Following is a first cut at our 11 week itinerary for early next year. At this stage I’m really just blocking off chunks of time and will develop them more as time goes by – I’d appreciate input as to the overall sense of the itinerary plus time spent in each place.

I’ve organized the trip in three parts, in this order:

1) Asian destinations – January 10 - 31
2) New Zealand – February
3 Australia - March

The reasons for the order are as follows:

We leave Toronto in early January so I’m trying to maximize the weather in each of the three areas – the Asian destinations are at their coolest earlier in the year; New Zealand is fine in the middle and Australia will hopefully be cooler by March. Also, at this point I think we’ll be using the Star Alliance Circle Pacific Fare and the above itinerary works with its rules (that’s subject to confirmation but I think so).

Details are:

Hong Kong 6 nights
Bangkok 6 nights
Siem Reap 4 nights
Singapore 3 nights

Questions re above – considering side trips from Bangkok – enough time? Singapore is an add on due to the Circle Pacific routing – too many nights?

New Zealand 4 weeks

Following are preliminary thoughts for this period – for the first two weeks we’ll want to be in one place, with a kitchen, so we can relax after the 3 weeks of travel in Asia – still looking at north versus south islands – would like a big enough town for good market shopping and we’ll likely rent a car the second week to do day trips. The next two weeks we’ll likely travel around by car.

Also – I think we’ll fly to Norfolk from Auckland – 4 nights.

Australia 4 weeks

Our list of things to do in Australia (so far) looks like this:

Tasmania one week – maybe fly from NZ to MEL then take the ferry
Sydney 5 days
Melbourne 5 days
Great Barrier Reef one week
Unscheduled one week

I’m tempted to leave the Australia portion unscheduled until we’re in New Zealand…..we did that last year in South America – got our sea legs the first 6 weeks and then planned our 4 weeks in Chile. Part of my thinking is the weather – see how it’s shaping up – we’d very much like to dive the GBR but if conditions are poor we can make changes on the fly.

Any comments are appreciated. Thanks!

The timing sounds very sensible - and you are wise to leave Australia til the end as February can be incredibly hot. Of course March can be as well which is why more detailed planning for the Aust end can probably wait as you suggest. I also think you are very wisely not trying to see too much of Australia even in 4 weeks and those time periods will allow you to get a good feel of the place. Not sure where you were planning on staying to see the GBR - Cairns or near perhaps or on an island. There are some lovely places just near Cairns. Good luck with the planning - have never planned a trip of this duration!

AUSTRALIA = I am asking why you would take the ferry from Melbourne to Devonport (Tasmania) instead of flying. Have you rented a car from the mainland and are taking it aboard? The reason I ask is that the ferry journey is 10 hours long. We have done it with car and caravan and it was great. However, if you don't have your own transport, then consider flying into Hobart as the fares may not be a lot different and you will have extra time.

Are you driving between the cities of Melbourne and Sydney?

Which part of the Great Barrier Reef is your destination. March is incredibly hot and humid in Queensland. Cairns is usually the most popular destination, but if you are thinking of snorkelling, then go to Whitsundays near Airlie Beach, which is south of Cairns and north of Brisbane.

SINGAPORE = 3 nights is perfect. Remember that Singapore is hotter and more humid than Australia. There is plenty to do there, and I would check out what Singpore Airlines has as suggestions for stopover holidays. They are in the Star Alliance group and we've always used them for our stopover holidays. Plenty of 'freebies.'

Sorry, I can't help you with NZ. (Embarrassingly, we've never been.)

Elly

quote:

if you are thinking of snorkelling, then go to Whitsundays near Airlie Beach, which is south of Cairns and north of Brisbane.

Yes, just beautiful, been there twice, once on my honeymoon. Top spot!

Thanks for the comments!

Re GBR - haven't figured out a place yet - we're divers so we're contemplating a 4 or 5 day cruise. Also I've read about bareboating in the area - might do that

http://www.whitsundays.com.au/bareboat/index.html

Re ferry to Tassie - no real reason to do it versus flying - I'm assuming we'll have a rental car but that we'll pick it up in Hobart. We like ferries I guess is the answer!

I think we'll drive from Melbourne to Sydney (or vice versa) - we like driving. Any suggestions along the way? On another thread MaryK recommended the Princes Highway which sounds very nice.

Just realized my post appears twice - my computer crashed in the middle of posting and I thought I'd lost it (well, maybe *I've* lost it!)

Re: Ferry to Tasmania.

The ferry port is Devonport (northern Tasmania) and Hobart is in the south. If you catch the ferry, you will still need to hire a car from Devonport to drive to Hobart which is 280km to the south.

Although driving distances in Hobart seem close, the roads are extremely winding and mountainous and you can not drive as fast in some areas as you would on the mainland.

Website is for driving distances in Tasmania. Ex patriot New Zealanders living in Tasmania liken it to their South Island. I liken it to a smaller version of parts of England.

www.australianexplorer.com/tas_driving_distances.htm

Elly

Hi,
I would like to suggest the Bay of Islands area in New Zealand. It has been more than thirty years since we went to NZ for six weeks and most of the trip is very vivid in my mind. We were suppose to go on to Australia but loved it so in NZ we just stayed there. I was there for two weeks in Auckland and Wellington and did local tours by myself and enjoyed each. Then a friend flew in and we did a Newman's bus tour of the South island and again enjoyed it. There were very few Americans on it, only one other couple as I recall and again this made it more enjoyable. Returning to the North Island we had a car rental package from Newman's for ten days and slowly made our way north. We ended up in Kerikeri and stayed put for a week. There was much to see and do. It was winter in NZ. I think we were there in June and I had nearly frozen on the South Island. I tried to pack for winter, but when Vegas was already over 100F it is hard to imagine that in a week you are going to be that cold. Anyway, the Bay of Islands is in the far north and was lovely even though it was winter. This is where the history of New Zealand began so it had some quaint areas. I loved the little town of Russell and just driving around. Even though for us we were on the wrong side of the road, the traffic wasn't bad and we could relax. The people were wonderful and helpful about what to see and where to go. I have looked at the various motel listing but can't find the one we stayed in. It had two bedrooms, full kitchen and living room and the cost was very low. But after all these years it may be gone. I don't know if motels still do this, but then many included the evening meal which was great when we came in tired and not much in the mood to dress and go searching for a place to eat. There were very few American tourists up there, mainly people from the South Island who came north to warm up. It doesn't have the fantastic views of South Island but has much to offer. Here are some of the sites I've found on it:
http://www.bay-of-islands.co.nz/- general information

http://www.nzinfo.com/ general information

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_bay_of_islands,_new_zealand the wikipeida site

http://www.tourism.net.nz/ This is general info on all of NZ, not just bay of islands

http://www.onenz.co.nz/tourism/1/A/Index.htm#Hotel/Motels...this page lists all kinds of things to do and different accomandations.

http://www.clusty.com...search engine I used to find the above

SUggest you look at the Hawkes Bay region in New Zealand. It has some fabulous cottages to rent, is the food centre of NZ with some wonderful wineries and great food markets. Feb is THE month to be in Hawkes Bay - there are a range of out door concerts most Sat nights in the month and the famous Art Deco week end - a great party. Hawkes bay is a little off the usual International tourist route - so most guide books dont give it allot of space - but it is a wonderful place and NZ tourists flock there. To explore the region properly you will need a car. Try the Hawkes Bay tourism web site

Good luck

Thanks Elly, Vegas Ms and Kate - some great suggestions - Hawkes Bay is of particular interest given our love of Art Deco - will check it out and Bay of Islands too