What to do over Christmas

[luxury-lizard]

I'm racking my brain for ideas for a Christmas break - does not necessarily need to be exactly over Christmas - say 5-7 days. Here are the variables:-

• We have no children or family in Australia - so family oriented things are not possible
• Not willing to pay the exorbitant surcharges of most luxury resorts over this period (e.g. Saffire, Capella, Southern Ocean Lodge,, etc)
• Would like to avoid resorts/places where there are likely to be young families (i.e. loads of kids running around)
• Must avoid high-risk bush-fire areas (just cancelled a trip to Bellingen / Dorrigo due to this risk)
• Willing to fly almost anywhere within reason (given the short time frame) but happy diving as well
• Big cities over the holidays are pretty quite so not that compelling
• Must be home by early January - leaving for Wihstler in mid-January
• Like active breaks - hiking, tennis, etc - not ones to lie around the pool with colourful coughtails all day

So every year we go though this exercise and ultimately decide to stay home !!! So any off-the-wall ideas most welcome - could help others int he same boat.

 

[Antoallison]

Fly to Perth, ferry or fly to Rottnest Island. Stay 3 nights at Karma Resort ?
Midnight church service Xmas Eve in tiny chapel.
1130 Xmas Day lunch at the Rottnest Hotel $199 each !

So laid back on the island it could be described as being comatosed !

Or..Spend a few days cycling, swimming, diving, paddleboarding, quokka selfie there.

Then back to Fremantle, hire car for a quick trip to Margaret River wine region for 3 nights.

 

[Denali]

Tassie? Head to Launceston, Burnie, or Hobart. Enjoy the wonderful food and drinks. We did Cradle Mount and Launceston last year but another year was Port Arthur and Hobart.

NZ south island? We're hitting Wanaka and Lake Tekapo this year. Night and scenic photography for hubby, pool and spas for me.

 

[offshore171]

Tahiti

 

[ozjuice]

Well....I'm off to the Snowy peaks and idyllic scenery of Lake Tahoe for Xmas. But probably not what you were thinking.

 

[Scarlett]

A few months before I retire, my wife and I are going to get a big map of the world and each throw a dart at it. Whatever place is nearest to the midpoint between the darts is where we're going first.

Suggest you try that.

 

[offshore171]

Whatever place is nearest to the midpoint between the darts is where we're going first.

Suggest you try that.

Just hope that doesn’t end up being North Korea or Somalia!

 

[Scarlett]

Just hope that doesn’t end up being North Korea or Somalia!

Those I could handle, just need to have the right preparation. I'll actually go to the DPRK some time in the future. Somalia, no plans, as it's a country without a golf course.

Now, Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq or anywhere suffering an Ebola outbreak, that would be a problem. Maybe Venezuela at the present time too.

 

[luxury-lizard]

Hey - some great ideas - here's my take so far:-

• Rottnest - like it but J airfares are too high for the period and of course no award seats - 5 hours in Y is not enticing
• Tahiti - did that last year in late Nov/early Dec - was very enjoyable - snagged award j seats on QF/TN which helped
• Skiing - good idea but we're off to Whistler in mid-January (do this every year)
• Tassie or NZ - will do some research on places to stay/visit (found LA has $1100 to AKL return in J so attractive - could do Tassie in Y)
• Not sure about North Korea or Somalia - needs more research

 

[pippen_2k]

Whistler in mid Jan - Just stay at home (again)

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

TASMANIA ! We have spent a lot of time in tassie - weather is good - not too hot. There are some great places to stay. Good food and wine.

We have stayed twice at Saffire - it is great.

Inside Tasmania's Most Beautiful Road Trip

Luxury lodges, a raspberry farm and the cutest wildlife you ever did see, this is the road trip that shows you the real Tasmania...

www.australiantraveller.com

Saffire Freycinet - Luxury Resort & Accommodation Tasmania - Coles Bay

Saffire Freycinet is one of the world's finest luxury lodges. Browse our luxury accommodation and all-inclusive experiences. Book online.

saffire-freycinet.com.au

Mona Pavilions – Stay | Mona

Come and stay with us at Mona—not in the museum (unless you’re dead), but in our super flash luxury dens on the River Derwent.

mona.net.au

Lake St Clair Accommodation - Tasmanian Wilderness Retreat - Pumphouse Point

Pumphouse Point is Tasmania’s newest wilderness retreat, offering a unique Lake St Clair accommodation experience inside the Tasmanian World Heritage Area.

www.pumphousepoint.com.au

EDIT : you can forget these 3 places - they are totally booked out 20/12 for two weeks !

 

[Antoallison]

TASMANIA ! We have spent a lot of time in tassie - weather is good - not too hot. There are some great places to stay. Good food and wine.

We have stayed twice at Saffire - it is great.

Saffire Freycinet - Luxury Resort & Accommodation Tasmania - Coles Bay

Saffire Freycinet is one of the world's finest luxury lodges. Browse our luxury accommodation and all-inclusive experiences. Book online.

saffire-freycinet.com.au

Inside Tasmania's Most Beautiful Road Trip

Luxury lodges, a raspberry farm and the cutest wildlife you ever did see, this is the road trip that shows you the real Tasmania...

www.australiantraveller.com

Mona Pavilions – Stay | Mona

Come and stay with us at Mona—not in the museum (unless you’re dead), but in our super flash luxury dens on the River Derwent.

mona.net.au

Lake St Clair Accommodation - Tasmanian Wilderness Retreat - Pumphouse Point

Pumphouse Point is Tasmania’s newest wilderness retreat, offering a unique Lake St Clair accommodation experience inside the Tasmanian World Heritage Area.

www.pumphousepoint.com.au

OK if you are not coming West to Rotto, then I concede that Tassie is the next best for lovely weather, friendly people and lots to see.

