Back From Down Under - An Australia Holiday

EliteVoyage Private Consultant Tomas Safarik recently returned from Australia, where he explored stunning landscapes and famous cities on the East Coast.

Here, Tom shares his tips and recommendations for an Australian holiday.

Australia Has Fully Reopened

Australia was always a bucket list thing for me and now was the time to do it.

Australia has fully reopened now, just like New Zealand. If you want to combine both countries in one holiday consider this itinerary we designed.

I explored some of the sand islands on Australia’s East Coast

I flew to Brisbane, visited the Gold Coast and rented a big SUV to explore some of the sand islands and national parks along this part of the East Coast.

Then I did a road trip to Sydney, stopping at Byron Bay and Newcastle. This was really only scratching the surface of Australia but there was still a lot to learn.

Australia has over 30,000 kilometres of coastline. I didn’t find busy beaches here.

Recommendations for a Australia Holiday

Australia is not about luxury accommodation. It’s about nature and being on a beach with kangaroos, or walking through a park and seeing a koala. It’s about the things you will remember forever

There are five-star properties in Australia, although the quality of beach properties is way below the Maldives . European cities have finer five-star properties than Australian cities.

Unique nature like this is why you visit Australia, not the accommodation.

You won’t spend much time in your accommodation anyway. There are so many fun activities for all the family. It’s experiential travel, especially with Australia’s top guides.

For example, you can have a private camp on the world’s largest sand island. Or do a surfing session with a surf tour pro.

I loved making a road trip part of my holiday. You can really see some beautiful nature this way and it’s possible to have a chauffeur if you wish.

Looking for whales at Australia’s easternmost point, Byron Bay

Plus, Australia has so many small destinations you simply don’t know about. They are amazing to discover. Lamington National Park was a special highlight for me, with waterfalls and hikes and views out towards the ocean.

Byron Bay has a bit of a Malibu vibe. Come here for surfing and whale watching while staying in one of the new upscale villas. I loved its vibe.

Recommendations for Visiting Sydney

Sydney CBD is great to see for a day. My recommendation is to stay in a neighbourhood outside the centre.

I spent three days in Sydney and it is an incredible city. The food is amazing, the people are great, there are clubs and cafes combined with hidden beaches and nature.

Sydney CBD is like Midtown in New York. Nice to see but very touristy, so I recommend you don’t stay in this area.

It’s great to see the Opera House and Harbour Bridge for a day, plus the CBD has the fanciest hotels like the Four Seasons. However, there are more interesting and authentic neighbourhoods, also with five-star hotels.

You can stay in one of the modern creative neighbourhoods. Families should consider one of the coastal villages, like Bondi Beach, which is still only a short journey into the city centre.

Want to Explore Down Under? Contact Tomas Directly.

Book a call Read who we are

Many Other Destinations to Explore in Australia

Wildlife encounters were common throughout my trip, not only in national parks.

EliteVoyage Marketing Director Stephen Bailey spent three months exploring Australia and adds his own recommendations here.

It’s easy to think of Australia as a once-in-a-lifetime trip, which usually means it will never happen. I think Australia is a destination to visit many times, because it’s so big and beautiful with so much to explore.

Melbourne is Australia’s most arty and creative city; it’s best for travel in summer, from October to March.
Ningaloo on the West Coast has some of the world’s best diving, including swimming with rays and whale sharks.
Half the island of Tasmania is protected as national parks. It’s divine for outdoor adventure and wild camping.
Take your pick of the winelands, like Barossa Valley for shiraz in South Australia, or Hunter Valley which you can helicopter to from Sydney.

Uluru is huge and there’s more to experience here than a big famous rock

Perth is a modern city on the West Coast. Combine it with the bucolic Margaret River. Or hire a car and explore a thousand kilometres of untouched Indian Ocean coastline nearby.
If you want to explore aboriginal culture and Australia’s big red desert try Kakadoo National Park in the north. Uluru is the big famous rock and it’s quite a sight as well!
The world’s oldest living rainforest is Daintree in northeast Australia, next to the Great Barrier Reef.