Holiday Overview
Take in the main sights on Australia’s East Coast on this multi-centre tour. Experience exciting Sydney with its iconic harbour and skyline. Spend some time relaxing in the beautiful Whitsunday Islands, a holiday hotspot for the rich and famous. Finish your trip just north of Cairns in Palm Cove, with its wonderful beaches and easy access to the great barrier reef and tropical rainforest.
Start Sydney End Cairns
11 nights / 12 Days
States visited: New South Wales, Queensland
Highlights;
Sydney and its stunning harbour
A Sydney Wildlife and Aboriginal Tour.
Some downtime to enjoy the beautiful Whitsunday Islands
The beaches of Palm Cove and the nearby barrier Reef and Rainforest.
Australia's Best of the East Coast includes:
- Flights from the UK
- 4 Nights accommodation in Sydney
- Blue Mountains Tour
- 3 Nights accommodation on Hamilton Island
- 4 Nights accommodation in Palm Cove
- Great Barrier Reef Cruise
- Cape Tribulation & Daintree Rainforest Tour
Day 1 - Arrive Sydney
Arrive in Sydney check into your chosen hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Featured accommodation
Parkroyal Darling Harbour Hotel
Enhance your experience
Kimpton Margot Sydney
Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney
Day 2 - Sydney
Enjoy a full day at leisure exploring the delights of Sydney. Perhaps take a walk through the Botanic Gardens to “Mrs Maquarie’s Chair” for a great view of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
Featured accommodation
Parkroyal Darling Harbour Hotel
Enhance your experience
Kimpton Margot Sydney
Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney
Unmissable Experiences
Sydney Experiences
Day 3 - Sydney & The Blue Mountains
Leaving the city, yout first stop is Calmsley Hill, a working farm home to kangaroos, emus, wombats, and koalas. Enjoy morning tea and explore at leisure.
Then ascend the Blue Mountains, visiting breathtaking, crowd-free viewpoints of the Jamison Valley. At Eaglehawk Lookout, marvel at the iconic Three Sisters, whose beauty changes with the light. Your guide will share legends about this natural wonder while you capture unforgettable photos.
The afternoon features select lookouts, including Govetts Leap, with its spectacular 180m waterfall and valley vistas. You conclude at Mt Tomah Botanic Gardens with a sparkling wine or juice, taking in sweeping views before returning via the Bells Line of Road, arriving at your hotel in the evening.
Featured accommodation
Parkroyal Darling Harbour Hotel
Enhance your experience
Kimpton Margot Sydney
Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney
Unmissable Experiences
AEA Blue Mountains Deluxe Day
Day 4 - Sydney
A full day at leisure to enjoy Sydney, ask your consultant for details on optional tours and excursions. For the active there’s a chance to climb the Harbour Bridge or have a surfing lesson on Bondi Beach. Alternatively sit back and enjoy the views on a harbour cruise.
Featured accommodation
Parkroyal Darling Harbour Hotel
Enhance your experience
Kimpton Margot Sydney
Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney
Day 5 - Sydney to Hamilton Island
Take the short flight to Hamilton Island, one of the Whitsunday Islands, just off the Queensland Coast. The majority of the Whitsunday Islands are uninhabited national park islands, but four islands offer a variety of resort accommodation, all with the Great Barrier Reef and fringing coral reefs at their doorstep.
Featured accommodation
Reef View Hotel
Enhance your experience
Beach Club, Hamilton Island
Day 6 - Hamilton Island
A full day of leisure in the Whitsunday Islands.
Featured accommodation
Reef View Hotel
Enhance your experience
Beach Club, Hamilton Island
Day 7 - Hamilton Island
A full day of leisure in the Whitsunday Islands.
Featured accommodation
Reef View Hotel
Day 8 - Hamilton Island to Palm Cove
Fly North to Cairns and transfer to Palm Cove, check into your chosen hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Featured accommodation
Mantra Amphora
Enhance your experience
Peppers Beach Club & Spa
Day 9 - Palm Cove & The Great Barrier Reef
Take a full day excursion to the Great Barrier Reef with Quicksilver Cruises. Visit Agincourt Reef, a magnificent ribbon reef where you can experience first hand the magic that is the Great Barrier Reef.
Featured accommodation
Mantra Amphora
Enhance your experience
Peppers Beach Club & Spa
Unmissable Experiences
Great Barrier Reef Cruise
Day 10 - Palm Cove
A full day at leisure in Palm Cove
Featured accommodation
Mantra Amphora
Enhance your experience
Peppers Beach Club & Spa
Day 11 - Palm Cove, Cape Tribulation & The Daintree
Take a full day excursion to explore the ancient rainforests of World Heritage listed Cape Tribulation and the Daintree National Park. Discover the secrets of the rainforest at Mossman Gorge and spot wildlife along the Daintree River Cruise.
Featured accommodation
Mantra Amphora
Enhance your experience
Peppers Beach Club & Spa
Unmissable Experiences
Cape Tribulation, Daintree & Mossman
Day 12 - Palm Cove to Cairns
Transfer back to Cairns where this itinerary concludes.
