Hamilton Island vs Cairns

[smit0847]

Received an email today to say VA had begun direct MEL-HTI services. Thinking it might be a good opportunity to burn some points on J rewards as it's a leisure destination but J is still offered.

I've never been there so would like some advice on how it compares to Cairns. We adore Cairns (Cairns Northern Beaches especially), but are finding it extremely expensive the last few years to the point where Bali or Thailand would be about the same price.

Is it more or less expensive than Cairns? Is it as lush and are the beaches as good? Are the locals as laid back? Is it a similar climate, ie avoid going there during monsoon season but its fantastic during a Melbourne winter?

Thanks

 

[elbarto]

I've been looking at doing a weekend to HTI recently and the cheapest accommodation I've been able to find is $270 a night

 

[markis10]

HTI is pretty much a monopoly when it comes to accommodation, food etc, and everything costs money like the buggy hire which is not cheap:

1 hour $45.00
2 hours $55.00
3 hours $60.00
24 hours $85.00
8.30am to 4.30pm $70.00
Overnight 4.30pm to 8.30am $55.00

IMHO there are better islands to spend the money on even though a few have closed.

 

[AdMEL]

I've been to HTI once, almost ten years ago. My recollection is that it was horrendously expensive! Didn't have to worry about accommodation, as we were chartering a yacht, but I recall looking at accommodation and, as already mentioned, it was expensive. Again, as already mentioned, it's a captive tourist audience, so prices are high. If I recall correctly, an example of how expensive - coffee was about $5! If you think Cairns is expensive, HTI will be more expensive!

 

[Limewood]

Been to HI many times over the years, the thing to do is either relax on the Island, swim snorkel and eat with many choices (inc. swim up bar) or best is hire a yacht or cruiser no licence req (they only do about 10 knots), go see the other islands. The motor cruisers are great from either Hamilton or Airlie beach, they give you a briefing before you leave the wharf, wakeup each day in a different bay and whitehaven beach just has to be seen.

 

[smit0847]

Thanks all - I'll give HTI a miss.

Can anyone suggest anywhere in Australia that has the climate and beaches of Cairns without the high price tag?

 

[eastwest101]

Thanks all - I'll give HTI a miss.

Can anyone suggest anywhere in Australia that has the climate and beaches of Cairns without the high price tag?

I have heard nice things about Fiji, within Australia though Cairns is still the best of a very overpriced bad bunch, when you look at the alternatives like Hamilton Is or say Broome/Darwin.

 

[lovestotravel]

Hamilton Island is overpriced and rubbish

Thailand/Hawaii/Fiji/Cook Islands are far far better

 

[Ausbt]

We adore Cairns (Cairns Northern Beaches especially),
Thanks

Do you really like Cairns? Please sell me on it, as I'd like to go back but I'm struggling to see what's so good about it. Take Trinity Beach - is this supposed to be a good spot? The beach to me looked fairly underwhelming. I don't mind a day trip up to Kuranda and I like Port Douglas well enough but otherwise...

I'm also looking for some warmth and I have some tickets to book. I wouldn't mind giving the Cairns Hilton at least a night of accom and them moving on up, but I just need a solid recommendation to get me to go.

 

[dfcatch]

Do you really like Cairns? Please sell me on it, as I'd like to go back but I'm struggling to see what's so good about it. Take Trinity Beach - is this supposed to be a good spot? The beach to me looked fairly underwhelming. I don't mind a day trip up to Kuranda and I like Port Douglas well enough but otherwise...

I'm also looking for some warmth and I have some tickets to book. I wouldn't mind giving the Cairns Hilton at least a night of accom and them moving on up, but I just need a solid recommendation to get me to go.

The attraction of CNS is the climate and the reef.

Some people simply like the amenity of Port Douglas or Palm Cove.

The city itself is nothing special - simply a base for other activities.