 

[luxury-lizard]

OK if you are not coming West to Rotto, then I concede that Tassie is the next best for lovely weather, friendly people and lots to see.

Actually just found J award seats to PER ex BNE with connections from/to SYD - will keep checking this out. QF website just gave weird results but AwardNexus found a number of days - some with > option - would be using AA points.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

WA - This is what we are doing in August 2020 =

Drive A Road Trip Through Western Australia's Silo Trail

In the heart of the Western Australian wheatbelt region, radical expressions of art have transformed grain silos into art galleries, and small towns into destinations

www.australiantraveller.com

PUBLIC Silo Trail | Discover WA's largest outdoor art gallery

World-class murals on West Australian silos by internationally acclaimed artists transforming WA's regional heartland into an open-air art gallery.

www.publicsilotrail.com

https://www.westernaustralia.com/en/things_to_do/Food_and_Wine/wineries_and_wine_tasting_in_WA/Pages/Margaret_River_Wine_Region.aspx#/

 

[Denali]

WA - This is what we are doing in August 2020 =

Drive A Road Trip Through Western Australia's Silo Trail

In the heart of the Western Australian wheatbelt region, radical expressions of art have transformed grain silos into art galleries, and small towns into destinations

www.australiantraveller.com

PUBLIC Silo Trail | Discover WA's largest outdoor art gallery

World-class murals on West Australian silos by internationally acclaimed artists transforming WA's regional heartland into an open-air art gallery.

www.publicsilotrail.com

https://www.westernaustralia.com/en/things_to_do/Food_and_Wine/wineries_and_wine_tasting_in_WA/Pages/Margaret_River_Wine_Region.aspx#/

Silos without me!

 

[Buzzard]

Hong Kong is pretty inexpensive at the moment

 

[Sabot]

I'm racking my brain for ideas for a Christmas break - does not necessarily need to be exactly over Christmas - say 5-7 days. Here are the variables:-

• We have no children or family in Australia - so family oriented things are not possible
• Not willing to pay the exorbitant surcharges of most luxury resorts over this period (e.g. Saffire, Capella, Southern Ocean Lodge,, etc)
• Would like to avoid resorts/places where there are likely to be young families (i.e. loads of kids running around)
• Must avoid high-risk bush-fire areas (just cancelled a trip to Bellingen / Dorrigo due to this risk)
• Willing to fly almost anywhere within reason (given the short time frame) but happy diving as well
• Big cities over the holidays are pretty quite so not that compelling
• Must be home by early January - leaving for Wihstler in mid-January
• Like active breaks - hiking, tennis, etc - not ones to lie around the pool with colourful coughtails all day

So every year we go though this exercise and ultimately decide to stay home !!! So any off-the-wall ideas most welcome - could help others int he same boat.

Cradle Mountain in Tas, go for a walk around Lake St. Clair

OR

Economy flights to DFW in the US are cheap, have a white Christmas.

 

[Antoallison]

WA - This is what we are doing in August 2020 =

Drive A Road Trip Through Western Australia's Silo Trail

In the heart of the Western Australian wheatbelt region, radical expressions of art have transformed grain silos into art galleries, and small towns into destinations

www.australiantraveller.com

PUBLIC Silo Trail | Discover WA's largest outdoor art gallery

World-class murals on West Australian silos by internationally acclaimed artists transforming WA's regional heartland into an open-air art gallery.

www.publicsilotrail.com

https://www.westernaustralia.com/en/things_to_do/Food_and_Wine/wineries_and_wine_tasting_in_WA/Pages/Margaret_River_Wine_Region.aspx#/

My friend just did it..said it was a lot of driving but they are unique.

Have you ever been to Albany ?

I have a big birthday in August, so planning on being o/s - but if not would love to meet up with you.

 

[tgh]

The Silver muse sails from Akl on the 20th for Melbourne and Sidderney.

Discover Enticing Cruises to Australia-New Zealand | Silversea

Amaze yourself with Australia and New Zealand cruise and explore the lands of superlatives with all-inclusive Silversea cruise packages.

www.silversea.com

This is a great way to dip the toe in the cruising pool.
A new expedition ship , the Coral Adventurer , sails from Darwin for a loop around the Spice Islands ending in Biak

Spice Islands & Raja Ampat | Darwin - Biak | 12 Nights | Coral Expeditions

www.coralexpeditions.com

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

The Silver muse sails from Akl on the 20th for Melbourne and Sidderney.

Discover Enticing Cruises to Australia-New Zealand | Silversea

Amaze yourself with Australia and New Zealand cruise and explore the lands of superlatives with all-inclusive Silversea cruise packages.

www.silversea.com

This is a great way to dip the toe in the cruising pool.
A new expedition ship , the Coral Adventurer , sails from Darwin for a loop around the Spice Islands ending in Biak

Spice Islands & Raja Ampat | Darwin - Biak | 12 Nights | Coral Expeditions

www.coralexpeditions.com

I can definitely endorse the Silver Muse cruise - we did that Sydney to Auckland in Feb this year - fantastic ship - great food = we had a great time !