Activities in Pacific
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Riverlife Adventure Centre
Opened in 2005, this diverse centre offers a wealth of river- and land-based activities. Group kayaking lessons along the Brisbane River are held daily at 1pm ($34), Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7pm ($45), or you can hire your own ($25 for 1½ hours). The paddle and prawns ($69; 1½ hours kayaking followed by beer and prawns on the riverfront deck) on Friday nights from 7pm gets rave reviews. On Thursdays at noon you can participate in traditional Aboriginal song and dance performances (adult/child $45/25) with members of the Nunukul, Yuggera, Yugimbir and Nugi tribes. Performances ($65 per person) are also held on Saturday at 7pm; bookings are essential.
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Polynesian Spa
The Polynesian Spa is in the Government Gardens. A bathhouse was opened at these springs in 1882 and people have been swearing by the waters ever since. There is mineral bathing (36°C to 42°C) in several picturesque pools at the lake’s edge, marble-lined terraced pools and a larger, main pool. Also housed in the modern complex are several more commercial activities such as luxury therapies (massage, mud and beauty treatments) as well as a cafe and gift shop.
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TIME Unlimited
To Integrate Maori Experiences (TIME) is the motto. A hefty set of cultural, fishing, kayaking, trekking and sightseeing tours are outlined on its website, including excellent kayak-fishing excursions (day/overnight $290/590)
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Adrenalin Dive
Day trips to the Yongala (from $220) and Wheeler Reef (from $280), both including two dives. Also offers snorkelling (from $180) on Wheeler Reef as well as live-aboard trips, and dive certification courses.
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Bondi Beach
Definitively Sydney, Bondi is one of the world’s great beaches: ocean and land collide, the Pacific arrives in great foaming swells and all people are equal, as democratic as sand. It’s the closest ocean beach to the city centre (8km away), has consistently good (though crowded) waves, and is great for a rough-and-tumble swim (the average water temperature is a considerate 21°C). If the sea’s angry, try the salt-water sea baths at either end of the beach; these are perfect for kids.
The two surf clubs – Bondi and North Bondi – patrol the beach between sets of red and yellow flags, positioned to avoid the worst rips and holes. Thousands of unfortunates have to be re…
reviewed
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Bundaberg Aqua Scuba
About 16km east of Bundaberg, the small beach hamlet of Bargara has good diving and snorkelling at Barolin Rocks and in the Woongarra Marine Park. Bundaberg Aqua Scuba offers four-day, PADI open-water diving courses for $219, but this only includes shore dives. Advanced open-water dive courses cost from $265.
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Opera House Guided Tours
One-hour guided tours depart half-hourly (you’ll save a few bucks if you book online). Tours employ archival video footage to help tell the story of the iconic building’s construction. A highlight is the Utzon Room, the only part of the house to have an interior designed by the great man himself. For a more in-depth nosy around, the two-hour early-morning backstage tour includes the Green Room and stars’ dressing rooms.
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Tamaki Maori Village
Maori culture is a major drawcard in Rotorua and, although some find it heavily commercialised, it’s a great opportunity to learn more about the indigenous culture of NZ. The two big activities are concerts and hangi meals, often packaged together in an evening’s entertainment that features the famous hongi, haka, and poi dances.
An established favourite is Tamaki Maori Village, which does an excellent twilight tour to a marae (meeting house) and Maori village 15km south of Rotorua. Buses collect from the Hinemaru St booking office and also from most accommodation, and feature a briefing on marae protocol by a Maori ‘entertainer’ (aka hilarious bus driver). The concer…
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Gondola
The gondola whisks you from the Heathcote Valley terminal to the cafe-restaurant complex on Mt Cavendish (500m) in 10 minutes. Expect great views over Lyttelton Harbour and towards the Southern Alps. Paths lead to the Crater Rim Walkway, or you can gondola up and cycle down. Lyttelton bus 28 travels here. Secure a combo deal (adult/child/family $35/12/80) if you’re planning on also riding the tram.
reviewed
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PNG High Country Tours
Samuel Lulu runs tours and treks around the jungles and caves of the Eastern Highlands and out towards Simbu. He offers village accommodation in the Namasaro Unggai district west of Goroka.
