Gold Coast Travel Forum

Hi everyone, I would like to travel to the Gold Coast in September. Can you help me with hinting to good, reasonable accomodation, not too far away from the water. I am a student from Germany and try to get to know as much as possible for my the little money I have. Thank you for your help in advance.
Oh, forgot something: What do you recommend is more worth seeing: Uluru od Kakadoo Islands?

you do not want to go to the gold coast

and the kakadu is not an island

no - you really do not want to go to the gold coast unless you want some horrid fascination

Hi. Could you give us an idea as to how much time you will spend visiting Australia? Also, an idea of your budget? This will help us provide accurate advice on your question. Australia is a VERY big country and many people do not realise how long it can take to travel this distances between places.

thAt is true gilly - dear anna is a med student from germany who is doing a course in australia - then wants to holiday

i keep telling her that she will know what she wants to do when she gets here

Thank you for your answer. After my traineeship I have twelve days left to visit the country. You ask about my budget, I am not yet sure about that myself. My travelling shouldn`t be too high though. I know 12 days are not long enough to see Australia. I just want to make the best out of it.

12 days is very little time indeed. Which airport will you fly home from? I would recommend that any sightseeing/travelling you do should be in that general direction. I suspect it will be Sydney and visiting either Uluru or Kakadu will take you in the opposite direction.

For an example, I have very quickly looked up a route from Darwin to Sydney on www.greyhound.com.au (public coach website). The journey, which routes via Alice Springs and Adelaide, takes nearly 65 hours - that's the best part of 3 days! It also costs AU$717.

That same journey flying with VirginBlue routes via Brisbane and still takes 7 - 7.5 hours (that's still a third of a day)! Although by taking the flight, it costs only AU$265 - depending on availability. Oh, and those flights all depart Darwin at 01:30 (or around that time) - something about Darwin and middle of the night arrivals and departures!

I suggest you check out the route from Gold Coast to your departure airport and look at the possibilities along that route rather than trying to head away from your departure airport.

Hi Gillybob, thank you for your answer. You have very good suggestions. I am staying near Sydney for 2 1/2 months, then I want to "see Australia", afterwards fly back home from Sydney airport again. While I am working I hope to have the possibility to see Sydney and its surroundings. So in my 12 days left afterwards, I want to go somewhere else, but must return to Sydney again. Do you have anything else closer in mind that would be an "Australian must"?Thanks for writing me.
Anna

Hi!
I am intrigued by your response citing the Gold Coast as a place to go only if you want "horrid facination". Pray tell me, what does that mean?1?
Thanks!
Tania

are you talking to me?

Yes, I was interested in your previous experience on the Gold Coast & what you meant by your comment...

Hi Anna, my name is Linda, while you are in Sydney make sure you go to the Blue Mountains, you will obviously spend time on the beautiful beaches around Sydney.
Do a harbour cruise (these can be lot's of fun)You can travel about 1 hour north to the Central Coast, New South Wales, and go to the Reptile Park to see snakes, spider milking for the venum, and a huge crocodile, Kangaroos that you can feed and pet. Lot's to see, I recently took my German visitors to the park and they loved it.
Now in relation to Darwin (this is in the Northern Territory) This is a huge place to visit and absolutely worth the experience. Catch a cheap flight (you will arrive about 1.30am) and spend a week there. Join a tour and go in a 4 wheel drive with a group of young people or if you have comapny you can hire a mobile home and drive yourself. www.northernterritory.com.au will help organise a tour.
Personally I would recomend a tour as you will miss out on the expanations about the area (very ancient) Darwin is heaps of fun with Kakado the highlight, do not miss the Yellow Waters boat trip very beautiful and full of crocodiles, if time Catherine Gorge, and Litchfield National Park. I think you should not miss Darwin it will be the highlight of your trip.YOU DO KNOW YOU MUST!!! NEVER SWIM ANYWHERE AROUND DARWIN AS THERE ARE CROCODILES EVERYWHERE.
You then could fly back to the Gold Coast and spend 4 days on the best beaches you will ever see, then fly back to Sydney (book early flights can be as cheap as $49) www.virginblue.com.au for your flight home to Germany.
I have been myself and can't wait to go back again.
Cheers
Linda

Dear Linda, thank you for your suggestions, that sounds really great and I have put them in my travel planner. I think they will be of good help when I leave for Sydney in a couple of weeks.
Thank you again and hello from Germany
Anna