Monday, December 13, 2010

Cities of Australia

Here is the list of some of the most popular and most interesting cities of Australia to visit; these cities are very beautiful and attractive. If you're planning to visit Australia, then make advance planning to visit these cities and make your trip a part of your unforgettable memories.

Adelaide: Located between the beautiful white sand beaches and splendid natural scenes, this city provides you the most beautiful scenery to enjoy. Adelaide is the city to be enjoyed just by a walk. It hosts the finest cultural events and boutique wines that Australia offers.

Darwin: Darwin is Australia's most popular city named after famous scientist Charles Darwin. Darwin is the entry point to the world famous Kakadu national Park, the dramatic Katherine gorge, the gorgeous Litchfield National park and the red crags of the Kimberly region. Thus, Darwin car hire is proper transport option which can be used enjoy the wild life here and surrounding areas of Darwin.

Melbourne: Located on the magnificent port Philip Bay, this is a vibrant cosmopolitan city. It is the state capital and cultural heart of Victoria. Many different communities have made their home here. Thus, you can find different cultures along with varied cuisines to enjoy. It is a place to relax in beautiful gardens, explore the underwater world and do visit a zoo.

Perth: Perth is totally isolated from Sydney and Melbourne. But still it offers the most interesting tourist attractions with its extravagant beaches. Extravagant beaches round off a city that's largely shaken off its image as a boring backwater to emerge as a vivacious and culturally significant Australian destination. Near by Rottnest Island can be easily visited by Perth car hire which is famous for penguins and quokka bird.

Cairns: Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, one of the world's most popular diving sites. It is a bustling tourist centre with countless excursions to Daintree Rainforest departing daily. No beach exists here; but still people come here to enjoy the man-made lagoon on the Esplanade. It is surrounded by pleasant grassy areas perfect for relaxing under the sun.

Brisbane: Brisbane is the vibrant capital of Queensland. Situated along the Brisbane River, the city is a true mixture of old and new culture. There are many older heritage buildings surrounded by modern monuments. There's an abundance of green spaces to walk around and enjoy the pleasant sun. There are numerous outdoor activities going on round the year to participate.

Sydney: Vast, vibrant and dynamic sun baked beaches offer this strewn metropolis. Sydney is the epitome of easy going happy life. World-class cuisine, cutting edge street culture, sport, and fashion makes it the world's top cities to live in. The Harbour Bridge, opera house and Bondi beach are the main attractions of Sydney never to miss destinations on your trip.

These are the top cities of Australia that offer you the best tourist attractions. This Christmas, arrange your tour to these cities for enjoying your holidays. In advance, make all the preparations in order to make your trip pleasurable and comfortable.

If you are planning to make a trip to these destinations, then book tickets for flight, hire car services and make accommodations in advance so as not to end up in a last minute rush. You can even hire a car to go around these cities to explore the local attractions.

Myself Smart Kathy from New York, USA and I am planning to visit Australia in end of January 2011. So i have collect tourist information of Australia which will going to help me in upcoming Tours.



Also find that car hire in Australia is appropriate option to visit beautiful cities of Australia and their surrounding areas.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Australia Rail Travel

Australia rail travel is affordable, convenient and very satisfying. This whole can be seen and explored by rail. This article takes you through some of the more popular Australian train travel experiences.

The Ghan
The most famous of all rail services in Australia The Ghan is a funny name but it is certainly cemented in Australian culture with the service being in operation for over 80 years! This service will take from Adelaide through to Alice Springs then onto Darwin. The accommodation on board matches any luxurious hotel although there are economy styles as well. It takes 2 nights in either direction and covers some of Australia most iconic areas such as the desolate Nullarbor Desert.

The Indian Pacific
Getting it's name from the two oceans on either side of Australia the Indian Pacific will take you from Sydney to Perth or vice versa taking in Adelaide. Covering famous towns such as Broken Hill and Kalgoorlie. This is the world's longest straight stretch of railway and your journey from one side of the country to the other will take 3 nights.

The Overland
Take the Overland to go from Melbourne to Adelaide or vice versa. You have the opportunity to hop off at various towns such as Geelong to explore and the great thing about this service is that it is a daylight service so it will get you to either Melbourne to Adelaide within the day in a very relaxed and comfortable way.

