J'emmène mes parents, tous deux âgés de 58 ans et en excellente santé, pour 15 jours à Sydney, du 2 mars au 16 mars 2015.
Nous allons rendre visite à mon frère qui est parti vivre et travailler en Australie pour 1 an depuis octobre.
J'aimerais connaitre les endroits à visiter absolument aux alentours de Sydney. Comme nous ne restons "que" 15 jours sur place (ce qui est mieux que rien 🙂 ), je voudrais aussi découvrir aussi l'Australie non-urbaine. La seule contrainte que je me fixe est d'éviter de prendre des lignes aériennes en domestique, et donc ainsi de me limiter à la région de Sydney. Pour l'Outback, c'est donc compliqué. Pour le reste du pays, j'y reviendrai plus tard avec ma femme!
Un petit roadtrip de 2 jours en voiture avec une nuit sur place serait l'idéal, par exemple.
En recherchant sur certains site, j'ai noté les Blue Mountains et Jervis Bay.
Avez-vous d'autres endroits à proposer? (Parcs nationaux, sites historiques, sites pittoresques...)
Merci d'avance😉
Mes photos, bons plans et carnets de voyage sur www.jeromecitytrip.com
L'office de tourisme de Circular Quay en face des quais des ferries fournissait une brochure gratuite sur Sydney
avec des idées de randonnées faciles .
1° Prendre le ferry de Circular quay pour Manly .
Arrivé à Manly tu pars à gauche , contourne l'aquarium et là tu as un chemin facile qui passe devant des immeubles residentiels traverse un petit parc national t'amenant au Spit ( plage familiale à coté ) . Tu es en pleine nature avec vue sur l'entrée de la baie de Sydney
Au Spit ne trouvant pas l'arret de bus , un australien à qui j'avais posé la question m'a deposé un peu plus loin avec son véhicule. De là un bus m' a ramené à Manly .
2° Prendre un bus de Circular quay pour Coogee/Cottlesloe , quartiers sud en bord de mer .
De là part un sentier longeant la cote , traversant un cimetiere avec anciennes tombes des premiers residents ,
et tu arrives à Bondi .
A l'extremité nord de Bondi , tu prends un bus qui t'amene à son terminus à South End ou South Point ?? à l'entrée de la baie. Tu fais un tour du secteur . Puis en contrebas du terminus du bus , tu prends le grand catamaran Jetcat qui te ramene à Circular quay .
3° Les Blue Mountains ; j'y suis allé par le train depuis la gare principale de Sydney. Il y en a toute la journée.
Par contre j'avais du marcher 20 mns pour gagner le point d'observation.
4° Debarqué à Manly , à droite de la sortie tu as un kiosque de l'office de tourisme avec personnel tres aimable.
Ils m'avaient indiqué comment prendre le bus passant devant chez eux et t'amenant à un centre commercial
plus au nord . Là correspondance par autre bus qui suit la cote Nord et dont le terminus est en bord de mer .
Coin de surfers avec petites dunes quasi desert en semaine . D'un coté l'ocean en furie et ses vagues , de l'autre une lagune avec en toile de fond un paysage de forets et de collines comme au Canada .
De là un autre bus te ramene en plein Sydney à son terminus de Queen Victoria Building pas loin de Circular quay/Darling Harbour, ce bus emprunte le fameux pont de Sydney et passe par les quartiers nords
5° Aquarium de Darling Harbour : entrée chère mais super .
Surtout la contemplation des aquariums eclairés avec petits requins , raies , bancs de poissons, langoustes sur fond musical.
6° Prendre un Pass pour circuler : j'en avais pris un pour 9 jours me donnant acces à volonté à toutes les lignes de ferries , le réseau de bus , le train genre RER desservant Circular Quay et le downtown .
Attention ce pass est limité à certaines zones centrales . Autant dire que je l'ai bien bien amorti .
J'ai parcouru toutes les lignes de ferries de la Baie .
Mais le plus beau parcours c'est celui qui t'amène à Manly .
Je préfère d'ailleurs Manly et sa plage à l' archi-connue Bondi beach .
Tu peux aller egalement vers l'interieur des terres , exemple le JETcat qui te conduit à Paramatta .
La fin du parcours traverse des mangroves . De Paramatta tu peux revenir en train , la ligne des Blue Mountains s'y arrete.
Le réseau de transports en commun de Sydney est tres bien organisé ( Plan gratuit des lignes peut etre obtenu ).
L'acces au bus pour les handicapés a été étudié pour .
Avec le Pass dont je te parlais , c'est du "gateau" pour circuler !!
