You put so much time and effort into planning the perfect wedding day, it’s important not to forget about your honeymoon as well. Of course, you can simply book a resort and call it a day, but if you’re going to honeymoon in Australia, then you might as well see the place while you’re there.
Let’s be honest, there’s something so tempting about simply lying back at a resort for days and days on end, with nowhere else to be and nothing to plan or worry about. After the chaos of organising your wedding, this is often just the type of holiday you have in mind to unwind. Yet, you are missing out on so much and not truely seeing what Australia has to offer.
There are ways you can incorporate a mix of relaxation and adventure to really experience downunder and make the most of your honeymoon, leaving with some incredible memories in hand. When it comes to a question of a road trip or resort, this article will leave you with no doubt that it’s time to hit the road and see the sights.
You put so much time and effort into planning the perfect wedding day, it’s important not to forget about your honeymoon as well. Of course, you can simply book a resort and call it a day, but if you’re going to make your way downunder, then you might as well see the place while you’re there.
Resort life is fantastic, for a day or two. But if you sit idle too long, you’re missing out on a whole country just waiting to be explored. Sure, you could base yourself in a top Sydney resort and spend a day here and there with your exploring shoes on, but Sydney only offers a slice of paradise. Hit the road and you will find yourself lost in magical sights, incredible experiences and unparalleled natural beauty.
Find yourself climbing to new heights at the Eureka Skydeck 88 in Melbourne and soaking up 360-degree views of the city. Don’t miss the incredible marine life on the famous Great Barrier Reef, which is the world’s largest reef system just waiting to be explored.
Venture to Kangaroo Island where you can discover plenty of wildlife, including sea lions, koalas and plenty of birds. Feast at award-winning restaurants and escape to fabulous surfing beaches in Byron Bay. Wander trough the Wet Tropics Rainforest in Cairns, or sip on some delicious wines in Barossa Valley.
There is so much waiting for you to explore!
Let’s put it this way, you’re not going to discover much about Australian culture from the comfort of your resort. In fact, you’ll find yourself mostly mingling with other travellers and missing the ladiback Aussie way of life altogether.
Head to a cricket match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and join the crowds cheering on their favourite team as you enjoy a classic Aussie pastime. Take part in a dot painting workshop in Maruku and create your very own art to bring back as a memento of your honeymoon adventures.
Wander down Southbank in Brisbane stretching from the Queensland Art Gallery in the North to the Queensland Maritime Museum in the South, taking in plenty of culture and recreation along the way.
Take off wine tasting in the Margaret River region and make your way through some of their amazing wineries, from Voyager to Leeuwin to Eagle Bay Brewing Co for a paddle of beers. Make a visit to The Pinnacles, where you can explore these limestone formations that were formed around 25,000-30,000 years ago. From the local Aussie culture to the culture of their ancestors, the only way to immerse yourself in it is to get out and explore.
While many honeymoon packages sell you the idyllic honeymoon package with spa vouchers and three-course meals, you’re missing the beauty Australia has to offer.
Just 1 hour and 15 minutes from Cairns, you will find the stunning Atherton Tablelands where you can throw those hiking boots on and make your way through rainforest and waterfall tracks. Walk around the magnificent Uluru, taking in the ancient landscapes or even enjoying the Field of Light installation illuminating everything before your eyes.
Take the ferry to Rottnest Island where you will discover a car-free nature reserve just calling your name for a selfie with a quokka. Venture into Lake Cave and take in the incredible crystal chamber of underground caves that can be accessed from the surrounding forests just 20 minutes down the road from Margaret River. If you’re willing to step away from comfort, there’s so much waiting for you.
The chance to connect with your partner in a unique way through shared experiences and new adventures is a great way to solidify your union in those early days.
Take a trip to the Mornington Peninsula, just 1 hour 15 minutes from Melbourne, where you can enjoy the Hot Springs and moonlit bathing and massages together as a couple. You can also jump on the world’s very first solar train and snuggle up as you travel through 3km of scenic coastal track in Byron Bay.
It doesn’t get much more romantic than settling in for a picnic together in New Farm Park, Brisbane’s oldest park, and exploring the 37-acre park hand in hand. Don’t miss the incredibly intimate Enchanted Fig Tree dinner on Kangaroo Island, where you can dine under the branches of the 120-year-old tree.
Australia offers up so many romantic opportunities in your first days of married life together that will be so much more memorable than soaking up the sun poolside at a resort.
