The Great Ocean Road Trip from Melbourne - Highlights

Welcome to the Great Ocean Road !!!

Great Ocean Road is Australia's most famous and one of the world's most scenic coastal drives which gets you up close with the wondrous yet frightening southern ocean. Nothing can prepare you for what lies in store, for this road trip offers a diverse array of things to see and explore.

If you are planning your own Great Ocean Road adventure trip , here is how we can help. We have an itinerary to help you nail down your own without spending hours.

You cannot be blamed if you jump out of that car every time you see a lay-by on your road trip in Australia :D

Day 1 : Fly from Singapore to Melbourne. Pick up rental car (we rented a Mitsubishi ASX SUV from thrifty via rentalcars.com ). Stock up on nibbles and munchies before you hit the road. 

Drive to the city in the evening to see Melbourne street art and graffiti. Melbourne street art is in every nook and cranny of the city. However , hossier lane , AC/DC lane and Duckboard place, Centre place, Union lane are among the most notable ones where you can see tourists left right and centre. Undoubtedly, hossier lane is our favourite.Take your pick !

After spending hours walking through the claustrophobic walls of melbourne laneways, we couldn't figure out what anything on that wall ever meant ( blame it on our not - so-artistic souls :P) but the kaleidoscope of colours was truly a feast for the eyes. 

Stay at Park Royal Airport Hotel.

walking through the hossier lane ......

Day 2 :  Drive to Torquay - the seaside town that marks the beginning of the GOR. This memorial arch sets your expectations high and rest assured that you'll never be disappointed. There are surprises everywhere !!

Stop at Bells beach , Bird Rock Lookout at Jan Juc beach.

The GOR officially starts at Torquay

Drive to Lorne - yet another beautiful seaside town along the GOR to relax and unwind. It's only a 45 minutes drive from torquay. There is more to Lorne than just beaches. Enjoy spectacular views of the winding roads of GOR hugging the coastline from Teddy's Lookout. You can also take a 45 minutes bush walk near the lookout.

Stay at RACV Torquay resort

this is the view from Teddy's Lookout 

View from our Ocean Suite at RACV Torquay Resort

Day 3 : Drive to Port Campbell. Stop at Lorne and Apollo Bay. Apollo Bay is one of our favourite towns.

Expect scenic lookouts like this on your way : 

It's a no - brainer that the winding narrow roads of GOR requires the driver to be alert all the time. Allow yourself enough time to enjoy the drive and savour every view along the way. Do not rush.

We couldn't get enough of the crashing southern ocean waves

In Lorne , you can stop at Kenneth river , Forest Edge near Grey river road to see koalas in the wild.

Mariner's look out , Maits rest walk (800m) and triplet falls( one hour walk) are a few points of interest in Apollo Bay.

View from Mariner's look out - Apollo Bay

Drive through the Great Otway National Park. Stop at Cape Otway Lighthouse. It is extremely windy up there !!!

Stay at Loch Ard Motor Inn ( Highly Recommended )

driving through the Great Otway National Park.....

The Cape Otway Light House 

Wake up to this amazing view at Loch Ard Motor Inn

Right in front of our room at Loch Ard Motor Inn - Your morning cuppa can't get any better than this !! :)

Day 4 :   The Arch , London Bridge , The Apostles, Gibson Steps, Loch Ard Gorge, the Grotto and Bay of Islands were the order of the day. 

( pls note : there is a viewing platform at the Gibson steps. If you need to make your way down, you have to take the 86 steps staircase if the weather permits. It was very slippery when we went down. Stay safe ! )

The Arch

London Bridge has fallen down .... :D

Aww.. Australia's very own Apostles - The Twelve Apostles

Take the Gibson steps to get up close with the Apostle. After an 86 step staircase down the cliff face , we made it to the Apostle...phew !!!

Gibson steps will take you here !!!

