Australia’s 7 Most Refreshing Holiday Destinations
5 Seeds cider is all about that summer feeling of kicking back with your friends and enjoying good times and new experiences.
We’ve teamed up with 5 Seeds Cider to bring you refreshingly different travel stories that will make you want to grab some friends, pack your bags and head off on your next adventure.
You know those holidays you come back from needing a holiday? Those destinations where there’s a tonne of sightseeing to do during the day and an excess of crazy partying to do at night? You’re figuring out the public transport, battling lines in touristy spots and trying to tick off everything on your massive to do list. Sometimes you need something a little more refreshing – an actually holiday and a bit of an adventure. Here’s our list of Australia’s top refreshing holiday spots that are anything but ordinary.
#1 Esperance, Western Australia
This is the destination for the real road-trippers who like their reward to taste all the sweeter for the drive.
It may be a touch over 700 kilometres south east of Perth, but this super refreshing coastal town is so worth the trek if you’re up for an adventure in your holidays. Snow-white secluded beaches, beautiful national parks and plenty of islands to explore, Esperance WA is the Australian outback but a little less dusty and a lot more revitalising.
Check out Blue Have, Twilight Cove, Salmon Bay, Nine Mile Beach, Observatory Point and Lucky Bay for some really special spots or head off on the Great Ocean Drive that runs from Esperance along the stunning southern coast. For something different, visit the famous Pink Lake – a massive salt lake that morphs from a brilliant blue to a fairy-tale pink at certain times due to algae.
#2 Merimbula, NSW
This absolute gem of a town is the perfect combination of relaxed and laid-back beach fun with enough nightlife to meet the locals and other travellers and tonnes of activities to do with them the next day. A couple of hours south of Sydney, you’ll find this holiday haven featuring the perfect little sandbar beach complete with a cafe in a shipping container to keep you satisfied throughout the sunny days.
Head down to the pier and join in with the seemingly endless number of daredevils leaping for their lives off the huge wooden structure into the crystal water (try not to land on a dolphin. Seriously). At night hit up Ritzy Wine & Tapas Bar where everyone crowds in for a chilled but super fun locals’ night – order the patatas bravas.
#3 Great Ocean Road, Victoria
A meandering road trip with no time limits and no ultimate destination except the next beach, nearest local pub or upcoming epic lookout – that’s the Great Ocean Road.
Stop along the way wherever takes your fancy. You can’t go wrong with Torquay, Lorne or Apollo Bay for an awesome atmosphere and great nightlife on the weekends . Wander into the hills to discover hidden waterfalls and swimming holes or stick to the sand for some surfing and snorkelling. Drive up into the Otways to try your hand at mountain biking on the world-class trails. You’ll make it to the 12 Apostles eventually. Otherwise, relax, there’s always next time.
#4 Cape Tribulation, Queensland
In the heart of the Daintree Rainforest and right by the Great Barrier Reef is where you’ll find the ridiculously beautiful and seriously refreshing Cape Tribulation. It’s the only destination on the planet where two World Heritage areas meet so needless to say, it’s a pretty pristine place to holiday.
Tumbling rainforest on one side and sparkling, coral-filled waters on the other, the village and surrounds is an amazing spot for bush walking, kayaking, horse riding treks, diving and snorkelling, zip lining through the rainforest canopy, 4WD safaris and even exotic fruit tasting. It’s the perfect canvas for you and your mates to create some adventure.
#5 Flinders Island, Tasmania
There’s nothing more refreshing than the feeling of getting away from it all, without the hassle of actually having to go very far. Take a short flight from Melbourne or Tasmania and you’ll land on a seriously rejuvenating island in the Bass Straight. Cove after cove of deserted beaches without a footprint in the stunning white sand, immense granite boulders covered in brilliantly orange lichen, endlessly blue snorkelling spots without another soul in sight. Combine this with beautiful bush walks, boat rides, super friendly locals and some incredible local food and you’ve found Flinders Island. Hire a car and take at least a week to explore this island full of hidden gems (mind the resident wallabies and paddymelons) and at the end of each day sit back, order a freshly caught crayfish plus a cool drink and enjoy the feeling of convenient isolation.
#6 Brunswick Heads, New South Wales
On the NSW far north coast lies this awesome escape, perfect for a week-long getaway with your mates. Brunswick Heads is Byron Bay’s less busy and more relaxed little cousin, situated just down the road. This small, unspoiled coastal village is nestled in between a protected rainforest, a picturesque marina and a sweet surfing beach. Couple this with a ton of great restaurants and cafes, shopping, plus beach and river activities and it’s a perfectly refreshing destination to while away a few sunny days. On Park Street you’ll find cool summer vibes with outdoor dining and a great homemade pasta bar or fire up a BBQ in one of the beach-side picnic areas for a chilled night with mates, surrounded by the locals.
#7 Rottnest Island, Western Australia
It’s only 19 kilometres off the coast of Perth, but in reality it feels like a million miles away. There are 63 – count em’, 63 – beaches on this sunny little island that are perfect for snorkelling, swimming or just soaking up some rays. Each time you turn a corner, another spectacular landscape comes into view.
The super picturesque island has some of Australia’s most dazzling marine life as well as famously being home to some gorgeous and friendly marsupials called quokkas. Every year Rottnest turns it on for the seriously cool Castaway Festival where the likes of Peking Duk plays to a sun-drenched crowd on their own little island paradise.
When you look at the world differently, opportunities open up. We’ve partnered with 5 Seeds Cider to offer fresh perspectives and out of the ordinary stories on travel.
