March 2014

[Wobbegong wannabe]

but this trip is a bucket list trip for my wife.

Are there particular things on her bucket list? If so, let us know the towns concerned and people can tell you what diving is around them. For example, I'll assume Sydney is on her list, and while it's not the GBR there is great diving in Sydney, and several Board regulars can point you in the correct direction.
Likewise Melbourne et al. Most major coastal cities in Australia have at least one good dive site within a day's return boat / car trip.

 

[jamesdiving]

From memory (I dived Queensland 13 years ago) the Yongala is an incredible dive, one of the best I've ever done anywhere. The rest of the Barrier Reef was decent, but not mind-blowing stuff. I didn't get to the reefs way off shore/up north, which I hear are better, but it's a long way and therefore expensive.

I dived Ningaloo 3 years ago and that was awesome - among the best diving I've ever done (outside Indonesia, which is hands down the best). The reef is feet rather than miles from the shore and it's not at all crowded, unlike some spots on the GBR. March is the start of whale shark season and there are mantas there at that time too. On a purely diving basis I recommend WA over Queensland any time.

All that said, Perth is a long way from the east coast (of Australia) and Learmonth (the airport for Ningaloo) is another couple of hours flight from Perth.

It's probably worth stating explicitly that Australia is becoming one of the most expensive countries in the world, particularly if you're coming from the US. Food and drink is generally excellent, but it's exceedingly pricey. 10 USD for a bottled beer is not uncommon, 20-30 USD or more for a main course in a fairly standard restaurant is normal. Diving is similarly not cheap - 3 nights on the Mike Ball liveaboard from Cairns is over 1500 USD in the "budget" cabins. Many Americans are surprised by this - Australia is a fabulous place to visit (written with gritted teeth by an Englishman, particularly after Brisbane last weekend...) but you need to be comfortable with the prices before you go.

 

[BradMM]

Brad - hehe that map overlay does help but I promise you it doesn't begin to impress the vast distances.

The East Coast probably has more flexibility and more options for diver/non-divers.

March will see the start of whale shark season here on the Ningaloo Reef and the diving on the reef is always excellent. Lots of places for snorkelers and vast stretches of deserted beaches for relaxing. Fishing. There isn't a whole lot up here for people who do not dive or snorkel or fish. There are two land based things that are totally worth the cash: the microlight flights over the Cape and the Top of the Range safari that takes you to the surprisingly high canyons, around the top of the Cape and down into Yardie Creek. They also stop for a snorkel at Turquoise Bay.

I love whale sharks, swam with them off the Yucatan before. Cool!

---------- Post added November 27th, 2013 at 03:59 PM ----------

Are there particular things on her bucket list? If so, let us know the towns concerned and people can tell you what diving is around them. For example, I'll assume Sydney is on her list, and while it's not the GBR there is great diving in Sydney, and several Board regulars can point you in the correct direction.
Likewise Melbourne et al. Most major coastal cities in Australia have at least one good dive site within a day's return boat / car trip.

I don't know particulars. She does want to see/get in the GBR but she's had a hard time in recent years with actually getting in the water, either cold or uncomfortable, so I'm not confident she'll get in. I, on the other hand, love being in the the water more than anything else in the world so, if I go, I'm getting in!

---------- Post added November 27th, 2013 at 04:01 PM ----------

you're going to Australia and you're not excited? lol

i'm just curious as to why that is, i would love to go there but that would mean not taking 3 trips in the year

Well, along the same lines, we could go to the best place we've ever been (Bonaire) probably twice for what it will cost.

 

[alcina]

Too true on it being expensive here. Especially when you come remote. Accommodation is, imho, way overpriced but it is what it is. I have never found the food in Australia excellent as a matter of course and it is also expensive. Be aware that when you order, what you order is what you get - no bread, no salad, no side as is pretty standard in the US. So your $40 steak, is usually a bit of dead cow on a plate. Maybe with a token stalk of broccolini Just different but I know it catches people off guard the first couple of times. Oh, and they tend to put beetroot on sandwiches & burgers - ick!!

It's still an awesome place to visit. Bonaire was great and I intend to head back, but I'll take the Ningaloo Reef any day of the year. We don't get the amazing viz every day, but we more than make up for it with all the critters.

 

[jamesdiving]

I haven't been to Bonaire, but purely on a biological basis, the number of species in this part of the world far exceeds anything in the Caribbean. I learned to dive and worked as a DM in the Florida Keys and loved it. Then I went to the Red Sea. Then I moved to Asia. I realised I'd never really dived before...

 

[Wobbegong wannabe]

I don't know particulars. She does want to see/get in the GBR but she's had a hard time in recent years with actually getting in the water, either cold or uncomfortable, so I'm not confident she'll get in.

Cool. Cairns and/or Port Douglas should be on your list then, and they're certainly not cold! If she prefers snorkelling then the day boats up there all offer both snorkelling and certified diving; maybe you could dive and she could snorkel. There are also plenty of non-diving activities, which IMO is not the case in Exmouth (sorry WA guys, though I agree that Ningaloo is fabulous for diving). However, Perth is a nice city with great things to see and I believe there is good diving there, so if you went there potentially you could dive for a day while she did other stuff.

 

[alcina]

yeah, if you're not a water baby here, there are limited options. Lots of beaches to catch rays on, the microlight flight is AWESOME and Cape Range tour is kinda nifty. There are a few tours for divers/snorkelers but that assumes she wants to get out on a boat each day. The snorkeling from shore is wonderful so you could still spend the afternoons together doing stuff - but it's all outdoorsy/water stuff here, for sure!!

 

[BradMM]

Thanks for all the feedback! She's saying she wants to go to Cairns for our GBR part of the trip so that seems to help narrow things down a bit.

Thanks again!

---------- Post added December 2nd, 2013 at 03:52 PM ----------

Oh, by the way, looks like May now, not March.

 

[MA]

Show her port Douglas which is an hour away from cairns. And up closer to the sainters which is well worth a visit!

 

[BradMM]

Show her port Douglas which is an hour away from cairns. And up closer to the sainters which is well worth a visit!

The sainters...??????