Loch Ard Gorge

Three of us at The Grotto :)

Day 5 : Head to the Port Campbell scenic lookout to view the natural harbour , beach and the township of Port Campbell. Take a walk in the Port Campbell National Park. Head back to Melbourne. We chose to drive via GOR which was 2 hours longer than the highway route.

Stay at Ibis Melbourne

Port Campbell Scenic Lookout

walking in the Port Campbell National Park.....

Day 6 : Visit yarra valley and dandenong ranges - you can take an early morning balloon flight or sample some of the best wine in this world renowned Australian wine region. 

Drive through the scenic road that stretches between the towns of Haelsville and Marysville winding through the rainforest filled with tall black spur trees with ferns. It is known as the Black Spur Drive - one of Victoria's popular roads and a must - do for road trip junkies like us ;-). Pictures can't really capture the beauty of this drive and there ain't many lay - bys here where you can pull off your car and stop as it's a winding road. So put that camera down , sit back, relax and enjoy the drive !! :-).You can also drive to / take the keppel look out trail and stop at stevensons falls.( note these are gravel roads ).

The Black Spur Drive

We chose to drive to the philip island later in the afternoon instead of dandenong ranges. It takes about 2 hours to get there from yarra valley. Ideally you should be visiting philip island on a different day. As we had to fly back home the following day, we decided to skip the dandenong ranges and visit philip island.

Stroll along the nobbies boardwalk at the philip island overlooking the wild waters of Bass Strait and enjoy the amazing view of the rugged coastline of the island.

There are dozens of things to do in this island.Take a look here.You can also visit the Koala conservation centre or head out to see the penguin parade

The Nobbies - boardwalk

Day 7 : Fly back to Singapore !

Hope you enjoyed the Great Ocean Road with us. Travel , Fall in love and be happy ! ✈️✈️

A Road Trip In SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND - An Itinerary For You !!!

It's Christmas and the festive season is here again... when the hotels and flights are jam - packed with the holiday season officially kicked off !! Who wouldn't have a getaway planned out this month !? Sadly , whilst time is in our favour , weather in most parts of the world is NOT !! Thanks to the seasonal lags, we still have places like New Zealand to plan our Summer road trips during the official winter months. This land of the long white cloud is a perfect escape to the winter in the Northern Hemisphere. 

South Island of NZ has a more astounding variety of natural attractions when compared to the Country's North Island and not surprisingly, has more tourists pouring in every summer. According to us, the best time to visit NZ is during summer , i.e. , from December through February and these are the warmest months in NZ with all the lush greenery making way to many spectacular landscapes.

However, If you would like to escape the overwhelming crowd of the peak season, November would be ideal for you. Being the last off - shoulder season of the calendar year, it would be less touristy and just starting to get busier. The late spring weather would not disappoint you either  :-)

Here's a road map of our Great Summer Kiwi Road Trip :

There are only limited places in the world where a road trip can be as convenient, relaxing and safe as you can get and New Zealand undoubtedly is one of the safest places on earth you can ever think of for a self drive tour. So do make sure you explore this stunning southern pacific island nation on your own wheels !!;-) .We hired a Nissan Tiida from ANZED Rentals... Check out to see what best suits your needs here : http://www.anzed.co.nz

Get Lost In Nature And You Will Find Yourself !!!

Look Who Was Waiting For A Ride...haha.... :D

As we set out on our first long day of drive in this Kiwi land, we were awestruck by the stunning and diverse surprises of nature making us feel a bounce at every step. Be it the jagged mountains & fjords , or be it the rolling pasture lands and the milky pristine lakes......NZ welcomes you in a way that you will never want to go back home.

A carpet of wild flowers spread like a Golden Sea ...........

It's jokingly said that the New Zealanders are greatly outnumbered by cattle and sheep.....We soon realised it was indeed a fact. You are likely to spot more sheep than New Zealanders on your road trip in the country 

Here's a quick glimpse at our 10 - days Road Trip in South Island and the places we stayed :

Day 1 :  We landed in Christchurch by Singapore Airlines. We spent day1 getting our rental car and stocking up on snacks and groceries and headed to explore the quake city later in the evevning.

