Australia is a country synonymous with endless sunshine, a laid-back lifestyle, and iconic scenery.  Its natural splendor captivates visitors with promises of grand adventures and its multicultural cities are bursting with a vibrant, youthful energy.  From the Outback to the Great Barrier Reef to the man-made Sydney Opera house, there was lots to do and see. It’s no wonder this country is one of the most popular travel destinations. Here is the cost breakdown of our trip to Australia:

• Time Cost
  • Total Days In Australia: 16 days  – 5 in Sydney, 4 in Whitsundsays, 2 in Port Douglas, 1 in Uluru, 4 in Melbourne
  • Total Days Off From Work: 10 days

• Monetary Cost
  • Hotel: $740 + 21,000 SPG points per person (we had 4 people in a room, so the hotel cost is lower)
  • Flight: $29 + 150,000 pts for 1st class flight to Australia, $100 + 37,500 pts for flight from Australia, $380 + 25,000 pts for domestic flights
  • Food: $75 per person (pp) per day
  • Transportation: $75 pp for car rentals
  • Miscellaneous: $600 pp for admissions and excursions

• Total Per Person: $3,000 + 21,000 SPG points + 152,500 AA  points

Australia is very far, more than 20 hours of flying from New York, so when we were planning our trip we knew that we wanted to see as much of this lovely country as we can.  Our 2.5 weeks there were amazing, we fell in love with everything, from the friendly people to the amazing food to the beautiful beaches and even the teeny weeny watermelons, which were hands down the best watermelons I’ve ever had. There was so much to share, it took me over 6 months to finally finish all my posts. To read more about our trip to Australia, click on the links below.

Pre-Trip

• First step, start the planning process, the earlier the better.
• Check to see if you need a visitor visa, again do this early in case the visa takes longer to be approved.
• Packing, my favorite part of the trip *eye roll*
• Usually twenty hours of flying sucks, but this time we got to fly first class, so it was awesome.

Sydney

• We gorged ourselves on the seafood in Sydney
• Ventured out to Newtown to see street art
• Hiked the majestic Blue Mountains
• Spend the day at the famous Bondi Beach
• Our top 11 things to do around the city, most of which are free

Queensland

• Spent a few lazy days on the Whitsunday Islands
• Explored Whitehaven Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world
• Headed further up north to a sleepy beach town of Port Douglas
• Hiked the rainforest
• Diving in the Great Barrier Reef – bucket list checked

Uluru

• Spent 24 hours in the Outback and really feel what it is like to melt into a puddle of sweat

Melbourne

• Restaurant hopping in Melbourne, the center of innovative, exciting food
• Street art featured in iconic lane-ways
• Epic road trip along the Southern coast with unforgettable views and beautiful scenery
• Our top 7 things to do while in Melbourne