Australia Trip with Stops at Sydney and Cairns, the Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef

This trip includes:

• Round-trip airfare from Los Angeles (LAX) on Virgin Australia airlines (flight time: about 15 hours)
• Four-nights stay at the 4-star Vibe Rushcutters Bay Hotel in Sydney
• Four-nights stay at the 4-star Ibis Styles Cairns Colonial Club in Cairns
• Internal flight from Sydney to Cairns
• Airline taxes and fuel surcharge<p>

On this 11-day Australia vacation, you’ll split your time between Sydney and Cairns. The package includes 4-star accommodations in both locations, and you can explore both cities at your leisure. See a full itinerary here. For most dates, guests have a choice of starting in Sydney or Cairns, although June 25-28 and September 18-21 they must start in Sydney, and in Cairns July 2-5.

We’ve listed some of our favorite highlights below.

Four Nights in Sydney

Accommodations: 4-star Vibe Rushcutters Bay Hotel, located within walking from the fashion boutiques on Sydney’s Paddington’s Oxford Street.

Fodor’s ranks Sydney as “among the most beautiful cities on the planet.” Located on Australia’s southeast coast, it’s dotted with more than 50 beaches covered in sunshine almost all year long. The city’s most-iconic attraction, the Sydney Opera House, sits on the Sydney Harbour two miles from the hotel. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, its towering white sails host world-renowned musicians and the country’s principal opera company. Across the harbor, the historic Rocks neighborhood is a popular destination for vintage shopping and pub crawls.

With its near perfect weather conditions, Sydney is a city best experienced outside. Sail across Sydney Harbour, stroll through the Royal Botanic Gardens, or take a surfing lesson on the epic waves at Bondi Beach. For a more laid-back scene, you can head to the lesser-known Milk Beach and watch seaplanes land on the warm shallow water. Ferries departing from the harbor can also take you to the Taronga Zoo, which overlooks the harbor from a hill.

Four Nights in Cairns

Accommodations: 4-star Ibis Styles Cairns Colonial Club, located near the city center.

A flight will take you from Sydney to the tropical city of Cairns, where you’ll spend the second half of your vacation. Set on the Coral Sea on Australia’s northeast coast, Cairns is known as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest reef system. This underwater paradise supports a mind-blowing assortment of tropical fish, sharks, and colorful coral formations, making scuba diving here a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Cairns offers other adventures as well. A gondola ride on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway reveals unbeatable views of the ocean as it glides above the rainforest canopy. And at Tjapukai Cultural Park, one of Australia’s Aboriginal tourist attractions, theater performances and art exhibitions trace the history of the indigenous people. No matter what excursion you choose, most visitors start or end their day on the enchanting Cairns Esplanade. Set along the harbor, this bustling thoroughfare is lined with seafood restaurants, jewelry shops, and a seaside lagoon that often hosts weekend concerts.