Stay @ Ibis Christchurch

Day 2 : Drive to Dunedin. Stop at Rakai salmon statue, Ommaru, Moeraki Boulders on your way to Dunedin.

Stay @ kings gate hotel dunedin

Day 3:  Visit Cadbury World,  drive to Te Anau,  take glow worm cave tour ( book tickets in advance ).

#we made all our bookings through relaxing journeys. And they were awesome :-)

It was new year's eve when we visited Te Anau. We rung in the new year with bonfire and fireworks with new Zealanders in Te Anau.

Stay @ Aden Motel 

Day 4: Drive to Milford Sound, there are many short hikes and trails you can explore enroute... like mirror lakes , chasm to name a few. So make sure you start early so that you have ample time to enjoy the drive. Driving to Milford is challenging  with so many winding roads along the mountain side but equally scenic and exciting. 

At Milford, take the milford sound cruise and enjoy the spectacular Milford Sound Fiordland...Book your tickets well in advance through real journeys

Imagine yourself on a cruise with spacious decks and comfortable lounges with a wide variety of lunch options while you enjoy the spectacular views of massive waterfalls , cliffs , glaciers and rainforests. You can also spot wild seals and dolphins in their natural habitat.... What a treat !!??

If you are looking for a laid-back overnight experience, it's all here for you. Take a look here !

We drove back to Queenstown via Te Anau the same day and we have to admit that we felt worn out by the time we reached Queenstown. So we suggest to have a stopover at Te Anau and then drive to Queenstown the next day.

Stay @ Hilton Kawarau 

Stay 5-7: We spent the next 3 days in the world - renowned adventure city of NZ, Queenstown... It's a beautiful city with so many great things to do that it can literally burn a hole in your pocket...:D From sky diving , bungee jumping , white water rafting , zip lining to breath taking helicopter flights and vineyard tours... the city has a lot in store for you.

Well, we spent our days in the city zip trekking , bungee jumping, jetboating and what not ! We also took the helicopter  glacier landing flight ( highly recommended ), and also visited the Gibbson valley winery....

You can take a look at our related article to see what we did during our time in Queenstown.

http://nomadicbunnies.blogspot.sg/2016/06/10-must-do-things-in-new-zealand-coming.html

Stay @ Hilton Kawarau

Day 8 :  Drive back to Christchurch , stop at Cromwell and go for a fun cherry picking....stop at the beautiful lake Wanaka for  a quick lunch before heading to Christchurch. 

Stay @ Ibis Christchurch

Day 9 : We spent day 9 relaxing at the hotel and driving around Christchurch. We also drove to a historic french town in NZ, Akaroa , which is just 75kms from the city.  

Stay @ Ibis Christchurch

Day 10 : Fly back to Singapore 

We are sure this one article of ours is enough to persuade one to pack their bags for New Zealand..... Yet we would want to share more of the picturesque South Island......

Check out the below photo journal which tells you why a road trip in NZ has to be on your bucket list right away !!!

http://nomadicbunnies.blogspot.sg/2015/09/10-reasons-in-pictures-why-you-need-to.html

                                    

                                                   Happy Travels !!!

10 Must-do things in New Zealand ( Coming Soon !! )

10 REASONS ( IN PICTURES ) WHY YOU NEED TO PACK YOUR BAGS FOR NEW ZEALAND !

For we do believe in the adage , " A Picture is worth a thousand words " , it's needless for us to say more about why a vacation in New Zealand is anyone's stuff of dreams ! Here we have compiled our favourite 10 photographs from NZ and we sure hope this might want you pack your bags and head to New Zealand right away !