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Snowplanet
Snowplanet is a winter wonderland that allows every day to be a snowy one, with indoor skiing, tobogganing and snowboarding. It’s just off SH1, 8km south of Orewa.
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Neudorf
Moss-covered barnlike complex; gorgeous pinot noir and some of the country’s finest chardonnay.
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Fraser Magic 4WD Hire
Hervey Bay is the most popular spot to hire a 4WD for Fraser Island.
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Manly Scenic Walkway
This epic 10km, four-hour walk tracks west from Manly through rugged Sydney Harbour National Park – wear sturdy shoes. It’s easy to forget you’re right in the middle of Sydney! Check the surf at Manly Beach then cruise down The Corso to Oceanworld on West Esplanade. Scan the view through The Heads from Fairlight Beach, and the yachts tugging on their moorings near Forty Baskets Beach. Kookaburras cackle as you enter the National Park and approach Reef Beach. The track becomes steep, sandy and rocky further into the park – keep an eye out for wildflowers, spiders in bottlebrush trees and fat goannas sunning themselves. The views from Dobroyd Head are unforgettable.…
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Puffing Billy Steam Train, Yarra Valley and Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary Day Tour
9 hours (Departs Melbourne, Australia)
by Viator
Enjoy a day tour in the Victorian countryside just outside of Melbourne. Start your tour chugging along on the Puffing Billy Steam Train through the cool fern g…
Not LP reviewed
from USD$141.63 -
Blue Mountains Nature and Wildlife Day Tour from Sydney
9 hours (Departs Sydney, Australia)
by Viator
Explore the beautiful bushland on Sydney's doorstep by taking a full-day nature and wildlife day trip to the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains. Leaving the c…Not LP reviewed
from USD$111.35 Advertisement
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Diving
Oh to have a few more hours in the day to squeeze in more dives! Marovo Lagoon provides superb dives for both experts and novices. Channels, caves, drop-offs, coral gardens, bommies and clouds of technicolour fish (and yes, sharks are part of the package) - what more could a diver hope for?
Marovo Lagoon has two state-of-the-art dive centres. One is based at Uepi Point (North Marovo Lagoon), the other is located in Peava (South Marovo Lagoon). It pays off to dive with each dive shop to maximise your diving experience during your stay in Marovo.
The live-aboard dive vessels MV Bilikiki and the MV Spirit of Solomons usually include the South Marovo Lagoon into their nine- an…
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Sydney and Bondi Hop-on Hop-off Tour
24 or 48 hours (Departs Sydney, Australia)
by Viator
Explore Sydney and Bondi with this 24 or 48 hour ticket aboard an open-top double-decker bus. See all the main sights as you hop on and hop off 34 conveniently …
Not LP reviewed
from USD$39.07 -
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BridgeClimb
Once only painters and daredevils (including your author!) scaled the Harbour Bridge –now anyone can do it (Bruce Springsteen, Bette Midler, Will Smith…). Make your way through the departure lounge and the extensive training session, don your headset, an umbilical safety cord and a dandy grey jumpsuit (Elvis would be so proud) and up you go. Even if you’re afraid of heights, the scariest part is crossing over the grates while under the bridge; on the curved span itself the track is wide enough that you never see straight down. Tours last 3½ hours – go to the toilet before you start the climb.
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Fantasea
Offers high-speed catamaran cruises to its Reefworld pontoon on the Great Barrier Reef, where you can snorkel, take a trip in a semisubmersible and check out the underwater viewing chamber (adult/child/family $225/102/589). An overnight 'Reefsleep' costs from $460.
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Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
At 7.5km long, Skyrail Rainforest Cableway is one of the world’s longest gondola cableways and provides a bird’s-eye view over the tropical rainforest. The journey takes about 90 minutes. It includes two stops along the way and features boardwalks that have interpretive panels and passes Barron Falls (which is reduced to a small stream in the Dry). The last departure from Cairns and Kuranda is at 3.45pm; transfers to and from the terminal (15 minutes’ drive north of Cairns) and combination deals (Scenic Railway and Skyrail) are available. As space is limited, only day packs are allowed on board.
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