We continued our vacation and headed to our next destination – none other than the beautiful Great Barrier Reef, which is blessed with breathtaking beauty. It is the largest living thing on Earth and is even visible from outer space! Lizard Island is located off the coast of Queensland and offers barefoot luxury at its best. As we were landing in the small Cessna, we were taking in the most amazing sight of the Crystal clear turquoise waves lapping the white sand beach that meets the forested undulating interior. We had landed in paradise!

Our days were spent frolicking in the gentle waves, snorkelling the most magnificent reef and marvelling at the vivid colours. The brilliant colours of the sensational underwater coral Bommie Gardens, with colourful fish swimming with the giant turtles and the reef shark, was one of the most memorable moments of my life.

We tried our hand at fishing and lo and behold, we actually caught one! And of course the sight of the huge monitor lizards on the rocks basking in the sun is a sight not to be missed!

A breathtaking helicopter ride over the most beautiful scenery of Australia, The Great Ocean Road was a super experience. The highlight of course was flying over the 12 Apostles. We were mesmerised with the ragged splendour of these magnificent rock stacks that majestically rise up from the southern ocean and resembled a brilliant sandy yellow colour under the full sun. They are limestone pillars that were once connected to the mainland cliffs. Stormy waves and blasting winds carved them into caves, then arched and eventually battered them down into tall columns. Mother Nature at its best!

Sydney, synonymous with Australia, is a city with a ‘wow factor’. It boasts of the iconic opera house, Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, Royal Botanic Gardens, etc. The Sydney Harbour is regarded as one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the world. It is an aquatic playground with its shoreline punctuated by pristine beaches, picturesque gardens and pockets of natural bush.

Cruising Sydney harbour in style on board a private yacht was a luxurious experience! The city changes its colours at sunset. Gliding by the landmarks, soaking in the sight of the most beautiful harbour, sipping champagne and nibbling canapés – it was a very enjoyable evening!
One morning we did a thrilling 45 minute jet boat ride on the harbour. Super speedy with lots of turns and spins. What an adrenaline rush it was – absolutely recommended!

Every minute that I was in Australia, I was awestruck by the sheer beauty of its dramatic landscape. Every corner of this beautiful country impresses you. Every time I look at the pictures, I want to go back and take in the mesmerising sights of the picturesque beaches, sprawling ocean views, vibrant coral reefs, wildlife , mountains red sand desert, and lush tropical rainforests. However with such a breadth of things to do, it might get overwhelming to choose the champs from the chumps in your busy schedule.

We are happy to help and curate an itinerary for you. Contact TravelK to plan your trip of a lifetime in Australia!

When I think of Australia, I think of kangaroos, koalas, tropical beaches, bustling cities, a stunning coastline, dramatic landscapes, the great barrier reef, wine, amazing food, the great outdoors, and the list goes on, Australia has it all! Here are some of the highlights from my amazing trip to Australia!

Just off the coast of South Australia lies Kangaroo Island, a wildlife haven! It is home to Koalas, Australian sea lions, kangaroos, New Zealand seals and abundant birdlife. One magical experience for me was walking on the beach at Seal Bay conservation park with the Australian sea lions basking in the sun, just a few yards from us. We came across giant bulls sizing each other up for a fight, their babies playing just a few metres away from us.

What was really fantastic was when a mother sea lion surfed the waves, got to the shore and called out to her cubs. It was most endearing to see the famished cubs reunite with their mother! It felt wonderful and exhilarating to be amongst this endangered species-walking with a ranger into the heart of the colony, marvelling at the sea lions, white sands and stunning vistas! This is the only place in the world where one can experience this remarkable once- in-a-lifetime experience.

Australia has 65 wine regions and more than 2400 wineries, making it the eighth largest wine producer in the world. Some notable wine regions are Barossa Valley, Adelaide hills and Clare Valley. The Barossa is home to some of the oldest productive Shiraz in the world. We toured an array of high profile wineries and enjoyed the guided cellar door tastings of sensational wines, savoured delicious winery lunches using local produce and of course immersed ourselves in the history of wine making in the region.

We tasted our way through the Penfolds premium collection – notably Australia’s greatest wine ‘Penfolds Grange’ on the tour of Penfolds Magill estate. We also found ourselves immersed in the history, philosophy and spirit of the Henschke winery where we tasted their premium wines, including the famous ‘Hill of Grace’. Incidentally this winery is run now by the fifth generation of Henschkes.

This was just the first part of my holiday, filled with adventure and so many unique experiences that have made an impression of a lifetime!