Also , Do not forget to take a look at our 10 - days Road trip itinerary if this has persuaded you to plan your next holiday to NZ :-)

#1 :

** Spectacular Southern Alps And Glacial lakes....it's all here to enjoy !!  **

#2 : 

** Lake Wakatipu - Experience NZ in all it's Colour & Beauty **

#3 : 

** Walking Straight into a Fairy tale !!! **

#4 : 

** Experience the breath - taking view of the Southern NZ Alps from the air ^_^ **

#5 : 

** Get Caught Up in the Unique Colour & intense beauty of the Startling locations of South Island **

#6 : 

** Marvel at the thick forested Gorges on your drive to Milford Sound ... aah Nature , you beauty ! :-) **

#7 : 

** there's no blissful way to appreciate nature than sitting lakeside having a quiet moment **

#8 :

** Go On A Helicopter - ride landing atop some of the stunning Glaciers - An experience you will never forget ! **

#9 : 

**  On the Edge Of Paradise ...... ♪  **

#10 : 

** there's always a new stunning view around the corner in NZ **

HAPPY TRAVELS , EVERYONE !!! 

Bandos Maldives - A Perfect Paradise Escapade !

With the holiday season hanging around, when work is no more a priority and your heart longing to indulge in laziness, an island escapade is the obvious first choice on anyone's list. 

Want to rejuvenate and pamper yourself in an island far away from civilisation yet everything at your doorsteps ? - Count yourself lucky, there isn't any shortage of beautiful tiny islands in the world. On the contrary, we are spoiled by choices. All we need to do is to pick and choose.

It was the month of October ( October is always special for us as it's our wedding anniversary and we cannot afford to miss a toast to each other on this special day, having mastered the extreme skills of tolerating each other, haha   ) and we decided to jet off to the stunning coral islands of Maldives in the Indian Ocean.

Maldives is home to perhaps the most pristine beaches in the world. The captivating natural atolls scattered across the Indian Ocean - Arabian Sea area are truly the stuff that dreams are made of.

Soon we started surfing the web in high hopes of finding that perfect resort to celebrate our special day. But we were overwhelmingly exhausted by way too many choices of luxury resorts that claim to be one - of - a - kind. Despite such a wide choice of experiences, we now know Bandos Island Resort is our favourite and we sure hope to return for more someday.

WHY BANDOS ?

In dire needs of a get - away - from - it - all holiday ? Then, Bandos is the place. We spent 4D3N at this resort and we couldn't have chosen better !

Imagine hopping on a Seaplane for an hour or so after the long tiring flight to Male. Sounds annoying ? Well , this island paradise takes just a 15 - 20 minutes ride by speed boat from the Airport. How cool is that ? The speed boat transfer is arranged by the resort themselves. A Resort staff would be waiting for you at the Airport and you are right there in the next half an hour !!!

It's a known fact that Maldives is one of the luxurious beach destinations in the world. And who wouldn't want to save on holiday expenses ? The speed boat transfer takes only a fraction of the cost of what you pay for a Seaplane transfer and you get to enjoy an unrivalled luxury at Bandos. The kaleidoscope of colours of this post - card perfect private resort is bound to take your breath away.

THE CHARMING BEACHFRONT AND WATER VILLAS OF BANDOS

These hut like beachfront villas of Bandos opens to the stunning panoramic view of the sea and are spacious enough making it just perfect for a family. The villas also come with an open - air Jacuzzi with a roof shade and a balcony where you can relax to the soothing sound of waves. Beachfront Villa is a good choice if you really need to cut down a little on the expenses.

However, we would highly suggest you go for the unique stay in the water villas nestled around the crystal blue lagoons to enjoy that complete privacy you seek in your holiday. There ain't many in Bandos , so manage to book well in advance.

BEACHFRONT VILLAS SURRUNDED BY LUSH GREENERY

SUNSET BY THE WATER VILLA

Bandos offers unlimited fun that you will never run out of things to do here. Yet there is something universal to all the island resorts. It's only in the islands you enjoy every single moment literally doing nothing.

