WA, is the world’s largest wilderness area covering 423,000 square km and with a population of only 30,000 people so you’ll really be able to experience the Aussie outback! Along the coast you’ll find National parks to hike and camp in, lots of beaches to chill at and the amazing Ningaloo Reef. WA also has some of the best surfing in the world so if you’ve surfed before, get to Margaret River to try out some of the world famous waves. One of the most popular activities on the West Coast is swimming with the biggest fish in the world, the whale shark! You can do this during Whale Shark season which runs from April to June – definitely one for the 2015 bucket list! There’s also skydiving, water skiing, swimming with mantarays, sandboarding, diving and feeding wild dolphins at Monkey Mia amongst many other things!

The East coast is jam packed with places to visit and activities to do from Surfcamps and Cattle station stays to Castaway Island and Hunter Valley (wine region) tours. It’s also home to the famous Whitsunday Islands and Fraser Island, both ‘must-sees’ on the East coast! If you’re into high adrenaline/extreme activities such as Skydiving, Bungy jumping and white water rafting, you’ll love Cairns, the adventure capital of Australia. Cairns is also the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef so if you’re looking to try out some diving or just want to snorkel in the world’s largest coral reef, you’ll be coming to the right place! In the surrounding area of Cairns you’ll find the beautiful Daintree rainforest, the Atherton Tablelands and some lovely little towns such as Kuranda and Port Douglas.

It’s safe to say that whether you travel the East or West coast, you won’t run out of things to do!

Wildlife

Who came to Australia to see kangaroos in the wild and cuddle a koala? Whilst there is more to this beautiful country than cuddling cute little furry things, getting close to Aussie wildlife is an experience and an inevitable part of your trip down under. Did you know there are more Kangaroos than people in Australia?! You’ll come across heaps of Aussie wildlife all over Australia, some of them cute…others, not so much! Head to Queensland to cuddle a koala in a nature park (not a good idea in the wild!), head to Port Macquarie on the East coast to visit the koala hospital and to the West coast to spot big red kangaroos in the wild. Be prepared to spot the swarms of fruit bats flying over the town in Cairns in the evening and keep an eye out for wombats (cute!) on the road at night.

Beaches

Australia is home to over 10,000 beaches and both the East coast and the West coast have some of the best! WA has more beaches than any other state so if you’re a beach babe/dude head over to the West coast. Perth alone has 19 beaches close to the city so you can spend your days lazing in the sunniest city in Oz! The Coral coast, home to the Ningaloo Reef, is another great beachy location where you’ll find unspoilt, uncrowded and untouched stretches of white sand.

The East coast of Australia has some amazing beaches too! The famous Whitehaven beach in the Whitsunday Islands was voted one of the best beaches in the world. It has got the worlds whitest sand, sand so fine you can clean your teeth with it! Stretching along 57km of coastline, The Gold Coast (just south of Brisbane) is also well known for it’s stunning beaches, surfing and sun (along with one of the biggest party scenes on the coast.) As you travel up the East coast, you’ll find less and less beaches off the mainland and it’s not advisable to swim in some of the beaches that are there due to stingers and even the odd croc in far north Queensland! Cairns for example has no beach but does have a big man made lagoon you can swim in for free and cool off in the sun.

Party Scene

If you’re looking to party your way along one coastline look no further than the East coast to satisfy all of your partying needs! The East coast is home to the famous ‘Full Moon Party’ on Magnetic Island, the backpacker party capital Cairns and lets not forget the famous party cruises that take place in the Whitsunday Islands.

Perth on the West coast is a relatively small city compared to others in Australia and whilst you’ll get your choice of clubs and pubs to party in the city you can’t bank on having a crazy all nighter with heaps of other backpackers like you can along the East coast.

Overall the West coast is a bit less ‘travelled’ than the East coast so it’s great if you’re looking for a bit of an Aussie outback adventure. The East Coast accommodates for heaps of backpackers every year so you’re guaranteed to meet people and there will always be something going on somewhere!

So really, it’s actually difficult to choose between the two … they both offer different experiences in parts and have similar experiences available in others. It comes down to personal preference! If you don’t have time to travel both, and you still can’t decide, why not talk to our Travel Crew .. they can answer any questions you have as they’ve all travelled Australia (they may even give you some handy insider info on a few hot spots!)

If you’ve travelled Australia and have any help and advice for fellow backpackers, feel free to comment below!

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