I share with you the itinerary I did during 1 month travelling along the Australian East Coast and offer you a discount to travel with East Coast Tours, a local travel agency who customised the whole trip for me! So you can also do it while saving some money!
Along this itinerary, I am giving you some tips, recommendations, showing you the exact places I visited, including hidden gems, the hostels I stayed in, the companies I took the tours with, and more!
Ready to explore the incredible East Coast of Australia?
Let's goooo đ¨đđŚđş
Yep! That's what I've done, I've travelled all along from Sydney to Cairns in a little bit more than 1 month, and it was an incredible trip!!Â
I've travelled with the help of the amazing Australian agency, East Coast Tours, which I 100% recommend you checking them out and planning your trip with them! They have amazing itineraries and they are experts of the destination, as well as others like New Zealand, and even overseas. They customised my itinerary (the one I am sharing with you next) and also recommended me some experiences that they knew I couldn't miss during my trip.Â
The best part? You could also have an unforgettable trip wherever you want with a special discount! To get a discount in your trip with East Coast Tours, add a comment in the booking saying that you come referred by me, or apply the promo code EVARIOS. You can leave that code in comments when booking a trip with them in case you cannot apply the discount and they will apply it manually!
This Guide is the customised itinerary that East Coast Tours prepared for me to travel along the most well known coast of Australia, including some hidden gems and exciting activities you could do, too! Ready? Let's explore the Aussie lifestyle đ
Transportation Â
In my case, I travelled all along the coast by bus, with Greyhound, the most popular mode of transportation for all the backpackers by any far. It was very reliable and convenient, including overnight rides so it was perfect to save nights in hostels. What I also like about Greyhound is that you can get a 1-month pass, and buy as many tickets as you want during that period, in the end, it's quite economical.Â
Other mode of transportation is by car or campervan, it can be an awesome experience, too! In my case, I want to do a  campervan road trip along the Western Coast and in Tasmania!Â
When to travel -Â
I did it during the month of September, in the Australian Spring. It was a bit cold in some areas in New South Wales, but in Queensland it was generally nice weather and warmer.
During Summer (December-February) is the peak season, so expect higher prices, more backpackers and very hot weather! I would suggest you travelling as I did in Spring or in Autumn.Â
East Coast of Australia - Â Â Â Â Â 1-month itineraryÂ
Day 1-4: SydneyÂ
Land in Sydney from where slowly you'll keep travelling up north.Â
Sydney is a very vibrant city, where I got to experience the Aussie vibes for the first time, even though it can also be a busy city, people is very active outdoors, smily and with generally nice weather, although there are cold months.
The city is full of nice restaurants, clubs, bars, and more! It can be considered a good place to live for a while.
Places to visit:
- Sydney Opera House
- Royal Botanic Garden
- Hyde Park
- George Street
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EVA'S TIP: if you can spend more time around Sydney, spend some time visiting the suburbs like Bondi Beach, or Manly Beach, popular spots to do surf, as well as the Blue Mountains or Hyams Beach and Jervis Bay in the South.Â
Good location, just next to the Greyhound stop, and nearby George Street. It will take you around 40 minutes walk to the Opera.
The Hostel is an Australian chain and is all around the country.
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Day 4: overnight bus to Byron Bay, free day in Byron BayÂ
Take the most of your time, and take overnight buses to get to the next destinations, in this case, Byron Bay.Â
You'll arrive in the morning and have free time to settle for some amazing chilled days in the lovely surfer town of Byron Bay.Â
Byron Bay is an incredible place to stay. What can I say, I ended up moving here!!
Must things to do in Byron Bay:
- The Lighthouse for sunrise or sunset
- Tallow Viewpoint
- The beaches I mention below
- Try the coffees
- Do surf
- Explore the rainforest
And more!
By the way, I am not going to give you recommendations about coffees in Byron Bay, because all of them are superb! Ones of my favourite ones are:
- High Life or Sunday Sustainable to work with the laptop
- Combi (although is too busy) - I recommend their smoothies
- Barefoot for a takeaway coffee
- Byron Corner Store
- Sunday Sustainable Bakery (they have amazing sourdough)
And the list keeps going...
