Did you know that the country Australia is larger than the entire continent of Europe! And let's be honest, during a vacation of 2 to 3 weeks, you do not visit the whole of Europe either. During a trip in Australia you have to decide where to visit, hopefully the information in this blog can help you with that. Our colleague Rianne lived and worked in Australia for 7 months, and in this blog, she shares 5 beautiful routes in Australia.
North Australia
Darwin - Darwin | +/- 1 week
Darwin is a laid-back city with a friendly population. The North side offers unique landscapes consisting of wetlands, bushland, waterfalls, and its inhabited by the 'salties' - the saltwater crocodiles. You can swim in the waterfalls when you visit the Litchfield and Kakadu national parks. From Darwin, you can reach the Tiwi Islands. The Tiwi Islands have beautiful sandy beaches, rainforest, and sea animals such as turtles, dolphins and dugongs. when traveling to North Australia, it is important to consider the rainy season. The best time to travel to the North is between May and October.
Highlights
- Learn about the Aboriginal in Darwin
- Cove Swim with crocodiles in Crocosaurus Cove
- Visit Australia's biggest national park - Kakadu NP
East Australia
Sydney - Cairns | 4 +/- weeks
The East Coast is very populair for the first time visitors of Australia. it is an understandable choice, considering the East Coast offers it all and is very diverse. Explore the big city Sydney, smaller coastal villages, national parks, kangaroos, koalas, rainforest and scuba diving hotspot the Great Barrier Reef. This route is very accessible, however you will notice that some populair places are not reachable by car (for example Fraser Island and the Whitsunday Islands). Fortunately, there are plenty of (multi)day trips available.
Highlights
- Visit the Blue Mountains in Sydney
- Go surfing in Byron Bay
- Go camping on Fraser Island
South Australia
Melbourne - Adelaide | +/- 2 weeks
We leave the city behind and drive to Torquay, the starting point of the famous Great Ocean Road. You might have already heard about this beautiful 240-kilometer long route before. The road takes you all the way past the South Coast of Australia. Make a stop on the road at the Twelve Apostles (four of them have already been destroyed by the sea) and one of the other highlights. From Cape Jervis you can easily cross the water to Kangaron Island, one of the best places to spot the wildlife of Australia. The route ends in Adelaide, where art, culture and festivals characterise the city.
Highlights
- Grampians National Park
- The Twelve Apostles
- Go dive with sharks in Port Lincoln
West Australia
Perth - Broome | +/- 3 weeks
The West Coast of Australia is known for its nature, white sandy beaches, premium wine, surfing and impressive rock formations. The capital of West Australia is Perth. Also known as the 'city of light', since it has more than 3000 hours of sun every year. Are you a real foodie? Do not miss out on Margaret River. Do you love the sea? At Ningaloo Reef (an UNESCO location) you can dive/snorkel with whale sharks and manta rays. Or go swimming with dolphins at Monkey Mia. Go for a roundtrip with Perth as start and ending destination or choose to leave the car behind in Broome. Keep in mind that some roads are dirt roads and there is a chance of them getting flooded during rain season.
Highlights
- Quokkas watching on Rottnest Island
- Wine tasting in Margaret River
- Swimming with whale sharks at Exmouth
Centre of Australia
Alice Springs - Alice Springs | +/- 1 week
The red heart of Australia, also known as the Outback if you ask any local, is and endless plain with the most remoted city of Australia, Alice Springs. Start in Alice Springs to discover several nature wonders. The most famous one is Ayers Rock (Uluru), which is a holy rock for the Aboriginals. A three hour drive will bring you to the Watarka National Park. Here you find the Kings Canyon with clear pools of water down in the gorge. A nice village to visit is the mine village Coober Pedy. Due to the extreme heat, many of the residents of this town live in underground caves. You will be surprised by the amount of kangaroos that come out when the sun sets and the temperature cools down.
Highlights
- Hot air balloon flight over Ayers Rock
- Hiking in Kings Canyon
- Stay in an underground house in Cooper Pedy
Choices, choices and more choices
Do you have more time for a longer road trip? It is possible to combine multiple routes. For example, combining the East Coast with the South of Australia. A trip to the West Coast can be extended with a week around Darwin. Or even take a national flight to combine the Outback with any other route.
Are you planning to travel to Australia, and would like some help in making decisions? Do not hesitate to reach out, our Australia expert would be more than happy to help.