If the climate and reef don't particularly float your boat (so to speak) then I would look elsewhere

 

[smit0847]

Do you really like Cairns? Please sell me on it, as I'd like to go back but I'm struggling to see what's so good about it. Take Trinity Beach - is this supposed to be a good spot? The beach to me looked fairly underwhelming. I don't mind a day trip up to Kuranda and I like Port Douglas well enough but otherwise...

I'm also looking for some warmth and I have some tickets to book. I wouldn't mind giving the Cairns Hilton at least a night of accom and them moving on up, but I just need a solid recommendation to get me to go.

Trinity Beach is honestly my absolute favourite place is Australia (although it has changed a bit in the past few years). Getting a direct flight from MEL on a freezing winter morning, you're in Trinity Beach by lunchtime and you're going from 15 degrees to 28 degrees in just a few hours. I can see why it wouldn't be for everyone but we love it because it's a sleepy, lush little tropical 'town'. I think the beach is beautiful and even during winter school holidays and weekends, it's never busy. We like that there are lots of locals and everyones laid back and friendly - we're very much 'sit in the sun with a cold local beer watching the world go by and saying hi to the locals' kind of travellers. You will need a hire car because everything quite spread out. I wouldn't bother going up to Cape Trib - it's a long way to go just to look at another beach. We'd tried Palm Cove and Port Douglas and although they're further north so more convenient for reef visits, they're full of honeymooners and white-pant wearing resort folk who talk about who's the best plastic surgeon in Sydney. They're really expensive too because they only cater to tourists - a seafood platter for 2 in a standard restaurant is $180+.
We usually hate corny attractions but had a fantastic day at Hartleys Crocodile farm - I highly recommend it.

Cairns is a much bigger town but there are no beaches in the town (hence the northern suburbs being called 'Cairns beaches'). We don't really bother with Cairns CBD - when we land we head straight North. FNQ probably isn't so appealing for anyone who lives in a warm and/or tropical/lush climate but for someone from Adelaide now living in Melbourne and used to cold baren-ness, nipping up to Cairns in June or July and the warm air hitting you the second you step out of the plane is one of life's little pleasures.

 

[Ausbt]

We like that there are lots of locals and everyones laid back and friendly - we're very much 'sit in the sun with a cold local beer watching the world go by and saying hi to the locals' kind of travellers.

Thanks smit0847 well look I'm warming to the idea (who wouldn't be at this time of year!). I think my viewpoint has been coloured by a couple of work trips, and that's certainly no way to really get the feel for a place. I was also tossing up HTI but as others have said, too expensive. I like my sailing but the +1 does not, so Hammo really is not an option. I'm going to take a look at a few accom options around Trinity I think.

 

[markis10]

Magnetic Island off Townsville is an option with a range of property styles on offer.

 

[Limewood]

Its Palm Cove for me or an hours drive to Port Douglas and good cheap feed at the Tin Shed with best beer around. Big markets on at PD Sundays and/or take a walk along 4 mile beach.

Mondo's at Cairns Hilton is a great place for lunch, can watch the boats go by, another spot is the Pier Bar & Grill on weekends, buy a feed get a free drink, or pizza special just $5. Plenty of good places to stay $100/$150 a night, just need to know where.

 

[Magpie10]

Yes I agree with markis10 don't leave Magnetic Island out of the mix. Usually go to Hamo but tried Maggie for a change and was pleasantly surprised. We actually stayed at the Mantra which is now a Mercure, but you should see the size of the pool at Peppers absolutely huge. Supermarket to buy provisions, you can hire a moe but we used the local bus to et around. Check out some accommdation on the web.

 

[quokka77]

It's too cold for June / July but my favourite beach holidays in Australia so far have been on Stradbroke Island. Not cheap either especially when you take the vehicle ferry into account but that helps keep the beach clean and pristine. Cairns and Hamilton are both magic. If you're on a budget Cairns has a lot more options. I have also heard good things about Magnetic Island. If you're really feeling cheap there is plenty of amazingly good camping along the Queensland coast (Hinchinbrook, Fraser etc etc), with waterfront views and soothing ocean sounds guaranteed!