Day 5: surf lesson and beach
If you like to do surf, or you want to learn, this will be one of the best places! Even if that's something you've never thought about doing, you will change your mind when you step in Byron Bay.Â
It's a home for surfers place, and you'll be caught by its Aussie, relaxed, and laid-back atmosphere.Â
My advice, is to take 1 surf lesson, at least, while you stop by this town. And if you're already a surfer, or you don't need lessons, you will know what I'm talking about!Â
Some nice surf schools are Soul Surf, Mojo Surf and many more!Â
EVA'S TIP: The best beaches for doing surf around Byron Bay might be Tallow Beach (for experienced surfers), The Pass (although is very crowded), The Wreck and out of town, a good place is Lennox Head or Broken Head.Â
Day 6: Julian Rocks Snorkelling & Whale Watching (in season)
Julian Rocks is a paradise for ocean lovers, as it's full of marine life (I was very unlucky and when I went the visibility was null so I couldn't see much), but I've been told that it's awesome and beautiful so, if you're lucky, you're going to love it!Â
I was unlucky to not be able to see the marine life, but I was very lucky when we ended up seeing a lot of humpback whales jumping from close, and playing around us. It was magical (I love whales).Â
So, my message here is that either if you want to explore the underwater life, or see whales (between May to November) or dolphins, you can do that in Byron Bay.
This beach is a bit outside Byron Bay, nearby the Lighthouse. But you can get there by foot, it will take approximately 40 minutes.
It is a beautiful place to surf, relax and enjoy the sun!
This is the largest beach around Byron Bay, and one of the most beautiful ones, too.
There is a beautiful viewpoint nearby the Lighthouse, where you can see Tallow from above. It is my favourite view here!
I recommend taking the walking trail down to the waterfall where you can go into the water if you'd like! It takes approx 1.30h to 2h in total for both ways.
For this destination, I would like to tell you my personal opinion.Â
If you are looking for night life, busy and city vibes, go to Surfers Paradise. I must say that the good part of Australia is that you can find both chill vibes and party vibes, all in one place. There is space for everyone and all kind of moods. Buuuut, Surfers Paradise is a tricky one, this is definitely more into the party and busy vibes.
I didn't like Surfers Paradise. Okay, let me explain you.
This suburb of the Gold Coast is usually compared with Miami, or Benidorm in Spain, or any kind of city where there are only McDonalds and skyscrapers wherever you look at.
But if you want to experience a nice night, having fun with some friends and go dance, it can be a nice stop for 1-2 days.
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By contrast, if you are looking for something "more Aussie", and chill, I recommend you visiting Coolangatta, Burleigh Heads, etc.Â
I truly recommend watching the sunset from Burleigh Heads, you'll see the sky turning orange over Surfers Paradise skyscrapers and it is beautiful to see.
Also, there is a walk trail going along the natural reserve which is nice to do, too.
And, of course, the beach.
Brisbane is a so beautiful city, where you'll see both the working Occidental and the Aussie coexisting together. At least, that's what I felt while staying in the CBD area of the city.
I think is a tiny and comfortable city, full of restaurants and lush nature, but there is no beach. Although you could visit Moreton Island if you'd like, I didn't.
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I recommend going to Kangaroo Point View for the sunsetâ
This Sanctuary is beautiful and aims to rehabilitate animals in danger or that got injured. However, I do not recommend to pay to pet a koala (not worth it), just contemplate it:)
You can go to the sanctuary by car, or you can opt for the cruise going along the city's river, which I recommend, although bare in mind that there are set schedules and one way will take approximately 1 hour or more.
The cruise line I took was Miramar, departing from downtown.