Va faire un tour au grand magasin Myers sur Pitt street . Son sous-sol regorge de stands de nourriture de tous pays
, tu commandes ce que tu veux et vas t'asseoir en emmenant ton plateau.Par contre ils ferment en fin d'apres midi
vers 17H30 .
Sydney est pour moi dans le top Five de mes villes préférées .
Bonjour,
Je suis d'accord avec Jean. Manly est très sympa ! Pour notre part, nous sommes rentrés de Manly en ferry quand la nuit commençait à tomber. Une autre façon de découvrir la baie de nuit.
Pour ce qui est de Blues Montains, nous y sommes allés sur une journée en louant une voiture au départ de Sydney. Si nous devions y retourner, nous supprimerions une nuit à Sydney pour la passer aux Blues. Tu peux faire de supers randos aux départ du site des Blues, en plus, il est surement sympa de voir le soleil se lever sur cette forêt.
Ci-dessous une adresse de notre blog voyage avec quelques photos de Manly.
http://boomerang2012.blog4ever.com/
Bon voyage à vous.
Canop
"Le monde est un livre, et ceux qui ne voyagent pas n'en lisent qu'une page." St Augustin
Beau résumé de voyage Canop.
Je vais suivre votre conseil et rester 1nuit et 2 jours aux Blue Mountains!
Savez vous dans quelle ville nous pouvons loger?
Mes photos, bons plans et carnets de voyage sur www.jeromecitytrip.com
J'ai commencé à lire une partie de votre blog et certains récits de vos voyages. Pas mal non plus... !
Pour notre part nous allons à Cuba au printemps, je vais donc commencer par cela.
Pour en revenir à votre voyage, Nous étions arrêté à Katoomba. Il y a une rando surement sympa à faire mais nous n'avons pas réussi à aller au bout faute de temps...
Vous pouvez descendre environs 900 marches sur des escaliers métalliques sur un chemin qui serpente dans la montagne. Ensuite si tout va bien, vous pouvez faire la monter avec une téléphérique au dessus des arbres. Je parle du téléphérique et non des autres attractions se trouvant à proximité.
http://www.scenicworld.com.au/
Ci-après un lien qui vous apportera des infos sympas sur le style de chemin et de rando que vous pouvez y faire. Il faut juste ne pas avoir mal aux genoux !
http://www.guide-australie.com/BM-Katoomba.asp
Si vous vous y rendez, juste avoir une pensée pour une famille du sud-ouest qui a trouvé cet endroit sympa... surtout les escaliers 😕.
Pour ce qui est de l'hébergement, je n'ai pas d'info à vous donner.
Bonne préparation.
Canop
"Le monde est un livre, et ceux qui ne voyagent pas n'en lisent qu'une page." St Augustin
Nous partons le 26 Aout pour Sydney ou nous resterons 6 jours, Avez vous des idées ballades des endroits a ne pas rater et des infos sur cette belle ville…
Je viens darriver a Sydney et jy reste pour un an. Jai une amie qui vient me rendre visite au mois de fevrier, pendant deux semaines. Nous allons rester 1…
Je souhaite partir avec mon ami au mois d'août en Australie pour 4 semaines. Etant donné le climat, je pensais atterrir à Sydney (dommage de ne pas la visiter…
On a environ 50 jours, avez-vous des idées de circuit pour couvrir la NZ (22 nuits) et 30 jours pour l'australie. est-ce que la Tasmanie est un incontournable?…
Our daughter has gone to Sydney, and we’d love to spend the end-of-year holidays with her.
The plan is to leave from Paris or Brussels and break up the trip with a 3- or 4-day layover to "split" the journey in two.
Then head back to Sydney, explore the East Coast in a van, celebrate Christmas and New Year’s in Sydney, and finally return to France with another layover.
My questions:
Which city should we choose for the layover (we’ve already visited Kuala Lumpur and Singapore and would like to see a different city)? Both on the way there and back?
Which agency should we rent a van from?
What sites should we visit on the East Coast?
If you’ve done this kind of trip before and have any tips or advice, I’d love to hear them.
Hi everyone! I’m planning a long trip of two and a half months and could use some input to fine-tune my itinerary. I already have a good idea of the dates and how the climate will vary depending on where we are in Australia. Feel free to share your thoughts!
