Travel to Australia

Fun - that's what an Australian holiday is all about! This southern island continent is identified by its sunny beaches, rugged outback, beautiful coral reefs and packed with round the clock entertainment. With each of Australia's eight states having a distinct landscape and climate, you can be sure of a vacation that is loaded with variety, and action! The continent's unmatched flora and fauna, abundant and diverse, is an attraction by itself.

Queensland

The lively beaches of the Gold Coast in Queensland have a climate that's perfect for lazing or wind surfing. Besides, the assortment of wild life sanctuaries, golf courses, bountiful tropical islands and thick rainforests make Queensland quite a fascinating experience. Surfers Paradise truly lives up to its name as Australia's playground, and has theme parks, family attractions, art galleries and night clubs galore. If you can't go surfing, you can definitely try your hand at jet boating, kayaking, cruising, parasailing, cycling, or fishing!

Great Barrier Reef

Great Barrier Reef off Queensland's coast is Australia's pride, and accessible from the mainland at Airlie beach or from the exotic Whitsunday islands that float on the Coral Sea. Take a cruise to the reef, and dive into the transparent warm waters to experience first hand the magnificent marine life.

Brisbane

80 km away, Brisbane, Queensland's capital is replete with stylish restaurants and bars and offers interesting sights like the Roma Street Parkland which has an amazing array of subtropical plants on display. The St. John's Cathedral built over a century ago, and still under construction is a magnificent representation of Gothic architecture.

While in Brisbane, do visit the Quiplie Opals showroom which welcomes tourists keen on knowing more on the history of the opal gemstone. You can even pick up some of these pieces at tax free prices from the store.

The Boondall Wetlands Reserve along the coast with its diverse wild life, the Brisbane Lookout Mount Cot-tha for a panoramic view of the city and the sea and the Brisbane Forest Park are places to visit in the city.

A 60 km drive out of Brisbane takes you to the picturesque Mount Tambourine formed by lava flows. The lush rainforest apart, you can also visit the commercial farms of kiwifruit, avocado and macadamia nuts. At the Springbrook National Park, look out for the Antarctic beech trees and enjoy the sparkling waterfalls atPurlingbrook and Goomoolahra. The drive up to the Numbinbah Valley is breathtakingly beautiful.

Close to Brisbane and the Gold Coast you can take up bushwalking to explore the national parks of Mt Tambourine, Mt Lindesay, Mt Barney, Mt Ernest, Mt May and Mt Maroon.

The Australian Outback refers to the very remote parts of the continent stretching across states. Depending on the time you have in hand to explore Australia, some of its very interesting sights can be visited. These are: Alice Springs, Uluru (Ayers rock) and Kings Canyon. Organized trips to the outback can be arranged, or you can even drive down if you have a vehicle.

New South Wales

South of Queensland is Australia's most populous state, New South Wales. Throbbing with action are Sydney's landmark attractions Bondi beach, Opera House, and Broken Hill. At Penrith , 56 miles west of Sydney acclimatize yourself with the bush tucker or pick up the knack of "boomeranging", or go whitewater rafting at the stadium. The Snowy Mountains in NSW are covered by national parks, including the famous Kosciuszko, Wadbilliga, Deua, Namadgi and South East National Parks .

Victoria

Australia's southernmost state is known for its natural wonders and the opportunities it offers to meet the unique koalas and the penguins. Victoria has steep cliffs hanging over the ocean, sandy desert, smooth sloping hills and snow capped hills.

Western Australia

The wilderness of Australia can best be experienced in Western Australia, where much of the interior is Outback. Because of its vastness, the weather varies across the state, being hotter as you go north. Perth, its capital is a bustling multi-ethnic city with a Mediterranean climate. For a feel of the bush land, you can visit the 1,000 acre Kings Park within the city, with most of its area in its natural state.

The Western Australian Museum with displays of Aborigine culture, the Cultural Center, the Mint, and its beaches on the Sunset Coast are places to visit in Perth. Not far from the city, you can make a trip to, or spend the night at the vineyards, and make the most of the cellar door tastings!

A 30 mile drive southwards from Perth will take you to Rockingham, where you can swim with the dolphins, or take a cruise to Penguin Island. Western Australia's southern coast is again very well received by tourists for the scenic beaches and national parks like the D'Entrecasteaux National Park and Walpole Nornalup National Park.

A trip to Western Australia is incomplete without a visit to the Shark Bay World Heritage and Marine Park. Also, if you're visiting between the middle of March to the middle of June, watch out for the phenomenon at Ningaloo Reef where giant whale sharks are on their annual holiday here!

South Australia

South Australia, the country's fourth largest state enjoys a climate that favors vineyards, and the Barossa Valley is one of the prime wine producers of the world. An hour's drive from the capital Adelaide, you can choose to explore its many treasures and put up at any of the motels, resorts or cottages, farmhouses or the stately homes offering traditional bed and breakfast facilities.

While down under, you cannot miss out on watching Australia's most celebrated creatures in their natural habitat. Take a cruise (or a flight) to Kangaroo Island off the South Australian coast to theFlinders Chase National Park which has koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, goannas, echidnas and platypus on 200,000 acres of land, and seals, sea lions and ospreys on the coast. The sea animals can also be viewed at the Seal Bay Conservation Park, south west of the island.

Best time to visit Australia

What's the best time to visit Australia? Well, considering its vastness and the variety it offers, you can choose your spots to suit the time of the year you're traveling in - you're sure to catch the best weather wherever you go!