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I have bittersweet feelings with sanctuaries. I am against zoos, and I know that a sanctuary is rescuing animals that got injured or are in danger, instead. But some animals are still enclosed, like platypus, birds, crocodiles, dingos... they are in cages, so it is hard to see that and I don't want to support this.Â
But, if it's your first time in Australia, or you really want to see the Aussie animals like koalas and kangaroos, try to visit a sanctuary instead of a zoo.Â
Days 10-12: Noosa Heads
Noosa is a beautiful place to be, either chilling, or exploring its surroundings while doing surf. The vibes here are similar to Byron Bay, but when comparing both towns, we always say Noosa is the posh version of it. You'll understand when you see it đ
Noosa is the last place where it is possible to do surf in the East Coast, so you definitely should do surf here. I did and I loved it.
Also, visit Noosa Natural Park. the highlight of Noosa! As well as its surroundings, will tell you more below.
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I did surf in Noosa and it was a bliss, very good conditions and an amazing instructor only for me (I was very lucky). Ask for Valentin if you take a surf lesson with Go Ride Wave đ
You also must visit Noosa's National Park, right next to town. From there I got to see whales jumping and it was just magical đÂ
How incredible is to think that there are only 2 Everglades in the world, one in Noosa, Australia and the other one in Miami, USA. It was beautiful and I recommend going if you want to connect with nature. You could have the chance to spot some koalas, and birds around. And no, there are no crocodiles in here but there are in the one located in Miami.
I did the cruise and canoeing along the Everglades with Habitat Noosa.
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Day 13: Overnight in Rainbow Beach
Let's take the bus and move to Rainbow Beach, where you'll get ready for the next epic destination: the largest sand island of the world is waiting for you!Â
To explore Fraser Island by 4x4 was absolutely amazing. You can either join an organised tour trip - I did it with Pippies, there are more tour agencies but they are all similar - or do it by your own with friends. The only thing is that you'll need a 4x4.
This is the largest sand island in the world, and it is a beautiful experience, I only got to see the East Coast of the island, the West is not open for public, you'll need special permits.
When you're back from Fraser Island, you could do an overnight in Rainbow Beach for next day taking the bus to Bundaberg to spend the night and get ready for next day's destination.Â
I recommend coming to this less popular island in the Great Barrier Reef.
This island, together with other small islands around this area in the Southern part of the Great Barrier Reef are beautiful hidden gems of the East Coast. The turquoise and clear water was a bliss.
Hardly nobody knows about this island, although there are tours going there. You can do snorkel, step on the Lady Musgrave Island which is so unique, a guide will explain you all the uniqueness of the island, and the history which is super interesting, and you'll get to see the native birds living in there seasonally.
I took the tour with Lady Musgrave Experience.
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EVA'S TIP: If you get to stay in Bunk Hostel in Bundaberg and you don't have a car, ask to reception to drive you to Bundaberg Harbour. They will charge you a decent price for the ride and will pick you up after the tour.Â
OVERNIGHT BUS TO AIRLIE BEACH -Â
I recommend taking the overnight bus from Bundaberg to Airlie Beach after your day trip to Lady Musgrave Island to save one night of accommodation and time as it is a long distance driving. In my case, I took the one departing at 11.10pm and arriving to Airlie Beach at 9.50am.Â
Day 19-21: WhitsundaysÂ
Of course, you could take it easier, and start your boat trip to Whitsundays the next day after arriving to Airlie, but in my case, I had limited time and budget so I did it like this (and it was great).Â
Whitsundays is a paradise, and what's better than sailing around these beautiful islands by boat with other travellers.
That's what I did for 3 days, stopping in Whitehaven beach, one of the most beautiful beaches along this Coast.
I did it with Atlantic Clipper, if you want to have party every night and energised vibes, take this company, if you prefer a balance, better pick another one!
Airlie Beach downtown is basically one street, so it is a small town to visit. It is a typical place for backpackers to stopover, do activities and keep going, you'll find a lively atmosphere specially during Summer months.
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My 22nd day was a bit intense, because in one day I did both skydiving and flew over the Great Barrier Reef you don't need to do it like this, you could take an extra day in Airlie in case you want to do both activities. But if you are in a similar situation than I was, with little time, then go for it!Â
This was my 3rd tandem jump, and I enjoyed a lot!