**Zone 1: DARWIN – August 17 to 22 (6 days)**
Activities & visits: Crocosaurus Cove, Kakadu Park scenic flight, 3-day excursion to Kakadu, Litchfield, and Katherine National Parks
Flight to Alice Springs on the 23rd
**Zone 2: ALICE SPRINGS – ULURU – August 23 to 30 (8 days)**
Car rental
Activities & visits: Alice Springs (1 day), West MacDonnell Ranges (1 day), Watarrka National Park, Uluru (3 days)
Flight to Cairns on the 31st
**Zone 3: CAIRNS – August 31 to September 9 (10 days)**
Car rental from the 31st to the 6th
Activities & visits: Port Douglas, Daintree Rainforest, Mount Quincan, Herberton Historic Village, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef
Bus to Townsville on the 10th
**Zone 4: TOWNSVILLE – NOOSA – September 10 to 26 (17 days)**
Activities & visits: Magnetic Island
Bus to Airlie Beach on the 13th
Activities & visits: Whitsunday Islands, Great Barrier Reef
Car rental from the 17th to the 20th
Activities & visits: Eungella National Park
Overnight bus from Mackay to Hervey Bay (20th to 21st)
Activities & visits: K’gari (Fraser Island)
Bus to Noosa on the 25th
Activities & visits: Noosa National Park
Bus to Brisbane on the 27th
**Zone 5: BRISBANE – September 27 to October 1 (5 days)**
Car rental from the 29th to the 1st
Activities & visits: Brisbane, Glass House Mountains, Springbrook National Park, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Bus to Coffs Harbour on the 2nd
**Zone 6: COFFS HARBOUR – October 2 to 4**
Car rental from the 3rd to the 4th
Activities & visits: Dorrigo National Park
Overnight bus to Sydney (4th to 5th)
**Zone 7: SYDNEY – October 5 to 9 (5 days)**
Car rental from the 7th to the 9th
Activities & visits: Sydney, Blue Mountains, Jenolan Caves
Overnight bus to Melbourne (9th to 10th)
**Zone 8: MELBOURNE – October 10 to 16 (7 days)**
Car rental from the 13th to the 16th
Activities & visits: Melbourne, Phillip Island, Great Ocean Road
Flight to Hobart on the 17th
**Zone 9: TASMANIA – October 17 to 23 (6 days)**
Car rental from the 17th to the 23rd
Activities & visits: Hobart, Tasman Peninsula, Freycinet National Park, Natureworld
Flight to Perth on the 23rd
**Zone 10: PERTH – October 24 to 27 (4 days)**
Activities & visits: Rottnest Island, Wave Rock, Perth
Flight to Paris on the 28th
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the scattered info out there and I'm struggling to organize my solo trip to French Polynesia. I'm all about snorkeling—no hiking for me—so it's all about the water, water, water... I'd love to meet whales (what's the best season?), stay with locals or in budget guesthouses (I'm pretty low-key, no worries about comfort), and most importantly, be as close to the coral reefs as possible (all day long...).
I'm retired, so I've got plenty of time...
If you can help, it would mean the world to me.
Thanks everyone! !
Hi,
I'm planning a trip to this region in November. My initial plan was Adelaide-Darwin by van, but I'm worried about those critters. I'm now considering staying in hotels instead, but for the Red Centre, camping is more practical... if we overlook those pests.
What do you think? Thanks.
Hi there,
I’m reaching out because I’m finally living my dream later this year, and I could really use your advice!
On December 26th, I’m flying to Tahiti, then Moorea, and finally Bora-Bora.
Since I’ll be staying in Bora-Bora for several days, I’d love to take a day trip to another island: either Maupiti or Tahaa-Raiatea (my top picks...).
My issue is that the schedules for getting to Tahaa and then to Raiatea don’t quite work for me. Here are the two options I’ve looked into:
**Option 1: Day trip to Tahaa-Raiatea**
- Morning departure at 7:00 AM to Tahaa from Vaitape (I’ll be staying on a motu, so I need to check if there’s a shuttle connecting the motu to Vaitape early enough).
- Arrival at 8:15 AM in Poutoru, Tahaa. Tour of the island, visit to a vanilla plantation.
- Hire a "private" boat to Raiatea around 12:00–1:00 PM.
- Tour of Raiatea.
- Departure at 4:00 PM from Uturoa (Raiatea) back to Bora-Bora.
**Option 2: Day trip to Maupiti**
- Morning departure from Bora-Bora at 8:30 AM.
- Arrival in Maupiti at 10:05 AM. Visit the island and the motus.
- Return in the evening at 4:00 PM.
My questions:
- Will I have enough time to explore Tahaa-Raiatea from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM?
- Car rental? Bike rental? For all three islands...
- Time lost during rentals?
- Distance between rental shops and the ports where I arrive?
- For Tahaa and Raiatea, should I hire a guide? Would that be better organized, meaning no car rental needed, to save time or explore the island on my own?
