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Flying to Australia with Qantas

quantas airlines

One of the best decisions we made when booking our trip to Australia was flying with Qantas. For starters, the iconic Australian airline lets you do a stop over for a few days (at no extra charge) and check two bags! (Plus they had some of the most affordable rates on the market). Each seat offers a personal entertainment screen with tons of new release films as well as television channels so the flight flew by.  I feel like we were fed every five minutes and the staff was so accommodating and friendly, it was a great way to start our trip.

Your Perfect Stay: Alamanda at Palm Cove

palmcove alamanda resortDuring our trip to Australia we went from Brisbane to Cairns, which is like going from the bottom of the Great Barrier Reef, to the top. Besides visiting some of the islands off the city of Cairns to snorkel the reef, we want to explore some of the neighboring towns of the city.  One of our favorite stops was Palm Cove, only 20minutes north out of the city.  Easily one of our North Queensland destinations, we stayed at the Alamanda, where we greeted by the friendly staff and the beautiful grounds of the estate. Situated on the beachfront, its numerous swimming pools and luxurious surroundings didn’t make us feel at home, it made us feel as though we were royalty. (You can read more about Palm Cove and what to do if you visit Cairns on our previous guide post HERE.)

Wanderlust Australia: Travel Guide to Cairns

double rainbow, cairns Cairns – While the stingers may prevent you from being able to go into the ocean (especially during the summer months), there is a lagoon roped off on the pier that allows swimming. The marina on the pier houses countless boats and ferries to take guests to the Great Barrier Reef. We visited both island off Cairns, Green Island and Fitzroy Island and enjoyed the snorkeling around the Great Barrier Reef. Both islands are small and don’t require cars like many we visited off of Brisbane.

Australia Must-Do: Fitzroy Island {Cairns}

Fitzroy Island Australia

Upon arriving in Cairns we promptly boarded a ferry to Fitzroy Island (it’s a beautiful 45 minute commute), where we stayed at the resort for 2 nights in complete paradise. It’s a tropical paradise of rainforest and beaches surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef. It’s much less touristy then Green Island and both family friendly or great for a romantic escape.

Wanderlust Australia: Touring Lady Elliot Island

lady elliot planeAs most of you know I’ve been in Australia for the past week. I’ll be going to four parts of the continent – Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne and Sydney doing a week in each. A full recap of Brisbane and the surrounding areas is coming soon but I wanted to highlight one of the major gems of Queensland, Lady Elliot Island.

Australia Hotel Review: Gold Coast Sheraton Mirage Resort

The Sheraton Mirage Gold Coast

Well we made it to Australia! Our first stop Brisbane, although we drove right through, heading less then an hour south to the Gold Coast. The reputation of Gold Coast is it’s the Miami of Australia, although I would have to broaden that stereotype to the Florida of Australia (or specifically somewhere between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami) with all the theme parks such as Sea World and high rises everywhere. Originally we planned on spending a day here before heading further south which is known for it’s secluded beaches. However, we were so taken by hotel stay at the Sheraton Mirage Resort we reconsidered. The Sheraton is the best of both worlds. It’s located less than a mile from Surfer’s Paradise where the main shopping area and hotels are but is it’s own secluded paradise. Located right on a clean and private beach, it has a breathtaking sunset and the hotel property is a dream in and of itself. Surrounded in pools and palm trees, it’s clean, and so open and spacious.