Discover the breathtaking beauty of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Melbourne’s cultural charm, and Sydney’s iconic landmarks! We saw Virat Kohli play at the MCG (probably for the last time) on Boxing Day – bucket list item for Cricket Fans!!!!

Australia offers the perfect mix of nature, culture, and adventure. Our 17-day itinerary covers the best of Cairns, Melbourne, and Sydney, with activities ranging from scuba-diving in the Great Barrier Reef, watching Border-Gavaskar Trophy at MCG, driving along the Great Ocean Road, watching penguins waddle home, to celebrating New Year’s Eve by the Sydney Harbour.

Here’s how we planned our trip, and you can too!

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Days 1-4: Cairns – Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef

Start your journey by diving into Cairns’ natural beauty. It is the perfect tropical haven to explore the sea by the day, and relax in the evening.

• Day 1: Land in Cairns and spend your day relaxing after your flight. Stroll through the city, grab some fresh seafood, and soak in the tropical vibes. We explored the beautiful Cairns Esplanade, and bought the freshest tropical fruits from the oldest supermarket – Rusty’s.

• Day 2: Explore the Great Barrier Reef on a full-day tour. Snorkel or dive to witness the vivid marine life. We took a full day tour to swim with the Sharks (that was the plan but fortunately, no sharks!!). The tour included a 1-hour boat ride to the reef, breakfast, glass-bottom boat tour, lunch, introductory scuba-dive, snorkel in the open ocean, and fresh fruits and cheese platter to end an adventurous day (this is the tour we booked – book on Get Your Guide; book on Viator).

• Day 3: Embark on a guided tour to Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation, where the rainforest meets the reef. This tour included pick-up from our hotel, refreshing welcome iced tea, one-hour boat ride to view Crocodiles, walk amongst the mangroves in Daintree Rainforest – one of the ancient rainforests, and strolled along the Cape Tribulation Beach to take in the views. We ended up the day with some refreshing and delicious ice-creams at the Daintree Ice-cream Company on the way back home (here is the tour we booked).

• Day 4: Take a ferry to Fitzroy Islands, enjoy snorkelling, lunch, and visit the famous Nudey Beach on this serene island. We had our first open water unsupervised snorkel, did a small trek to reach Nudey beach (which had a swing like the ones you see in Bali!!), rested in the sun, and then took the ferry back to mainland Cairns (click here to book your tour).
  • Alternatively, you can take the scenic rail or a cable car over a rainforest in Kuranda (book your tour). We had only 4 days, and decided to prioritise the Fitzroy Islands over Kuranda railways. If you have one more day, you can choose to do both.

• Day 5: Fly to Melbourne and settle into your new adventure.

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Days 6-10: Melbourne – The Cultural Heart

A city rich in art, food, and experiences, Melbourne is a must-visit! Known for it’s coffee, and street-art. But we were there to soak-in the boxing day cricketing atmosphere at MCG with more than 90,000 Australians and Indians cheering the two cricketing giants.

• Day 6: Begin with Melbourne’s highlights – Federation Square, Flinders Street Station, and St. Kilda Beach. We checked-in to our Hotel, in the Melbourne CBD, had a delicious lunch in the Saravana Bhawan (be prepared to stand in long-queues), and celebrated Christmas near the Yarra river Promenade, soaking in the festive vibes (Explore Melbourne).

• Days 7-8: Witness the excitement of the Boxing Day Test Match at MCG. We had reserved two days to watch India take-on Australia in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy – this is why we wanted to visit Australia in this particular period. The match experience was amazing, Niki dressed up in traditional Rajasthani attire one day. Even though India lost the match, it was once in a lifetime experience. Kohli vs Konstas, crowd picking up on Siraj, paper-cup snakes, volunteers distributing water and sunscreen, and a full dedicated Indian Fan-festival right outside the stadium, made it extra special (Grab your tickets here).

• Day 9: Drive along the Great Ocean Road, marvelling at the Twelve Apostles. We decided to rent a car and drive on this most scenic road-trip in the Southern Hemisphere. This was our first time driving outside India together, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. If you are short on time, or do not want to drive, you can also book a day tour which are really efficient and cover all the major attractions of this trip (book day-tours here).

• Day 10: Relax and explore more of Melbourne’s laneways, coffee shops, street art, meet Dinosaurs in the Melbourne Museum and explore the food and fresh-fruit and vegetable stalls of the bustling Queen Victoria Market (Explore Melbourne).

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• Day 11: Take a Philip Island Day Tour to see adorable penguins. We watched the world’s smallest penguins waddle ashore at the Penguin Parade in the evening. Before that we visited the famous Brighton beach-boxes, spotted Kangaroos at the Moonlit Sanctuary, saw really large colonies of Seagulls while taking a walk along the boardwalk at the Nobbies Centre and spotted wallabies on the scenic cliff drive dirt road (book now).

