The Gold Coast stretches for hundreds of kilometers along Australia's north-eastern coast. This is paradise that is televised around the world to illustrate the endless white sand beaches and long tropical days that Australia is famous for.
The Gold Coast is not all natural beauty and wild outback. Surfer's Paradise is the 'sacrifial lamb' of the Australian tourism industry. Built up during the tourist boom of the 1980s, it is a trashy concrete jungle of skyscraping hotels, mile on mile of souvenir shops and outlets that sell loud shirts and floppy hats. Despite it tackiness, Surfer's Paradise is a great place to spend a few days if you let go of any sense of style and indulge in a Sun and Surf holiday. Sip cocktails by the pool or wander across the road to the beach. Overeat the generic food and hit the clubs in a pair of flip-flops (as long as they're made by Havaiana).
Things to See and Do
This is a natural resource of international magnitude. The Great Barrier Reef is a protected World Heritage Site and the Kakadu National Park is the lushest rainforest outside of the Amazon Basin. One of the most popular visitor activities is the Sky Walk: suspended wooden footbridges swaying high above the forest floor. They're pretty scary at first (a hundred feet in the air being buffeted by the breezes), but are worth the nerves: To see the rainforest from a bird's point of view, and protecting the fragile forest floor at the same time, is a thrill.
Snorkel and Scuba
Snorkeling and scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef is a must. There are hundreds of dive centers dotted along the Gold Coast that will help you obtain your scuba license if you are staying awhile, or take the snorkel option if not. The Reef is a long way offshore, so unless you make friends with someone who owns a boat (not as far-fetched as it sounds in this part of the world) you will need to book a spot on a charter. This is an all-day event so lunch is usually included The ride out lasts for the better part of an hour – and if the crystal-blue water isn't enough to keep you amused, the dolphins that love to play tag with the boats certainly will.
Theme Parks
Nearby are the three big theme parks of the Gold Coast: Sea World, Dreamworld and Movieworld. Between them, these three have more trick-performing dolphins, movie sets and scary rides than you can shake a stick at. You should allocate a full day to Dreamworld (it's the Gold Coast's answer to Disneyland – just smaller) but the other two can be covered in half a day each. You can buy a Three-Park Superpass or individual passes to the park of your choice.
Hotels
Hotels on the Gold Coast are inexpensive. There are so many of them that the competition is fierce. It's usually best to bundle accommodation with your domestic flights and/or passes to the theme parks. Even if you prefer to book direct, it is usually possible to negotiate on price, especially if you stay midweek – up to 20 per cent off if you're a natural haggler. Prices are around US$100 per night for a great-quality hotel that sleeps up to four.
Use the Hotelsio Rate Finder to find top accommodation and cheap hotels in Gold Coast, Australia.
(Photo:iStockPhoto/derekfsmith)