Travel plans are meant to be fluid, allowing you plenty of opportunity for a little spontaneity. Who knows what you might uncover in your destination, or what hot tips you might receive from locals. Who knows what the weather will be like and where the winds might take you. Hitting the road means you get to decide!
Take off down The Great Ocean Road in Victoria without a set schedule. Spend more time in the places you love and skip over those that don’t sing to you. Set your own daily itinerary and mix it up when things crop up. Take a drop in the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon on a hot day, overlooking the incredible Coral Sea with no plans but to settle back and soak it all in.
Enjoy something a little bit different and check out Lyell Deer Sanctuary just 30 minutes from Brisbane where you can cuddle, sit with and hand-feed deer. With an open mind, who knows what you will find.
There are plenty of draw cards that come with the resort life. You can simply book in and not have to worry about making any decisions throughout your stay, other than what cocktail to order next. Sounds delightful! But it does come with plenty of limitations as well, which are holding you back from truely exploring and experiencing what Australia has to offer.
Settling back with a good book in hand as you’re served cocktails around the pool is a great experience. However, when you’re doing the same thing, day in and day out, it’s very easy to get bored of the monotony. There’s only so many cocktails you can try and only so many hours you can spend lapping up the pages.
Your walks are limited by the resort boundaries, with limited shops to wander and explore. Before long, you’re going to find yourselves bored and hoping for a little more. Those restless legs will be aching to leave the resort confines and meander through the streets. Once you hit the tourist spots and local areas, your thirst for adventure will be opened and you will finally realise what you’ve been missing out on.
You will be more than eager to leave resort life behind.
While Australia is a big place and it’s almost impossible to see it all in one trip (unless you have a few months to spare, of course), staying in one location isn’t going to even make a dent in the magnificence waiting to be explored.
Staying in one place means you’ll miss the spur-of-the-moment bush walks that you just happen to stumble across as you’re making your way through the Barossa Valley. You won’t get the opportunity to make a last-minute trip back to your favourite winery in the Hunter Valley Region to grab a few bottles for the road.
You won’t get a chance to explore the Bungle Bungle Sandstone Domes in Western Australia and learn about the culture of the area. You won’t have the opportunity to walk through the kangaroos on Kangaroo Island and get up close with Australian wildlife.
Being on the road lends itself to plenty of spontaneity and adventure, giving you both the opportunity to change plans along the way and experience Australia in your own way.
Australia is the land of adventure, but you do have to go and seek it out. While all the resort pamphlets might direct you on some great day tours and other experiences, unless you actually get out on the road, you will be missing so much.
Discover your thrill-seeking side at Little Sahara on Kangaroo Island, where you can race down the sand dunes of head off on a Fat Bikes tour. Head out to Lyndoch Lavender Farm in the Barossa and discover one of the oldest settlements in South Australia.
Loose yourselves in the subtropical rainforests of Tweed Heads against the stunning backdrop of mountains in the Wollumbin National Park. Or immerse yourself in the Wet Tropics Rainforest, which is 80 million years older than the Amazon, stretching from Cooktown in the far north to Townsville in the south.
There’s nothing better than meandering the streets after a full day of soaking up the sights and taking a chance on a local restaurant you pass. You have the opportunity to meet new people, try new foods and truely immerse yourself in the Aussie food culture, while creating some lasting memories together. Even if the food doesn’t turn out to be the best, it’s an experience you and your other half are likely to remember for a lifetime.
Draw yourselves in with some freshly cooked seafood in Hamilton Island, or enjoy a tasty lamington or Tim Tam from the shops. Dig into some delicious bush tucker in Uluru. Travel for some freshly shucked oysters in Tasmania, or head to the vineyards of the Margaret Valley Region and sample some wines and delicious foods. Wander the local markets, test the fresh produce and truely immerse yourself in the food culture Australia has to offer.
Staying in a resort limits these delicious food options, and within days, you will find yourself eating in the same restaurants, with the same people. There’s less choice around you and it’s much harder to be spontaneous when it comes to food choices.
Your honeymoon is the perfect opportunity to get to know each other a little better as you start off your married life. By planning your own self-drive holiday you have the opportunity to dive into adventure and culture and really explore the best Australia has to offer with your favourite person by your side. Whether you have 12 nights to spare to make it around the sights of luxury, or are simply on the hunt for a holiday that will explore the highlights, there’s so much choice the moment you step outside the confines of a resort.
Talk to our Travel Specialists, who can help you plan the perfect Aussie Honeymoon.
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