Because of the weather conditions, we couldn't jump in the sea, so I missed the views, but if you are lucky, you'll be able to finish the jump in the sand. Other popular location for skydiving is Mission Beach.
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I flew over the Great Barrier Reef with Ocean Rafting, and I sat down in the copilot seat, it was amazing! If you do it, you'll fly over the famous Heart Reef, which is this island with heart shape.Â
Day 23-25: Magnetic IslandÂ
You will take the bus from Airlie Beach to Townsville, and from there the ferry (right next to the Greyhound Bus Terminal).Â
I recommend booking the tickets to the ferry online in advanced.Â
Magnetic Island called "Maggie" in an affectionate way, is the most relaxed and peaceful place I visited along the coast, so I spent my days here disconnecting, hiking, seeing koalas and wallabies...
The most popular thing to do here is "The Forts", where I got to see two koalas while I was seating in a rock, right in front of them, it was a magic moment. But you can also visit the bays or drive along the western part of the island and wait for the sunset.
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Where I stayed:Â
Roamer Magnetic Island (formerly Selina Magnetic Island)
This hostel is a good place to disconnect, and be close to nature and hiking trails. I went by foot to The Forts and it took me 40 minutes, and the Horseshoe Bay is 5 minutes by foot.
An interesting thing this hostel does is that every afternoon they feed the birds, as you can see in the pictures, the hostel and even the people is full of birds.
Mission Beach is a remote and tiny town, its uniqueness relies on the fact that is the place where more cassowaries live. You might have chances to see them here, also is a popular place for backpackers to do skydiving and there are multiple hikes. Other than that, is a very quiet place to relax and enjoy.
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The Cassowary is a very unique bird, only found in Australia.Â
Days 28-30: CairnsÂ
This will be the last destination along the East Coast trip. Of course, I recommend staying longer to see as much as you can of the amazing Cairns' natural surroundings, like Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef.Â
In my case, I stayed in Cairns from the 28th to the 2nd of next month in total, considering that I spent some days diving, in the rainforest and also got some free days in town.Â
In my opinion, Cairns is not a superb place to stay, it is full of restaurants and pubs, but that's it. What I truly recommend while staying here is exploring its surroundings as well as doing bungee jump in the only Australian bungee jump spot, located in Cairns! That was my highlight in town!
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I suggest you taking a full day for doing scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef. East Coast Tours organised my diving with Reef Experience.Â
They organised my 2-day tour together with Uncle Brian's - truly recommend them, our guide was an authentic aboriginal and he explained about the history of his people. It was very interesting to learn about this. Also, is a local business, so it's always great to support them.
Highlights of the tour:
- Cape Tribulation and Port Douglas
- Milla Milla Falls
- Curtain Fig Tree
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Spend as many days as you have available to see the most you can of this amazing part of Australia, including towns like Port Douglas, explore the oldest rainforest of Australia, Daintree, and get lost around! I didn't go to Green Island or Fitzroy, I was told that it's overpriced but you can always visit them, too!Â
Get a special discount to travel â
I hope this Itinerary helps you organising your trip around the amazing Australian East Coast, either if you travel by bus or car. Adapt the dates at your convenience and enjoy your trip!Â
Of course, East Coast Tours can organise something special for you, not only along this coast but also in the Western Coast, New Zealand, around South East Asia and even Mexico and South Africa đâ¨
đCurrently in Australia
If you love exploring beyond your comfort zone, you are adventurous and you enjoy immersing yourself into other cultures and adapting to different environments, without prejudices, and with open mind, you just found a like minded person, me!
I'm living nomad since 6 years ago and now I'm sharing my knowledge, experiences and advice about my experience and destinations with you! Book a call with me if you want to travel, move abroad, do volunteering... but money or fear is stopping you. I can help you do that, because that's what I've been doing until now! Travelling almost for free around the world!
In addition to that, I have been always working in the tourism industry or doing volunteerings, that's why I feel fully empowered to give the best tips and guides of each of the destinations, .
Follow my journey on my Instagram & TikTok @evarios14, and don't hesitate to reach me out!
