Hi fellow travelers!

It’s an interesting process whenever it is time for me to post a new blog entry. I run through current events, property news, client feedback or anything else that seems to be on my radar for DownUnder travel. At the moment I have a few client come back from their adventure or are planning their trips to visit.

One of the first questions that always comes up is when is the best time to go. This really depends on a lot of things, most importantly, what you, the intrepid traveler, are looking to do. A lot people look to travel around the Christmas holiday break or just in winter to escape their current situations of shoveling snow or waking up to another day of below-freezing temperatures. This is when it seems most enticing to escape to a place as far away and tropical as Australia.

However, as our seasons are opposite to the Southern Hemisphere it is in fact their summer. In the northern part of Australia it’s considered the “Wet” season, or as we Floridians call it “Hurricane season”. This can put a damper on your trip if you are all set to go and are glued to the news to see if they will be getting hit with a major storm system and ultimately affect your dreams of tropical beaches and great diving on the Great Barrier Reef.

As someone who is going to be visiting Australia the things envious friends always ask are if you saw the Big 3: The Sydney Opera House, Ayers Rock (Uluru) and the Great Barrier Reef.  If you hit one or two of those three then you’re good. However, if you want a great beach and marine experience then our winter is not the best time to go if you want to get the Barrier Reef.

IF (and that’s a big “if”) we can get past the idea of having to do our diving or snorkeling on the Great BarrierReef than you open yourself up for an awesome option that not many people know about… Lord Howard Island.

Lord Howe Island is a little island about 450 miles due east of Sydney and is about 7 miles long. This is a tropical paradise and is beautifully contrasted with deep blues and aquas of the ocean against the rugged volcanic peaks and lush forests. As a travel destination you can find a sublime setting for exploration, adventure, relaxation and luxury comfort.

Time and again this has proved to be the cherry on the cake that people least expected. There are a few accommodations but we only work with a few due to the level of service you get is unparalleled. Past clients have stated the following, “Lord Howe Island is a well kept secret, and if you can send anyone there that’s definitely a great way to start any trip,” and “The service was above and beyond, we could have spent a week on the island and been fine.”

The thing that is unique to this island stay compared to other Great Barrier Reef alternatives is that from here there is more to do than just sit on a beach or dive in the water. Activities such as biking, kayaking or even hiking are available to do on the island.

So if you’ve got the winter blues and want to escape to a tropical paradise to mix in with your Australia adventure, then look no further. Paradise Found.

All the best to everyone out there and happy travels!
Ian

Client Feedback:

LHI was a wonderful choice for us, but we initially had concerns as our strong preference was to go to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR).  Unfortunately, February is not a good time to go the GBR, so Ian offered this alternative and told me we would love it and we did!  Very relaxing island living.  Just 400 guests on the island at a time.  Most people bike around.  We snorkeled on the “most southern coral reef in the world” and saw sharks, turtles, fish, beautiful coral, etc.  We went deep sea fishing and brought back our catch to our lodge where it was prepared and served to us and some of the other guests.  (Four of whom met at place we were staying 8 years ago and meet there every year!)  We golfed on a course with beautiful views.  We also hiked and were prepared a BBQ picnic backpack for us to enjoy on Ned’s Beach.  Lovely way to begin our terrific three week trip.  Could easily have stayed more days there, on Tasmania and also in Sydney.  

– Caroline (February 2013)