There are a wide variety of excursions and day trips available at Bandos - night fishing , sunset and dolphin cruises, snorkelling trips to the beautiful house reef to mention a few ! And in a place where you see more water than land , you wouldn't be surprised by the choices of water sports on offer. Click here to find out more : http://www.bandosmaldives.com/experiences/

With a great combination of sun , sand and sea, you can as well enjoy your time relaxing, chilling out, sunbathing, swimming & snorkelling and sleeping in a hammock in the shade of coconut palms.

Activities like crab - racing , DJs, karaoke and magicians keep the island alive even at night.

BABY SHARKS ARE OCCASIONAL VISITORS HERE :-)

BEACHSIDE DINING AND FUN AT BANDOS 

Bandos Maldives is indeed a dining wonderland offering a variety of western to authentic Asian cuisine. Be it the scrumptious breakfast at the Gallery restaurant, or the choice of nibbles at the large outdoor over - water deck of Sea Breeze Cafe or be it the unique experience of dining under the stars at Huvan with the chef's specially made dishes of your choice - all of them does fair justice to your taste buds !

We spent most of our evenings lounging around Huvan watching the sky becoming a palette of red, orange and pink all at once during sundown. No wonder they say Huvan is the best place to view the Maldivian Sunsets. We idled away most of our time here sipping on a cup of yummy hot chocolate or two ( or even more !!! :D ).

❤ HUVAN  :-)

We spent our anniversary romancing the night away on the white sandy beaches indulging in a decadent 6 - course meal whilst a soft music lulled and drifted us off to a world of our own where millions of stars above us sighed in envy ;-) 

Maldives is definitely a non - vegan's paradise with a wide sea - food varieties but as for vegans like us, a quick glimpse at the menu would be disappointing. We aren't complaining. For the culinary team served us with a specially prepared veg meal :-). Thanks to the top - notch staff of Bandos who make these remote islands feel like home.

Take a look at the private dining options at Bandos here : http://www.bandosmaldives.com/dining/private-dining/

Don't go for the All - Inclusive half board / full board options as you will be restricting yourself to one restaurant for all meals.

CHEERS TO US AS WE TURN ONE !! ^_^

A SANDBANK GETAWAY - AN EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER !!

Now it's time to talk about our favourite bit at Bandos - the SandBank Picnic ! This is definitely a Must - Not -Miss and one of the exclusive activities of the resort where you will be taken to a secluded island surrounded by turquoise lagoons. The whiter - than - white powdery sand and the luminous turquoise blue water makes the whole place look heavily - photoshopped !

Coming to the details , it takes about 35 - 40 minutes to get there by speed boat. The resort staff will drop you off at the island for however long you wish to stay there (this activity is charged on an hourly basis). A packed lunch consisting of some sandwiches & drinks is provided during the sandbank picnic. You are literally cast away on the island all alone with a picnic pack until the time is up when the resort staff come by to pick you up. 

Bear in mind Maldivian weather is highly unstable and unpredictable, there may be occasional showers as you set out for the sandbank getaway ! Luckily for you , even if it doesn't rain, you are bound to get wet in the sandbank. Also do carry some sunscreen along for the trip. And do not get disappointed if it rains during your time there , the rain showers do not last long , just wait for the sun to come out to frame your perfect shots :-)

WE WEREN'T ALONE....THERE WERE LOTS OF SEA BIRDS FOR COMPANY ;-)

DREAMING THE DAY AWAY AT SANDBANK ^_^

Just like everyone else, we felt a tinge of sadness as we saw the holiday coming to an end and reality taking over again....the thought of fighting the post holiday syndrome of settling back down into the usual routine of work made us frown.

As we hopped on our flight back to Singapore, ALL WE CRAVED FOR WAS.............................

So ready to pick your own island paradise and jet off ?? Well then ,

HAPPY TRAVELS , EVERYONE !!!

LET ' S JUMP FOR    JOY !!!