My Highlights of Australia Trip with EF Ultimate Break was….amazing. This fast-paced trip helped all my magical Australian fantasies come true. As a result, I’m providing you with a comprehensive itinerary of what to expect.

If you decide to book, use this link to activate a discount code that will give you $100 off your booking on top of any sales that are running!

While I am an EF Ultimate Ambassador and this trip was at no cost to me, all opinions are my own.

Itinerary

Below is an overview of what to expect on your EF itinerary.

Melbourne

You'll arrive from your loooooong long-haul flight to the delightful city of Melbourne. Between Melbourne and Sydney, I walked away liking Melbourne more. However, I was in the minority of that sentiment.

Melbourne is really easy to get around, and there is lot to explore. You'll receive an overview of the city on a guided bus tour, but there is so much more to explore on your own.

My friends and I booked a wine tour with Rick's Wine Tours of the Yarra Wine Valley, and it was awesome. We were the only ones on the tour, and it was truly "lit" time as the kids say. Seriously – beautiful views and delicious wine. We even got to take two bottles of wine with us to enjoy the rest of the trip!

Other options include visiting the Melbourne Zoo, Victoria Market, or taking a guided tour of the Great Ocean Road. Whatever your interest, there is something for everyone in this bustling yet clean metropolis. 

Cairns

Cairns (pronounced "Cans") is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Located in tropical Queensland, you've entered the true rainforest.

Your tour includes a snorkeling trip to the Great Barrier Reef, and it was honestly so nice. The boat takes you to a large pontoon with rooftop sunbathing opportunities, access to a glass-bottom boat, helicopter rides, and snorkeling!

The whole day truly felt like a vacation after a busy few days of travel.

The next day EF took us to the Mossman Gouge. Here you will tour the ancient rainforest with a member of the local aboriginal tribe. I learned so much on this experience about the native people of Australia and walked away with a much deeper understanding of the complications between old and new Australia.

Additionally, the rainforest is just stunning. At the end of the tour, we were treated to an afternoon tea service by our hosts.

In your free time, definitely check out the local lagoon in Cairns. Due to the high presence of crocodiles in the area, you cannot swim at the beach. Instead, the city constructed a beautiful public lagoon that is free to enter. 

Other than that, Cairns is a sleepy city that is great fun for eating outside, relaxing, and dancing at the few local beach clubs.

Magnetic Island/Townsville

You only spend a night in Townsville, and that is because the main attraction is the koala-filled magnetic island! You will access this island via a 20-minute ferry.

I wish we had stayed on the island itself. We hiked a beautiful trail that brought us to TWO wild koalas, and we got to climb on old bunkers from World War II. The views were truly phenomenal and gave me that "woah, I'm in Australia" feeling.

I am in pretty good shape, so the hike felt pretty easy to me, however, I know others did struggle. So I'd say asses your physical condition before and bring extra water.

Those who skipped the hike went straight to swimming at Horseshoe Bay. This beachy area was very charming, and you could enjoy a pint (or two!) while taking breaks between dives.

Airlie Beach/Whitsunday Islands

Let's be honest: We're here for the Whitsunday Islands. I explain further about this experience under the excursion section, so all I will say now is: BOOK THE WHITSUNDAY ISLAND EXCURSION.

If you don't – you miss the whole point of Airlie Beach.

That being said, the hotel we stayed at here was by far the best of the trip. So you wouldn't be too sad spending the day sipping frozen beverages by the beautiful pool.

Sydney

Sydney was a dream come true for many folks on my tour. From seeing the famous opera house on our guided tour to booking an experience climbing the Sydney Bridge in our free time. I didn't do the climb, but everyone who did said it was well worth the price tag!

On the EF guided tour you'll see all the iconic sites, including a visit to Bondi Beach. Other than that, your time is yours! I chose to visit the Taronga Zoo, which rivals the famous San Diego Zoo.

Others took a day trip to the Blue Mountains, and some did one of the famous coastal walks.

Overall, people loved Sydney. In many ways, it reminded me of a cleaner Chicago: diverse, LGBTQ+ friendly, and with lots of great rooftops. If you're looking for top-tier nightlife, Sydney will be the city for you.

Accommodations

I cover what worked and could be improved with these EF Ultimate Break hotels.

Travel Lodge Hotel Docklands

Travel Lodge Hotel Docklands is the first stop on your itinerary. I appreciated that it was close to the airport and within walking distance of major transportation hubs. In addition, travel Lodge Hotel Docklands prepared the best of all the breakfasts on the trip.