PARKROYAL Darling Hotel, Sydney Holidays
PARKROYAL Darling Harbour offers views of Darling Harbour and the city skyline and features a restaurant, a fully equipped fitness centre and free cable TV. It is located in Sydney CBD (Central Business District) just a 5 minutes’ walk to Chinatown and Town Hall Station
Kimpton Margot Sydney, Sydney Holidays
The Kimpton Margot Sydney is located between Hyde Park and Darling Harbour and welcomes guests with a restaurant, fitness centre and outdoor swimming pool. Free Wi-Fi is also available in all rooms.
Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney Holidays
Wake up to breath-taking views of the iconic Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge or Darling Harbour each morning. You will be spoiled for choice at the Shangri-La Hotel, with a day spa, fitness centre and indoor pool at your disposal.
Reef View Hotel, Hamilton Island Holidays
Located directly opposite Catseye Beach, Reef View Hotel features a restaurant, bar and outdoor swimming pool. Each room offers free WiFi and a private balcony overlooking the gardens or the Coral Sea.
Beach Club, Hamilton Island Holidays
With its spectacular beachfront location, private restaurant and lounge, child-free ambience and personalised service, the Beach Club Hamilton Island is the ultimate couples’ getaway.
Image Gallery
Great Barrier Reef
Darling Harbour
Hamilton Island
Queensland Beach
Sydney Skyline
Daintree Croc
Palm Cove
Sydney
Whithaven Beach Hamilton Island
Sydney
Daintree
Blue Mountains
Great Barrier Reef
Sydney Opera House
Sydney
Great Barrier Reef
Darling Harbour
Hamilton Island
Queensland Beach
Sydney Skyline
Daintree Croc
Palm Cove
Sydney
Whithaven Beach Hamilton Island
Sydney
Daintree
Blue Mountains
Great Barrier Reef
Sydney Opera House
Sydney
Great Barrier Reef
Australia Stopovers
Australia is on the other side of the world, making it really easy to include stopovers as part of your perfect itinerary. Stopover experiences can enhance or contrast with your Australian journey, so if you are looking to see the delights of Dubai, the shops of Singapore, the bustle of Bangkok, the neon of New York or the cuisine of Capetown, just let us know...
Alternative Holidays That May Interest You
Below you will find a small selection of 2025, 2026 holidays that may interest you. Remember, we tailor-make each holiday to your exact needs, so please call us on 0800 270 0069 and let one of our Holiday experts design the perfect trip for you
Holland America Australia & New Zealand Cruise
- Auckland
- Rotorua
- Napier
- Picton
- Wellington
- Christchurch
- Dunedin
- Milford Sound
- Hobart
- Melbourne
- Sydney
- Amazing Holland America Cruise
- Explore the New Zealand Fjords
- Cruise into Sydney Harbour
- Marvel at geo-thermal Rotorua
- Save £400 per booking on Australia and New Zealand Holidays book by 30 April
- Receive a free M&S Gift Voucher
15 Nights from £4495pp
Wilderness, Wine and Wildlife Self Drive Holiday
- Perth
- Margaret River
- Karri Valley
- Mandurah
- Adelaide
- Wilpena Pound
- Barossa Valley
- Kangaroo Island
- Melbourne
- Spot Kangaroos & Koala's on Kangaroo Island
- Explore the wineries of the Barossa Valley
- Experience the Outback in the Flinders Ranges
- Visit the Mystical Pinnacles
- Save £400 per booking on Australia and New Zealand Holidays book by 30 April
- Receive a free M&S Gift Voucher
23 Nights from £5185pp
Shiraz to Sauvignon
- Adelaide
- Sydney
- Wellington
- Napier
- Rotorua
- Auckland
- Barossa & Hawkes Bay Vineyards
- Sydney & The Blue Mountains
- Maori culture in Rotorua
- Hobbiton movie set
- Save £400 per booking on Australia and New Zealand Holidays book by 30 April
- Receive a free M&S Gift Voucher
14 Nights from £5365pp
Great Southern
- Sydney
- Brisbane
- Adelaide
- Perth
- Journey on Australia’s Great Southern Railway
- Visit four popular Australian cities
- Taste wine in the Barossa Valley
- Enjoy lunch onboard Sydney Harbour cruise
- Save £400 per booking on Australia and New Zealand Holidays book by 30 April
- Receive a free M&S Gift Voucher
13 Nights from £5520pp
Australia's Outback and Oceans
- Melbourne
- Sydney
- Uluru (Ayers Rock)
- Alice Springs
- Darwin
- Travel onboard the spectaular Ghan train
- Save £400 per booking on Australia and New Zealand Holidays book by 30 April
- Receive a free M&S Gift Voucher
16 Nights from £6875pp
Indian Pacific and Holland America Cruise
- Perth
- Barossa Valley
- Adelaide
- Sydney
- Milford Sound
- Dunedin
- Christchurch
- Wellington
- Rotorua
- Napier
- Auckland
- Bay of Islands
- Travel on the incredible Indian Pacific
- Enjoy a lunch cruise around Sydney Harbour
- A spectacular 14-night New Zealand cruise
- Visit the Pinnacles
- Save £400 per booking on Australia and New Zealand Holidays book by 30 April
- Receive a free M&S Gift Voucher
26 Nights from £8750pp