Days 12-17: Sydney – Iconic and Vibrant

Sydney offers a mix of iconic landmarks and scenic beaches. The main event for us were the midnight New Year Celebrations and the world famous fireworks from Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

• Day 12: Fly to Sydney in the morning and rush to the best viewing spots to witness the New Year’s Eve fireworks. Most of the viewing spots are free, but you have to go and reserve your spot well in advance (some were full by 11:00 AM in the morning!!!!!). You can live track the vantage points status on the official website. While, they are super expensive, you can chose to view the fireworks from the cruises also (book cruise tours here).

• Day 13: Take it slow with a relaxing day at Bondi Beach or the Royal Botanic Garden. Book a sunset cruise (check options here), or even climb to the top of Harbour Bridge (yes, you can do that – check tours here), if you still have the appetite left for an adventure.

• Day 14: Join a Blue Mountains Tour and witness stunning views of the Three Sisters. Feel the adrenaline rush of an aerial cableway, skyway & Railway at Scenic World. While the rides were crowded due to the Summer Holidays, and we had to wait up to even 1-hour to get into the cable-cars, we thoroughly enjoyed the dinosaurs park in the Scenic world. If you are going with kids, they will love it (book day-tours here).
• Day 15-16: End your trip with another day watching the cricket match at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) and enjoying Sydney’s nightlife.

• Day 17: Head back home with unforgettable memories.

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Must-Have Experiences:

1. Great Barrier Reef Scuba-diving: A once-in-a-lifetime chance to explore vibrant coral reefs (Find tours; this is the tour we booked).
2. Boxing Day Test Match: Feel the energy of Australia’s love for cricket (Book tickets).
3. Great Ocean Road: A scenic coastal drive perfect for photography lovers or just for the love of driving (Rent a car; book day-tours here).
4. New Year’s Eve Fireworks in Sydney: One of the most spectacular events in the world (Vantage points guide).
5. Watch Penguins at Philip Island: Cutest penguins waddling back home in the evening, calling out to their loved ones (Find tour options here).

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Travel Tips for Australia:

• Best Time to Visit: December and January are perfect for enjoying summer in Australia. Do keep in mind that it is the holiday season. Be prepared for rush and crowds.
• Currency: The Australian Dollar (AUD). Almost everywhere you can pay via cards. Keep some cash handy for small transactions.
• Packing Essentials: Lightweight clothes, sunscreen (lots of it), and comfortable footwear.
• Travel Insurance: Ensure you have insurance that covers outdoor activities like snorkelling and Scuba diving.

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Itinerary Summary

Day	City	Stay	Activities
0	In Transit		Flight from Bangalore to Sydney
1	Cairns	The Abbott – Boutique Hotel	Arrival in Sydney; Fly to Cairns. Explore Cairns, walk along the esplanade, Rusty’s supermarket, and chill out.
2	Cairns	The Abbott – Boutique Hotel	Full-day Great Barrier Reef Tour (find tours – Get Your Guide; Viator).
3	Cairns	The Abbott – Boutique Hotel	Explore Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation on a guided tour (book tours here –Viator; Get Your Guide);
4	Cairns	The Abbott – Boutique Hotel	Take a ferry to the Fitzroy Islands, snorkel, lunch, and Nudey beach (Book Now). Alternatively, take a scenic rail or a cable car over a rainforest in Kuranda (book your tour)
5	Melbourne	Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins	Take a flight to Melbourne. Check-in to the hotel, get settled and explore Melbourne CBD.
6	Melbourne	Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins	Visit Federation Square, Flinders Street Station, Victoria Market, and Melbourne Museum (Explore Melbourne).
7	Melbourne	Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins	Attend Boxing Day Test Match (Day 1) at MCG.
8	Melbourne	Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins	Boxing Day Test Match (Day 2) at MCG, explore Melbourne nightlife.
9	Melbourne	Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins	Great Ocean Road Tour by car or day-tour (book tours).
10	Melbourne	Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins	Relaxing day; Explore Melbourne laneways.
11	Melbourne	Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins	Philip Island Day Tour (book now).
12	Sydney	The Capitol Hotel	Visit Circular Quay, explore the Sydney Opera House, and enjoy New Year’s Eve fireworks.
13	Sydney	The Capitol Hotel	Explore Bondi Beach, Manly Beach, and Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair.
14	Sydney	The Capitol Hotel	Full-day Blue Mountains Tour (book here).
15	Sydney	The Capitol Hotel	Cricket Match – Day 2 at SCG.
16	Sydney	The Capitol Hotel	Relaxing day; Explore Sydney Harbour.
17	In Transit		Flight back to Bangalore; Arrival in Bangalore.

Plan Your Trip Today!

Australia awaits you with open arms, offering a unique blend of experiences. From the coral reefs of Cairns to the cultural charm of Melbourne and the iconic skyline of Sydney, this 17-day adventure is perfect for travellers who want it all.

Book your flights, accommodations, and tours (Get Your Guide; Viator) here to start your Australian adventure today!