r/AskAnAustralian • u/Ok_Possible_5702 • 2d ago
~3 weeks vacation to Australia
I (36M) will be traveling to Australia for ~3 weeks, between October and November. I took 2 weeks off from work, and one week I'll be working remotely.
Interests: culture (*not* art), history, foodie. Preferred landscapes/scenery: beach and deserts.
My high-level plan is, in some order:
- central Australia/Outback: Uluru or (less likely) Alice Springs. 3-4 days
- Cairns/GBR: beach-time and sightseeing. 3-4 days
- Sydney + Melbourne rest of the time (this is when I'll be working, so I won't have all day to sightsee and visit)
I don't drive, so I don't plan on renting a car to move around, which limits my options (I know it's strongly discouraged for a tourist to drive around alone in the Outback anyway). I am happy to partake in small group tours and use public transports (flights, trains, buses) as needed. Budget is pretty flexible, I'll prioritize speed over price for travel between locations, and I'm looking for accommodations that are clean and decent (think ~3 stars hotel, not a hostel but no Four Seasons either).
Questions:
- Uluru
- is 3-4 days enough? too little?
- I see most tours do the whole "camping under the stars". Is that recommended? Is that the best way to experience the landscape's uniqueness? I used to go camping as a kid/teenager but haven't done it since.
- Cairns/GBF
- 3-4 days sounds good?
- Sydney + Melbourne
- looks like I'd be spending a week and a half between the two cities. Is that too much time? Should I try to fit in another destination (Brisbane? Adelaide?)?
2
u/Own_Lengthiness_7466 1d ago
I actually think your timing is ok. Definitely fly straight into Yulara though. Also if you’re into food and culture Melbourne will be much more your speed than Sydney. You’ll have plenty of time to do both though and it’s only an hour flight between the two.