- Finally, what do you think of these three islands and their points of interest? Which would you choose between Maupiti and Tahaa-Raiatea?
If you can shed some light on this, I’d be so grateful!!!!!!!
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts, comments, suggestions, and advice!
Hello! We’re heading to the Marquesas in July-August and I’d love to know if it’s possible, for a fee, to do a leg of the journey on the Aranui—like from Hiva Oa to Fatu Hiva, or Nuku Hiva to Ua Pou, or even Ua Pou to Ua Huka? Sure, there are shuttles twice a week with Codim connecting these islands, but the schedules won’t be known until two months in advance, and I need to book flights and hotels much earlier than that. So, what’s the best way to handle this?
Looking forward to your replies—thanks in advance!
Elisabeth Marcel
babeth.marcel@yahoo.fr
Hi there,
I’d like to go to French Polynesia.
I found round-trip flights for 650 € with Air Caraïbes.
That seems really cheap—anyone here who can tell me about this airline if you’ve flown with them before?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Hi everyone. I’ve got a round-trip ticket to Perth for 4 weeks. Is it better to stay on the west coast the whole time?
Or should I grab a round-trip to the east coast?
Or even head over to NZ as well?
Thanks for your tips.
We’re crossing New Zealand next April and we’re wondering which to choose between exploring Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound.
The first is more well-known, famous, and popular, a UNESCO natural heritage site, while the second can be just as spectacular—bigger, harder to access, and less touristy.
Thanks for your thoughts!
I’ve blocked out 3 weeks at the end of March/beginning of April, arriving in Sydney and departing from Adelaide while following the coast.
Kangaroo Island is a bit of a question mark for me. If I go, I can dedicate 2.5 days to it. Is it worth the time and the cost? I’ve read plenty of travel journals highlighting the landscapes and wildlife, but I’m sure I’ll see plenty of that along my route anyway. I’m not factoring in the financial side (which isn’t negligible for KI), but I’d rather not be disappointed. What are the real added values of KI, especially since the island has been affected by fires? I’ve also come across people online calling it a tourist trap. For example, I ruled out Phillip Island because it felt too organized and structured. Sorry if I’m opening Pandora’s box here!
Hi! I just spent a month in New Caledonia (backpacking/tent) and I know some of you were looking for info on accommodations and itineraries, so feel free to reach out if you want me to share my little experience. Just to say—New Caledonia is AMAZING!!!
Hi there,
I just got back from two weeks in Fiji, and I noticed the forum discussions here are a bit outdated (the most recent ones are from 2017).
So feel free to ask if you'd like an update!
Hi,
I’m heading to Viti Levu, the main island, for a few days’ vacation.
I usually rent a two-wheeler to keep some independence.
On several forums, people advised against it—first because it’s not really the local culture, and also because of the road conditions and local driving habits.
But I’m a bit wary of English-language forums where the typical vacation is just airport-resort-airport with a taxi in between.
Can you confirm if it’s really that risky compared to, say, Southeast Asia? What are the alternatives? Buses, taxis?
Thanks!
I’m planning and budgeting a trip to Australia for August 2026, lasting 40 days.
Here’s the current itinerary:
Arrival at Port Macquarie Airport in New South Wales and return from Cairns Airport in Queensland.
- South West Rock
- Cap Ridge Park
- Springbrook Park
- Stradbroke Island
- Maleny
- Noosa
- Rainbow Beach
- K’Gari
- Gladstone
- Heron Island
- Airlie Beach
- Townsville
- Magnetic Island
- Cairns
- Cape Tribulation
My main issue is transport to cover all of this.
The first leg is already tricky—I haven’t found a way to rent a car in Port Macquarie and drop it off in South West Rock.
And if we keep the vehicle until Cleveland (8 days) before taking the ferry to Stradbroke Island, it’s already around 1000 €.
- Are there any systems where we could buy a vehicle in Port Macquarie and be sure it’s bought back at the end of the trip in Cairns?
- Do you know of any Australian online car rental sites?
As for trains, they’re not really an option for our stay in New South Wales.
In Queensland, I found the Queensland Rail Travel website with a Brisbane–Cairns line, but trains don’t run every day.
- Do you know of any other train companies in Queensland that connect coastal cities from Brisbane to Cairns?
For flights, I checked Queensland with Qantas, and most routes require a stopover in Brisbane, which wastes a lot of time, and the prices are still high.
Do you know of any low-cost airlines for domestic flights in Australia?
2025 is shaping up to be amazing, as I’m lucky enough to be planning a 6-week trip to Polynesia.
