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28.04.2010 | by Rocky Travel
Where to travel to Australia ?
Travelling to Western Australia ?
Travelling to Australia for your first time ?
What to see ? the Eastern, the Western Coast or both ?
This is a not an easy question to answer. I myself planned and focussed my first trip on the Eastern and Central part of Australia.
People ususally tend to visit first the Eastern and the southern part of the continent and eventually explore Western Australia, but there is no reason for starting from the western region.
It all depends what you want to see and what your priorities are, if you are for instance visiting friends or family in Perth then I would definitely suggest spending a few weeks there and epxlore Perth and the coastal area in the northern and southern bound. From the west to the east coast you will be flying over 4000km, so it´s really worth spending at least a couple of weeks on each part and unless you have enough time to cover both areas, I would stick to one area and have a good look at it!!
Western Australia is very much different from the rest of the continent. First of all it is far less visited by tourists. The locals live concentrated in Perth and along the south east coast. On the north bound of Perth, population is scarse, if you think that this area stretch for over 1000 km with almost no urban areas at all apart from Geraldton and Carnarvon, which are two minor towns, you get the picture.
If you are travelling alone, you will be completely alone! especially on the road you will be driving for hundreds and hundreds of kilometers without seeing a soul, or maye just crossing some cars now and then, and this might not be so encouraging. Distances are so huge, you can´t figure it out, before you are there, I had heard a lot about this and therefore I decided to join a 5 days tour starting from Perth which took me up to Exmouth.
The tour was okay, but the time available to spend on each place was too little, on places like Monkey Mia you cannot just arrive, see the dolphins and leave again, you need at least 1-2 days to explore the whole area, all around the beach there is a fascinating bushland with wonderful walking tracks, definitely worth a longer stay! My tip: hire a car and share it with a few fellow travellers.
Western Australia has the most amazing natural landscape of Australia, if you are looking for a real outback experience you can explore the Kimberley, a huge area of the same size of Germany, which is considered to be the best Australia´s outback area. I did not manage to vsit the Kimberley because we could not access some areas due to the heavy rain.
Along the Western Australian Coast the environment is very diverse, you will be going through nice green bushland to dry plains, view stunning limestone cliffs, see the most ancient living fossil: the Stromatolites in Hamelin Pool, feed the bottlenose Dolphins in Monkey Mia. This area is called Shark Bay. You can literally spend weeks visiting, there is so much to see!! Just came across this good webiste, click on the link to learn more about the Shark Bay
Driving farher north you will enter the Ningaloo Reef Area a must see place is the amazing Coral Bay, a magnificient place for snorkeling and swimming, see colorful marine life and if you are lucky you can make a nice encounter and swim with the giant whale shark!
The best time to visit is generally the australian tropical dry season, from April-October, but this would be also the busiest, I was there in February, it was peaceful and I enjoyed it very much. I think March-April is maybe the best time because the peak season has just started.
Anyhow all year through is always good for making a memorable experience of amazing Western Australia!
Michela
28.04.2010, by Rocky Travel, comments: (0)
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20.04.2010 | by Rocky Travel
Visiting Western Australia - Rottnest Island
Rottnest Island
If you are visiting Perth and Western Australia, you should not miss
Rottnest Island! It´s a wonderful island just .jpg) off the coast of Fremantle.
You can reach it by ferry leaving either from Perth or from Fremantle. The journey takes approx 40 minutes, it´s ideal for a day out or a weekend, or a short holiday.
Since no public transport is allowed on the island it is the perfect destination for nature lovers, especially bikers and walkers. You can visit the island by hiring a bike at the visitor centre or by using the hop on and off bus which takes you around the island, and stop at spectacular bays and unspoilt beaches.
The islands has gorgeous beaches and bays where you can sunbath and swim in turquoise, crystal clear and calm waters. If you crave peacefulness and serenity the best time to visit is during weekdays and off season, when you can have the beaches literally for yourself !
The tourism office on Rottnest Island offers daily free guided tours and heritage trails to tell you about the rich history of the island which goes back to the aboriginal occupation 65000 years ago to the colonial settlement in 1829.
Moreover you can explore the beauty of this Nature Reserve, spot the Quokkas a little marsupial, very similar to a Kangaroo, of a size of domestic cat, possibly the major natural attractions among the abundant wildlife on the island. The activites offered are for all tastes and ages from swimming, surfing, snorkelling, to diving, boating, biking, walking and more.
For more information on Rottnest Island and Western Australia Beaches continue reading here.
If you want to add to Rocky´ Blog your travel experience on Rottnest Island or at the Western Australia Beaches you can contact me send in your post and I will publish it here.
Michela
20.04.2010, by Rocky Travel, comments: (0)
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12.04.2010 | by Rocky Travel
A memorable visit to Australia's Red Centre
Make the most of your visit to the Uluru and Kata Tjuta!
- First Golden Rule - Avoid peak season!
You know why many travellers leave disappointed ? Crowds and all the touristy activities. If you can avoid the busiest time of the year, do not travel to Uluru and the Red Centre at peak season which is June-August, it is just crazy full! The crowds and bus loads of tourists is one of the common situations among the major annoying factors at the Red Centre.
Of course you can never expect to be alone there, but Uluru and Kata Tjuta are special places that ought to be fully enjoyed in peace, without rushing from one spot to to the other among hordes of people. This is something you should be aware of when planning your visit at the Uluru, the same situations repeat at public holidays too. Check out the Australian Calendar for more information. May-June are also pretty busy months at the Red Centre.
- Plan enough time for your visit !
Many people underestimate how much time they need for their visit and often they plan just one day, which is ridiculous. You need at least 2-3 days, to allow a good visit of the Uluru, The Kata Tjuta and the surrounding areas in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Moreover there is so much to see in the Australia´s Outback heart, if you have travelled from far away to see the most visited Australia icon, do not skip some important stops like Kings Canyon, the West and East McDonnel Ranges, Alice Springs and the surrounding area. Allow 4-5 days for your visit, this is better, one week would be ideal!
- Drive yourself
You do not need to join a tour once you have reached Ayers Rock or whenever you are coming from, unless you want to go on a camping safari, or want to experience an outback aboriginal guided tour, then maybe to be in a small group would be of benefit. Hiring a car is the best option to make the most of this area. A 4WD will allow you to visit the whole areas on unsealed roads. If, instead, do not want to drive, you can use the shuttle service at the Ayers Rock Resort or at your accommodation in Yulara, the shuttle service is running in Yulara very frequently throughout the day and of course at sunrise and sunset to provide all visitors with tip top connections to all designed viewing points.
- Best Time to Visit
This is crucial. During the the hottest period of the year, Dec-Feb, the heat makes walking almost unbearable and the flies are really annoying. Temperatures reach over 45°C during the day, can you imagine walking 9km around the Uluru in this heat ? I think you get the picture!! The only time during the day you can venture yourself outside for a walk is early in the morning, just after sunrise. As I said before, June-August is packed with loads of tourists, Dec-Feb is too hot. All in between is doable.
April in my opinion is the best time to visit. I personally was there end of April, I arrived the day after a public holiday, mass of people had just left, I have been lucky, it was quiet, with 27-30°C, I would say the right weather, not busy at all, I would say just the perfect environment to immerse yourself in the Red Centre magical and relaxing atmosphere. September and October are also good months for a visit.
If you want to learn more about the Red Centre keep reading here
Or if you want to write about your experience visiting the Uluru, post a comment here below.
Thanks, Michela
12.04.2010, by Rocky Travel, comments: (0)
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