GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA
CONVINCE ME
You may know the Gold Coast is where it’s at for cheap-but-chic hostels, friendly locals, more water activities than you can shake a snorkel at and a whole lot of sunshine, but did you know about the two-day hikes around waterfalls and glow-worm caves? Rainforests with hangover-beating ants (read on)? Or riding a horse through secret valleys?
SINGLE-MINDED
Fly to Cairns, party city and gateway to the Queensland coast. Book a one-bed apartment at the BreakFree Royal Harbour (Breakfree.com.au, from £80 per night) close to all the action, including The Esplanade with its night markets and lagoon swimming pool, which can hold 1,000 people.
Once you’ve shaken off the jet lag, there are so many options, you’ll want to stay for months. First off, don’t assume it’s just about the coast – Springbrook National Park is all waterfalls, limestone cliffs and magical glow-worm caves (hard to capture on camera, amazing in real life). Queensland’s big on farmstays, too, which offer a whole different side to Oz, like Bestbrook Mountain Resort (Bestbrook.com.au, from £20 per night). Set in 500 acres of land near Gap Creek, this rustic farm has lots of accommodation options (cabins, camping, village bunkhouse for backpackers), and endless activities; it’s the place to learn how to milk a cow or throw a boomerang if you’re looking for a new life skill.
But the real highlight is horse riding through the bush, spotting koalas and wallabies along the way. Then there’s the Daintree Rainforest (the oldest in the world), which you don’t want to miss; think eco lodges and fascinating nature tours. If your guide advises licking an ant’s bum to get a dose of vitamin C, he’s telling the truth. It’ll help with your hangover and no ants will be harmed in the making of your recovery.
After all that countryside, it’s time to hit the coast. It would be criminal to miss the Great Barrier Reef, which is easy to explore by boat from well-known party spot Airlie Beach. Day trips with Whitsundays Sailing (£91, Whitsundays-sailing. com.au) include snorkelling, a stopoff at Whitehaven Beach (often voted the best stretch of sand in the world), boat tour of the islands and lunch.
Finish at Surfers Paradise, a town known for its gold-sand beach, chilled cafés and restaurants and sun-kissed surfers, who are worth travelling half way around the world to meet, preferably while sipping a Rooftop Colada at The Island Gold Coast hotel (Theislandgoldcoast.com.au, from £92 per night) roof bar. Don’t miss brunch at new joint Sandbar (Facebook.com. sandbargc) – try the 6ft & Offshore smoothie bowl (avocado, banana, mango, baby spinach and ginger, topped with a rainbow of fruits).
SOLO TIPS
You’ll need at least 10 days for this trip, and to keep costs down, consider using Oz Experience (Ozexperience.com) to get around. The party-atmosphere coaches are a dream if you’re solo, as they’re full of other young singles, and are hop-on, hopoff, so you can choose your own route and add-on experiences, like diving.