The Southern Spirit
Now this is my kind of rail service. There are two rail services available: the Coastal Tour which will take you from Brisbane to Uluru or the Grand Tour which is the just the Coastal Tour going the other way. Made up of 13 nights and 14 days the train takes you off the beaten track so to speak for some off train excursions including famous towns such as Coober Pedy known widely for being opal country and then there is the wine country of the Hunter Valley. The Southern Spirit books out quickly and early so give yourself plenty of time to research the trip.

The Spirit of the Outback
Brisbane to Longreach. Take the Spirit of the Outback to explore Queensland's outback country. This is a world away from the cities of Australia, a different way of life where the sun is hotter and the days are longer. Many say it is the real Australia and it is hard to argue with that. The Spirit of the Outback will take you to towns such as Emerald, Barcaldine and onto Longreach where Qantas was founded and also where the famous Stockmans Hall of Fame is located.

Australia Rail Passes
There are quite a few ways to save money when planning your Australia rail holiday. Consider the AusRail pass which is unlimited rail travel for 6 months using the Traveltrain, Countrylink or Great Southern Rail services. This is the complete rail pass to see most of Australia.

The Backtracker rail Pass is the pass to see East Coast Australia taking in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra using the XPT (Countrylink) services. Valid for 14 days or 1,3 or 6 months the pass also includes at least $40 AUD of City rail fares which means you can travel to the Blue Mountains or the famous Bondi Beach.

The East Coast pass is one way travel for 6 months along East Coast Australia.
The ultimate pass for Australia Rail travel is the Rail Explorer Pass/Great Southern Railway Pass. This will let you travel The Ghan, The Indian Pacific and The Overland in any direction for 6 months. See Uluru, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin and many other famous Australian destinations, all for less than $700AUD.

And finally there is the Queensland Explorer Pass which allows you to see the whole of Queensland on unlimited travel for 3 or 6 months. Visit Cairns and Kuranda or outback destinations such as Longreach or Mount Isa. A 3 month pass will be less than $400AUD and a 6 month pass will be less than $600AUD.

So there we have it. A complete guide to rail travel in Australia. This is a big country and I have found that one of the best ways to see it comfortably is by rail. There are lots of services available as you've seen so why not include rail on your holiday for easy hassle free traveling.



Want a complete guide to rail travel in Australia including inside information on train services from Brisbane and Sydney? Click here http://www.australian-east-coast.com

Travel Tips For Sydney

There is so much more to Australia than kangaroos and koala bears. In Sydney, that so much more can even be frugal. After much contemplation, the top frugal choices were narrowed down to the ferry system, the Royal Botanical Gardens, and the Art Gallery Of New South Wales.

Ferries

Seeing Sydney from the water is a must. Frugal tourists don't pay for a boat ride. They take the ferry.

Ferries have been operating in Sydney for more than 135 years. Today, for the price of a day pass (including ferry service), tourists can travel to Manly Beach to watch the surfers and play beach volleyball, to Darling Harbour to see the Australian Maritime Museum (the museum is free), Taronga Zoo (admission charged), and be able to snap great photos of the cityscape, the Opera House, and the interesting Luna Park. All from their seat on the ferry.

Royal Botanical Gardens

The Royal Botanical Gardens is 30 hectares of parkland in the heart of Sydney, hugging the shoreline. Highlights are the iconic Opera House on one side (tourists can peak inside for free but for a better look, they need to either pay for a tour or buy an event ticket) and Mrs. Macquaries Chair, a seat carved into stone where the wife of Governor Macquarie liked to sit and watch the ships come in, on the other. Wildlife include the grey-headed flying foxes (giant bats), cockatoos, and other colorful birds. A kind local gave me some food to feed the birds.

The Royal Botanical Gardens are also a great place for the fitness buff. Nothing like jogging along the shoreline at dawn or dusk.

Art Gallery Of New South Wales

My favorite experience in Sydney is taking the guided tours of the Aboriginal Art Collection in the Art Gallery Of New South Wales. Not only am I given an understanding of the fascinating art styles by an enthusiastic guide (I've done the same tour twice with different guides and received new information with each tour) but she also explains bush tucker, hunting styles, religion, women's lib, and other topics of interest. Admission and the tour is free.

Sydney is a world class city with world class tourist sights. Using the ferry system to get around, visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens, and taking the tours at the Art Gallery Of New South Wales will allow the frugal tourist to experience more for less.




For more frugal travel tips for Sydney and other cities, visit http://www.freephotooftheday.com