Is two weeks enough time to visit Australia?

[Hairbrush123]

Looking at visiting Australia in December but due to work commitments - I can only go for just over a fortnight!

I am planning on splitting my time between Sydney and Melbourne so I’d like to think it’s doable. Has anyone else been to Australia for a fortnight?

I once went for a little over 2 weeks. I have relatives there, and it was the wish of my terminally ill father to visit relatives one last time. He had flown out accompanied by my brother 2 months earlier, I was responsible for the return journey.

I flew out on a Wednesday night direct to Sydney, Met father and family at airport, flew straight to the Whitsundays, had a little under 2 weeks there, and then flew back.

It can be done, but the direct flights and jet lag are wearing. The Emirates Business Class tickets helped, as too the overnight departure, as we did get to have a lie down.

I don’t find jet lag to be horrendous coming back home to the UK. I arrived into London Sunday evening and was back at work Monday morning - just find travelling East really exhausting so the jet lag is worth bearing in mind.

I haven’t really planned anything yet as it’s all up in the air but I will try to optimize my time better while I’m there instead of just visiting cities. DH raves about the Sunshine Coast so I’m looking at that! Thanks for the replies so far.

@HundredMilesAnHour

2 weeks is fine. Obviously you lose time with all the flying etc but just make the most of the time you have.

But don't trust me, I flew to Auckland for the weekend once.

God, I thought it was mad doing Melbourne for 6 days!

God, I thought it was mad doing Melbourne for 6 days!

@parafirstjoint Ha! My first ever trip to Australia was Melbourne for 5 days. Loved it! And that's what started it all....

I think you'll be fine. We went to NZ in 2019 and whilst I was there for almost 3 weeks, DH and DS were nearer 2.

I can't sleep on flights at all so I was dreading the jet lag. But I had a few hours kip early afternoon on the day I arrived, took a sleeping tablet for the first night (Boots Sleepeze) and slept through from 8-8 and felt pretty good thereafter. Roughly similar on the way back, granted I was a little sleepy for a few days, but for me taking sleeping tablets for the first 1-3 nights on each side makes a huge difference.

@Justkeeppedaling

It takes a minimum of 24 hours either way to get there, so you're immediately down to 12 days. Then you'll be jet lagged for the first day, so down to 11 days. A day to fly between Sydney and Melbourne = 10 days. A day packing and getting to the airport on your last day = 9 days. Will you have to fly back to your arrival airport to go home? If so, = 8 days.

If all you want to see is Sydney and Melbourne 4 or 5 days in each city is probably enough. But there's a lot more to Aus than just those two cities - both of which are pretty European in feel really. It would be a shame if that's all you saw.

It doesn't take a day to pack and travel to the airport @Justkeeppedaling and if OP is travelling weekend to weekend she has 16 days rather than 14. It also doesn't take a day to fly between Melbourne and Sydney, although I'll concede that just how much of an impact that flight is depends on the time of day. A whole day of doing nothing but getting over jetlag also seems a bit much - there is surely scope for wandering out for a coffee and something to eat, or say in Melbourne a walk along the Southbank or a trip on the circle tram.

I don't disagree that longer would be better and nor do I disagree that there is more to Aus than those two cities but if that's all OP has and what she wants to see it's perfectly doable, especially in business.

It doesn't take a day to pack and travel to the airport
But it means you can't do much else with that day, and how far from the airport you are.
You need to be b at the airport a few hours before the flight. Possibly drop off a hire car, and if the flight is anything before about 3pm, that's the day gone.

if OP is travelling weekend to weekend she has 16 days rather than 14
She said 2 weeks. 16 days is not two weeks.

It also doesn't take a day to fly between Melbourne and Sydney, although I'll concede that just how much of an impact that flight is depends on the time of day
Agreed, but most of the day wasted checking in and out of hotels, travelling to and from airport, organising hire cars, or just finding the right bus from airport to hotel can take up much of the day. And there's s as time difference to factor in.

A whole day of doing nothing but getting over jetlag also seems a bit much - there is surely scope for wandering out for a coffee and something to eat, or say in Melbourne a walk along the Southbank or a trip on the circle tram
Possibly - but we all react in different ways. I'm talking worst case - depends on what time of day you arrive too.

I did 3 weeks but flew to Melbourne, for 5 days, then flew to Sydney for 6, drove to Brisbane along the Gold Coast (2 nights in a camper van) Brisbane for 5 days and then flew back to Melbourne for the remainder before flying home.

Didn’t enjoy Brisbane so wouldn’t go back. Melbourne was AMAZING. Sydney was pretty good.

I think 2 weeks for the 2 is fine!

"Can you just add an extra 5 days on?"

Ideally, you'd need two months rather than 2 weeks but we're not in an ideal world! I think you could still have a great holiday with only 2 weeks. Plan your itinerary carefully and take note of the great distances between places.