The rooms were nice but small. Overall, this space served as a decent and clean place to begin our tour.

Ramada by Wyndham Cairns City Centre

When you think of a Ramada, you don't generally think of something so comfortable. The Ramada Cairns City Centre was actually quite delightful. It was very spacious for three people, and our suite even had a roomy patio to sit out on.

The breakfast buffet was pretty crappy, but the truly central location made it easy for me to run over and grab a cafe and muffin from some local spots. Also, the walkability of Cairns made getting back to the Ramada after a long day of snorkeling or late-night partying very easy.

City Oasis Inn

We only spent a night at the City Oasis Inn, and it got the job done. My room had two queen beds and a bunk bed set for four people. The hotel itself was just okay, but it was clean.

It's situated a bit far away from downtown Townsville, so you may want to rent a scooter or call an Uber to head back if you're staying out late bar hopping.

The highlight, however, was the beautiful outdoor pool and hot tub. I would have been fine staying an extra night for that. Also, the breakfast was lackluster, so much so that EF reimbursed us for the lack of meals that day.

Mantra Club Croc Airlie Beach

The Mantra Club Croc was a beautiful resort. For the amount of money folks pay to take these trips, I believe that every hotel should be of this quality.

The rooms were gorgeous and high-quality. Additionally, the on-site open-air restaurant and bar were a great touch to enjoy the tropical weather.

My favorite element of the hotel was the pool and hot tub. Truly a gorgeous place to stay. It's a bit far from the beach, but its amenities make up for it.

Additionally, some beautiful tropical birds were flying around and would frequently land on our balconies.

The breakfast was very good. You can have a yummy breakfast sandwich made-to-order upon asking one of the servers.

Ibis Budget Sydney East

The Ibis Budget Sydney East was my least favorite hotel of the trip. While it was clean, the rooms were very cramped. We had three people in a four-person room, and it was too much.

The hotel itself was "okay," but again, for the amount of money you pay for an EF Ultimate Break trip, I think it should have been roomier and included more amenities.

The breakfast met expectations. Comparable to a Best Western.

Excursions

Debating on booking an excursion? I’ll break them down for you.

Phillip Island Penguin Parade

Where do I begin about the Phillip Island Penguin experience?

First and foremost, be sure to book the Penguin Plus seating. These seats are so close to the penguins you could reach out and touch them (which you should not do!).

When I look back at the end of my life, I am confident this experience will land in the top 15 best moments of my life.

Seeing 4,000 wild penguins emerge out of the water, find their mates and head home brought tears to my eyes.

This add-on experience generally runs for about $150 – and it is worth every.single.penny.

Note: For the penguin’s safety you can NOT take photos during the penguin parade.

Snorkeling with a Marine Biologist

Everyone has the opportunity to snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef. For an extra $35, you can explore a special research area of the reef with a marine biologist.

The experience was about 30 minutes long. While the guide told us some interesting things, I was so focused on looking at stuff and staying afloat that I'm not sure I retained much information. I could go either way, recommending this experience.

I will say we did get to see a school of squid and a small reef shark, so that made it worth it for me. However, that is obviously not a guarantee.

Whitsunday Ocean Rafting

Oh man, ocean rafting around the Whitsunday Islands was unreal. This entire day was perhaps the most fun I've had in years. This optional excursion is a MUST DO.

The ride out to see was thrilling as we blasted hype music to background our ride over some gnarly waves.

Before heading to the beach, we did a quick 15-minute bush walk to get 'gram-worthy views of the sandy beaches from above. On this hike, I even had the opportunity to lick an ant's butt! YES, you read that right. It's an Australian thing where you lick this specific type of ant, and it tastes like sour apples.

I'm not gonna life - it tasted good, and I'd do it again!

Then you head down for some casual swimming, lunch, and beach time at the 2021 best beach in the world. After sipping on some cold beers, you'll make your way to the snorkeling area.

While the snorkeling wasn't as cool as the Great Barrier Reef, it was still loads of fun.

The ocean rafting is a red-letter day, and I HIGHLY suggest it.

Surfing

I actually did not participate in the surfing excursion because I wanted to visit the Targona Zoo on my free day, but my friends who did surfing said it was a great time! 

What are you waiting for? Book your Highlights of Australia trip today and save $100 with this link!