Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “oceania”
New Zealand…this is the land of fiords, volcanoes, black sand beaches, glaciers, glowworms, hot springs, and breathtaking landscapes. On this New Zealand itinerary, you can road trip through one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Along the way, go hiking, test your wits and go bungy jumping, go wine tasting, and much, much more. It’s no secret that …
For most people, a trip to Australia just would not be complete without a visit to Uluru (aka Ayers Rock). There are a lot of must-have experiences in Australia…Sydney Harbour, the Great Barrier Reef, and seeing those crazy kangaroos, but Uluru also makes it high on the list. There is a lot more to do in the Red Centre of …
Abel Tasman National Park is New Zealand’s smallest park. Located on the northern coastline of the South Island, Abel Tasman is home to one of New Zealand’s multi-day walking tracks, aptly named the Abel Tasman Coast Track. This is also a great place for kayaking, exploring the wide, empty beaches, and walking on trails amidst a rainforest-type landscape. We planned …
Looking to add a little adventure to your trip to Tasmania? Then put the Tasman Island Cruise on your list. This was one of our favorite experiences in Tasmania and we highly recommend it. What is the Tasman Island Cruise? The Tasman Island Cruise is a scenic speedboat tour along the stunning coastline of the Tasman Peninsula. On this 3 hour …
There are many famous viewpoints on the Tasman Peninsula…the Tassellated Pavement, the Tasman Arch, and Remarkable Cave, but none of them compare to Cape Raoul. On the southern end of the Tasman Peninsula is a promontory called Cape Raoul. This can only be reached by hiking, as no roads go here. It is a 14 km round trip hike, most …
Bruny Island is one of Tasmania’s southernmost islands. Covered in eucalyptus forests with long stretches of rocky coastlines and beaches, this island feels rugged and remote. But it is just a twenty minute ferry ride away from the mainland of Tasmania. Bruny Island is really two islands connected by a thin isthmus of sand. Approximately 620 people call this island …
Melbourne is our favorite city in Australia. Yes, it even beats Sydney. Clean, quiet, compact, with tons to do, we fell in love with this city. It may not have the big sights like the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge, but there is a laid-back vibe in Melbourne. This is a place that welcomes you and makes you …
Did you know that Australia is home to more species of animal than any other country in the world that can kill you? Did you know that there are people in Australia crazy enough to pick them up and show them to you? Most people are familiar with Steve Irwin, aka the Crocodile Hunter, who wrestled crocodiles, captured poisonous snakes, …
Before the start of our year long trip, we all had an activity that was a “must do.” For Kara, that “must do” activity was to go snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. We were all in agreement that we could not visit Australia without paying a visit to this natural wonder of the world, so our journey through Australia …
Many people who travel to Australia visit Uluru. How can you miss seeing Australia’s most popular natural attraction? But there is a lot more out here than just a large, red rock plunked down in the outback. It can be hard to justify flying all the way to the Red Centre, only to spend a day or two viewing Uluru, …
For the four of us, a visit to Australia would not be complete without a journey to the red center of Australia. We just had to see Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, plunked down in the center of the desert. This article was originally written in 2015 during our trip around the world. It is updated on a regular …
Melbourne now makes the list as one of our favorite cities in the world. We were expecting a lot out of this place, a melting pot where people from all around the world come to live. When people from all around the globe make this their home, they bring along with them their food, their culture, and their language. Melbourne …
The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s great drives. It is comparable to Big Sur in California with coastal views, winding roads, and many, many scenic viewpoints. For many people, the Great Ocean Road is a highlight when visiting Australia. There’s a lot to see and do along the way. In this post, we cover the best spots to …
The area around Adelaide is Australia’s premiere wine region. Sitting around Adelaide are Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, and Clare Valley. Some people say that Barossa is the best and most well known, with McLaren Vale a few spots lower down on the list. The area around Adelaide produces some of the world’s best Shiraz, as well as very …
The Tasman Peninsula may look small on a map, but there is a lot to do here. Speed boat cruises, ghost tours, hiking, touring one of Australia’s many penitentiaries, bird watching, whale watching, multi-day trekking…lots of great activities to choose from! The Tasman Peninsula is located one hour away from Tasmania’s capital city, Hobart. We used this is our home base …
Kangaroos, wombats, and Tasmanian Devils, oh my! Time for another animal encounter, this time at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary in Tasmania, Australia. Tasmania, an island that sits off the southern coast of Australia, is home to some of the most unique wildlife in the world. Here, mothers raise their young in pouches, mammals lay eggs, and devils roam at night. We …
In Norway and Italy we were hikers. In Nepal we were trekkers. In New Zealand we were trampers. Now that we are in Australia and successfully hiked the Wineglass Bay Circuit, we can call ourselves bushwalkers. We had a week to spend in Tasmania, and like always, we were on the lookout for some of the best hikes (or bushwalks, …
On our first visit to New Zealand in 2015, we were absolutely amazed and the landscapes we saw as we drove through New Zealand. In this post, I share some of our favorite photos from our three and a half week road trip. Our family fell in love with this small but incredibly beautiful country. We were immediately transfixed by …
The second half of our New Zealand adventure took us through the North Island. Although the North Island lacks the stunning scenery that we were wowed by on the South Island, there are still heaps of fun activities for families. The North Island has it all…beaches, volcanoes, fabulous cities, famous movie sets, more adrenaline generating activities, and even caves filled …
What is the cutest little spot in New Zealand? The answer is Hobbiton, the movie set for The Shire in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. What is Hobbiton? Hobbiton was constructed in 1999 for the filming of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was used for just several weeks of filming and not intended …