I’ve been 3 times ...6 weeks each time....still not long enough

I travelled to Syndey and Melbourne a few years back, stayed for 15 days, so just slightly longer. It definitely felt like enough time, but I didn't quite get to see everything I wanted, gives me a reason to go back, which I'm currently planning (again for two weeks, but different areas). As long as you plan your stay we'll there's no reason you won't be able to make the most out of it.

I managed to get away with no jet lag on the journey down, however I think my flight landing in the evening was a huge help as I just wanted to sleep. Next day I just felt normal, but I got the jet lag when I came home!

I really hope you have a wonderful time. Its a wonderful place to see!

Where are the best places to break the journey to Austalia and for how long or do you recommend just battling through the journey to get there and spend more time there? If you are travelling straight there to tour round which bit of Oz is it best to visit first?

@Justkeeppedaling

It doesn't take a day to pack and travel to the airport But it means you can't do much else with that day, and how far from the airport you are. You need to be b at the airport a few hours before the flight. Possibly drop off a hire car, and if the flight is anything before about 3pm, that's the day gone.

if OP is travelling weekend to weekend she has 16 days rather than 14
She said 2 weeks. 16 days is not two weeks.

It also doesn't take a day to fly between Melbourne and Sydney, although I'll concede that just how much of an impact that flight is depends on the time of day
Agreed, but most of the day wasted checking in and out of hotels, travelling to and from airport, organising hire cars, or just finding the right bus from airport to hotel can take up much of the day. And there's s as time difference to factor in.

A whole day of doing nothing but getting over jetlag also seems a bit much - there is surely scope for wandering out for a coffee and something to eat, or say in Melbourne a walk along the Southbank or a trip on the circle tram
Possibly - but we all react in different ways. I'm talking worst case - depends on what time of day you arrive too.

I'd pack the night before, or in the morning. It doesn't take long to chuck it all back in a bag, especially with a business class allowance and therefore plenty of space. Last few times I've flown from Melbourne I've taken very late flights - check out in the morning, leave bags at the hotel, get the skybus or a taxi in the evening. Gives you the whole day. I assume OP is probably going to pay attention to flight times given her limited time.

The OP said just over a fortnight so more than 2 weeks. Yes, we're splitting hairs but I only pointed it out because of the rigidity of your timetable, those extra days make a difference, so sorry but no, it's not 2 weeks.

Yeah, it may take most of the day or it may not. I really think on that one it depends on the timing of the flights, but I think it's fairly likely OP can fit in a leisurely breakfast or dinner out and a wander, depending on what she chooses.

You're right, we do all react differently. I still think the idea that a whole day of the OP's holiday will be in a hotel room sleeping, with not even a couple of hours of lucidity, even to go for an evening walk, is unlikely.

@CakeAmbushAlert I traveled to NZ so I feel semi qualified to answer that question. In the end - after discussing with people who had been to NZ or Aus - we travelled straight through.

I had a very short stopover in Doha - my first plane was running late - and DH and DS had a longer 6 hr stay. I felt it was best to get the trip over with - unless you have more time to stopover - plus the cheapest rates were going that way. If we'd had more time I'd have been tempted to go via Singapore and stop there for a few days.

I agree with @Justkeeppedaling

It isn't ideal, but if you are only able to go for 2 weeks, then it is what it is. We don't all have 8 weeks to do it in an ideal way.

Keep in mind, that is you superimpose Australia on top of Europe, it covers from UK right across to Russia. It is a BIG place. Plus some people are more thrown by 24 hours of flying (just to get there) than others. The fact you are able to go business class will presumably help make that easier I don't know, I've never flown business class.

If I were choosing where to spend a few days in Australia, I would choose the Great Barrier Reef over Melbourne any day of the week though.

@CakeAmbushAlert

I like to fly straight through so I can maximise my time in Australia. I used to live in Asia so I've been to most places so the appeal of a few days stopover in Singapore / HK / KL / Bangkok etc would only be about catching up with friends and I'm more likely to do a specific trip to that Asia destination rather than stopover.

I do like to change flights in Singapore / Doha / Dubai though as a quick shower and a coffee / glass of bubbly perks me up for me for the next flight so ideally I aim for a gap of 2 hours between flights.

Thanks

We did 3 weeks including the direct flights and that was fine and no real jet lag in either direction but we immediately did things when we landed in the morning which helped. We did Sydney / Blue Mountains, Port Stephens for dolphins and whales and Queensland for the wildlife and Great Barrier Reef. Was the wildlife that made the trip.

I would say 2 weeks is tight but doable and 2 places is about right. Its best to really research and have everyday planned out with a short holiday so can make the most of it. I would love to go back and we had an amazing time.

I would say no, but up to you of course. Keep in mind that travel/time zone changes, transit points and timing of flights, will eat up 2-3 days altogether.

I wouldn't really consider seeing just Melbourne and Sydney much of holiday myself, but horses for courses!

You could, but its a long way to go just to see Melbourne and Sydney (I'm not a huge fan of Sydney though).