The awesome magnitude of Australia scenery puts nature at the top of the sightseeing list. A journey through the Red Centre to Uluru to admire the ever-changing faces of Australia's most photographed landmark is just the start. There are also the lush green canopies of the World Heritage-listed Daintree National Park—the world's oldest rain forest—and the snow-capped peaks of Mount Kosciuszko National Park with its limestone caves, yawning gorges and alpine woodlands.
Sydney's dazzling blue harbor with its famous opera house and coat-hanger bridge to the vast, dusty plains of the Outback, Australia offers an unequaled diversity of experiences.
What's more, with almost 31,000 mi/50,000 km of the most amazing, least-crowded and unspoiled coastline in the world, Australia offers plenty of choices when it comes to Beach adventures. From swimming with the biggest fish in the world on Ningaloo Reef, to snorkeling on the pristine coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef, to staking out a patch of sand on iconic Bondi Beach, there's more than one way to get your toes wet.
Nature lovers can get a close-up view of Australia's unique wildlife when in Sydney by visiting Wild Life Sydney Zoo (Darling Harbour) or taking a day trip to Featherdale Wildlife Park. The zoos in Sydney and Melbourne also house a selection of native birds and animals.
For art and culture lovers, take a journey 50,000 years into the past and discover ancient Aboriginal cave painting in Kakadu National Park. Or revel in the moment at the Sydney Opera House, a modern architectural marvel that is home to Opera Australia and the Australian Ballet, and which presents an eclectic mix of theatrical and musical performances.
Aloha Lopez, Hawaiian surfer
Diving is one of Australia's most famous activities. The Great Barrier Reef on the east coast is home to an amazing variety of marine life and top dive sites. The less-famous Ningaloo Reef on the country's west coast, near Exmouth, is also worth a visit. Whale sharks (seasonal) and manta rays are just some of the marine life you'll see there. Turquoise Bay ranks as one of the best drift snorkels in Australia.
Australians have perfected beach culture, and Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsunday Islands ranks as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Bondi Beach in Sydney is littered with the rich, the beautiful and often the famous, while Hyams Beach, south of Sydney in Jervis Bay, is recognized as having the whitest sand in the world by the Guinness World Records.
There are sailing opportunities in the beautiful Whitsunday Islands ranging from budget day and overnight trips to luxurious charter vessels and everything in between. Sailing courses are also available.
One of the best-loved fishing sports in Australia is barramundi fishing. Barramundi are found in freshwater and estuaries around the northern coast of Australia. Day trips and safaris are available from Darwin in the Northern Territory.
For the active traveler, Australia boasts scenic hikes through diverse landscapes. The Blue Mountains in New South Wales and Wilson's Promontory in Victoria offer wildlife viewing and spectacular surroundings; the more adventurous can hike to the top of the continent in Mount Kosciuszko National Park in the Snowy Mountains.
Koala
Lovers of wine and beautiful scenery won't want to miss a drive through the Barossa Valley in South Australia. The valley, just an hour's drive from Adelaide, is dotted with the vineyards of award-winning wineries. Other regions that grow full-bodied wine include the nearby Clare and McLaren valleys, Hunter Valley in New South Wales and the Margaret River region in Western Australia.
Luxury vacation guide is an affiliate of Travelwizard.com: Call 1.800.330.8820 for assistance, Virtuoso Travel Advisors, specializing in Australia.