I wanted to buy the *Guide du Routard* (my favorite), but I discovered there isn’t one for this destination. And the *Lonely Planet* is from 2022, which I feel is already a bit outdated.
So I’m looking for other resources: in your opinion, what’s the best paper guide, and most importantly, what online resources have you used to prepare a trip to Polynesia?
My wife, our 3-year-old son, and I are planning a trip along Australia’s East Coast, leaving in early October and returning in mid-November. The plan is to do a 4-week road trip in a campervan, then settle down for about ten days.
The question I’m asking myself is: which way should we go? From Sydney to Cairns or the other way around? Despite all the documentation I’ve read, I’m still struggling to decide the best direction based on the climate at that time and swimming conditions.
Up north, the weather will be warmer, and the water too, unlike the south. However, in the north, there are swimming restrictions, especially because of jellyfish, whereas in the south, there seems to be less danger (apart from sharks, maybe). Are there many protected beaches in the north where we can swim safely?
Also, I should consider that in the south, the Great Barrier Reef no longer protects the beaches, so I imagine there are fewer calm spots for swimming?
I’d love any tips or advice you can share, and thanks in advance!
Hi there,
for a 6-month trip to Australia and NZ starting in NOVEMBER, I’d like to visit PNG and the Solomon Islands. Has anyone already explored these two countries?
How can you travel solo there—transport, accommodation, banking, safety—and what’s the best way to get there from AUS?
Thanks for any tips! Are there any French-language sites about these destinations?
Cheers,
jps
Hi there,
I’m leaving on March 4th for Australia from Réunion Island, landing in Perth, then a road trip down to Melbourne before flying out to Vietnam on April 15th.
I’d like to visit Perth and the surrounding area, then head southwest to Margaret River, Albany, Esperance, and back to Perth to catch a flight to Adelaide. From there, I’ll make my way to Melbourne.
1/ What do you think of this itinerary?
2/ For flights, are there any domestic airlines worth prioritizing for good prices?
3/ I’m planning to rent a car after exploring Perth and the area—I’m traveling solo. Any rental companies you’d recommend, as well as nice hotels, B&Bs, or hostels?
4/ Any tips, good deals, or info are welcome—don’t hesitate to share!
Thanks in advance.
I’m planning a solo trip from April 16th to June 2nd!
I have to work for 3 weeks in Papeete when I arrive in French Polynesia, so I can only explore on the weekends (3-day weekends). For my first weekend, I’ll visit Tahiti; my second weekend will be dedicated to Moorea, and the last weekend to Huahine.
After my work period, I’ll continue with my vacation and keep exploring:
Maupiti - 4 nights
Raiatea - 3 nights (including a day trip to Tahaa)
Bora Bora - 3 nights
Rangiroa - 4 nights (could do 3)
Tikehau - 2 nights (could do 3)
Fakarava - 3 nights
For activities, I’m mostly interested in discovering the islands, hiking, and observing wildlife.
I’m not a diver, but I plan to do a beginner’s dive once I’m there. I love snorkeling, though, and I’m wondering if I’m spending too much time in the Tuamotus, which are famous for diving from what I’ve seen.
For travel between the islands, I’ve already looked into the Bora Tuamotu Max pass, which seems like the best option, but I’d love advice on replacing it with one or more ferries.
What do you think? I’m struggling to finalize my itinerary.
We’ll be in Adelaide from February 24th to March 4th and we’d like to spend 3 days and 2 nights on Kangaroo Island.
Any recommendations?
We always travel with simple accommodations
Hi everyone, we're heading to Australia next month. We have 7 days to go from Adelaide to Melbourne via the Great Ocean Road. Should we visit Kangaroo Island or not? We can't decide! Thanks for your advice.
We really want to see kangaroos and koalas in their natural habitat.
Hi everyone,
I’m heading to NZ at the end of January.
It’s peak season—do you think it’s necessary to book activities in advance (like a cruise to Milford Sound), or is it not essential?
Thanks
We’ll be in New Zealand starting March 15th. We’re considering renting a car from Christchurch to Auckland. We’ve read that a lot of ferries have been canceled—is that true? Would it be better to rent one car in the South Island and another in the North Island? Thanks, and happy New Year!
Hi,
When I hear our French friends talk about them, they’re the most beautiful islands in the world.
For those of you who’ve traveled extensively, is that really the case?
Are the prices for accommodation, even basic ones, justified? Isn’t a room in a family-run guesthouse at 150/200 € a bit much?
Are there other islands in Polynesia (non-French) that are just as "paradise-like" but more affordable?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
