Australia Travel Guide:

  Best Places to Visit

Map of the leading tourist destinations in Australia

There is a lot to like about Australia: however, tourists visit the country to see the  wonders of the natural landscape.  Our list of Places to Visit reflects this belief: although it contains several of the country's leading cities, we recommend these cities as rest stops between the real adventures.  We know this is a cause of disagreement with  the Australians, as they are justifiably proud of their cities.

We've just added a new, detailed highway map showing the locations of the best places to visit in Australia.  You can route between locations, examine satellite views of the country (be sure to zoom in ) and see a terrain shaded version of the country that shows the natural landscape.  Take a look at our new Australia Map.

• Great Barrier Reef  

  • The Great Barrier Reef is Australia's number one attraction.  Over 1,400 miles in length, the Great Barrier Reef is billed as the world's largest natural feature.  Consisting of thousands of individual reefs and over 600 islands, the Great Barrier Reef is best enjoyed if you dive or scuba.  If you have seen video on Discovery or National Geographic of the GBR shot during a night dive, you have seen better than you will see from one of the tour boats or during a regular dive.  Nevertheless, visiting the Great Barrier Reef is a "must do".

    • For an interesting article on the Great Barrier Reef and links to a number of important sources, visit the Culture Portal of the Australian government.

   

• The towns below are good starting points for GBR tours.

  • Cairns 

    • Cairns is the most popular starting point for exploration of the GBR.  It is a quaint town but not one that is particularly scenic or interesting.  You might be interested in taking a ride on the Kuranda Railway for something different (see below).

  
  

  • Townsville

    • The largest town in northern Queensland, Townsville is not quite a tourist haven, but has a number of minor attractions to fill your time between explorations of the Great Barrier Reef.

  
  

  • Port Douglas

    • Port Douglas is the most popular jumping-off point for exploring the Great Barrier Reef. High-speed tour boats depart here for the Great Barrier Reef providing a nice day trip.  

    • If you are looking for some pampering and can afford it, spend a few days at the Sheraton Mirage in Port Douglas.  If you cannot afford, stop by for a drink and save-up for your next visit.

    • See this official website for more information about visiting Port Douglas

• Red Centre

  • The Red Center, located in the Northern Territory, is both the physical and spiritual center of Australia.  This is the site of  the world famous Uluru (Ayers Rock), a reddish rock that is the world's largest monolith.  Posing in stark contrast to its flat surrounding, Uluru is best viewed at sunrise and sunset when its color seems to change in  mysterious and magical ways.

    • See this official website from the Northern Territories for more information on visiting Uluru.

    
    

    • In addition to Uluru, you might consider visiting the Olgas (to the west of Uluru  ), another part of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

    • Be sure to zoom the satellite view on our maps to "see" the beauty of this area.

    
    

    •   Alice Springs is a good starting point for explorations of the Red Centre.    See this official site from the Northern Territories for more information about visiting Alice Springs.

  
  

• Sydney   

  • Sydney has many attractions and a great setting in which to enjoy them.  The city's harbor features the spectacular  Opera House, the Rocks (the original penal colony in Australia), Darling Harbor, and the Sydney Harbor Bridge.  Add in some great beaches (Bondi, Chinaman's) and equally fun shopping (in the market for an Opal?) and you begin to realize why Sydney is a world class city.

    • Click www.sydney.com for detailed information on this delightful vacation destination.

• Adelaide

  • Adelaide is the entry point for an exploration of the South Australian Outback.  The area is, also, the home to many of Australia's best vineyards.  The city is pleasant, well manicured, and a great place to while away a few days.




• Brisbane

  • When you are in Queensland visiting the Great Barrier Reef and find yourself thirsting for a real city, visit Brisbane. It is one of Australia's largest cities and is beginning to be known for its nightclubs and good food.

    • For more information, see http://www.australia.com/ and search for Brisbane.




• Melbourne

  • Melbourne is considered by  many to be the most stylish of Australian cities.  The City's mix of modern and Victorian architectures blend in an attractive manner.  Be sure to see Federation Square and the New Quay for eating, drinking and shopping.

    • Click http://www.visitmelbourne.com/ for more details on the many attractions in Melbourne.

  • If you are going to visit Melbourne, you may want to tour more of Victoria, especially the Great Ocean Road, a two hundred mile drive along Australia's most attractive coastline (mainly west of Geelong to Portland)..  See this official site for more information on the Great Ocean Road. 

  •  For more information on places to see in Victoria, visit the area's official site.




• Northern Queensland

  • If you are going to travel to Queensland to see the Great Barrier Reef, reserve some extra time for other attractions in the area. 

  • Take the old-fashioned Kuranda Railway along its spectacular route to Kuranda , a rainforest village, which has a "crafts" market that is a great place to buy trinkets for the troops at home.

    • Add the Daintree Rainforest, part of the "Wet Tropics of Queensland  World Heritage site", to round out your explorations of the area. The Daintree contains a dramatic number of unique plant and animal species.




• Tasmania

  • Many visitors to Australia add-on a trip to the island of Tasmania. If you are looking for wilderness and more hiking, it may be the place for you.

    • Click the  Discover Tasmania  website for more information on the attractions you can find in this remote section of the world.




• Perth    

  • There are a number of interesting towns on the east and north coasts of Australia.  Getting to them, after flying across the Pacific (oops, the Southern Ocean) is a daunting task for most travelers.  If you want to explore Western Australia, Perth is a great place to start: it offers great weather, fine beaches, and Swan Lager.

    • Visit http://www.westernaustralia.com/ for information on visiting Perth or the other attractions in Western Australia.

If you need information about another travel destination, try Googling our site or the Web

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.ThereArePlaces.com