I'm looking for people that have been on this tour before to let me know what the best/worst optionals are. They are all pretty pricey so I want to pick the right ones. Bolded are what I might do. Here's a list:
-Shoal Bay Dolphin Cruise-$25
-Coffs Harbour-Learn to Surf-$50
-Surfers Paradise-Sea Kayaking-$75
-Surfers Paradise-Sky Diving-$345
-Surfers Paradise-Tiger Moth Biplane-$250
-Surfers Paradise-Bushwacker Eco Rainforest Tour-$110
-Surfers Paradise-Dracula's Caberet Restaurant-$75
-Surfers Paradise-Mountain Trek 4 Wheel Drive-$125-
-Fraser Island-Whale Watching-$95
-Fraser Island 4-Wheel Drive Adventures-$145
-Whitsundays-Outer Barrier Reef Cruise-$185
-Whitsundays-Day Sail-$150
-Cairns-Bungy Jump-$125
-Cairns-Scuba Diving-$55
-Cairns-Skyrail-$40
-Cairns-Outer Barrier Reef Cruise-$150
-Cairns-Guided Horse and Quad Bikes Tour-$130
-Cairns-Hot Air Ballooning-$200
-Cairns-Daintree Rainforest Day tour-$155

So thats the list. As you can see, everything is pricey so I want to make the best choices. Let me know your thoughts.

Hi, I havent been on the tour, but i live in Australia and have been to all those places and done many of those things.

Your choices look really good.

Here is my advice:
I'm assuming you get free time for the beach and stuff at some places in the tour, so if you had enough free time you can always try other options which are not part of the tour. so probably budget for a few extra options u personally choose to do along the way.

also like in surfers you are thinking of doing the moutain trek 4 wheel drive, i reckon what you would see on this would be similar to what you would see on the bushwacker eco rainforest tour, so with things like that pick one or the other.

the reef at cairns (from what i have seen) is better than the reef at the whitsundays, so it would be better to snorkel or scuba dive at the reef off cairns. you say you might try the outer barrier reef cruise, does this include snorkelling or anything?? because you cant see much of the reef from the boat, it is a way better experience if you get into the water and have a look. so i would recommend u choose an option somewhere which allows you to do that.

cairns skyrail is good.

only option i would also recommend would be daintree rainforest day tour, different forest all the way up there and probably opportunity to see crocodiles and some other wildlife you havent seen on the tour.

only thing i wouldnt recommend, which lots of people do like, is draculas caberet restaurant. i thought it was too expensive, u hardly got any food, the alco was waaaay overpriced and i thought it would be like a show, but it was lots of little acts,most of which i didnt enjoy. but some people love it.

all these options probably have websites, so get on google and have a look.

I've been to Whitsundays and Cairns so I can only answer for that.

Lots of people did the sailing in Whitsundays, but I didn't consider it worth the price. I had poor weather when I was there in winter, but if you have good weather, there is plenty to do on Daydream Island. There are other optionals not offered through Contiki which I would check out when you arrive.

99% of the tour did the Outer Barrier Reef cruise in Cairns. It was lots of fun, even though I sat around for the last 30 min doing nothing since I had explored the whole area. The people who did the Scuba spent much of the day training instead of freely diving. I also did the rainforest tour which I enjoyed very much. We saw all the key sites - Cape Tribulation, Daintree Rainforest, etc

I've never been on the tour but I am Australian, if that helps!

I can recommend Dracula's Caberet Restaurant. I've been there three times and never get sick of it. The chocolate coffin dessert is to die for.

I'd pass on the Whale Watching. That many tourists do it that you'd be lucky to get close enough to the rail of the boat to see anything.

The Whitsundays never looks as good for real as it does on TV.

The Daintree Rainforest is beautiful. Not sure about paying that much for it though.

I did this tour last February and you are missing a few excursions that aren't on the website but I'll run off what I did. I suggest trying to do something in every stop but I understand if you are on a budget. I spent nearly $800 AU on excursions.

In Port Stephens I chose the sand boarding which was available which is basically tobogganing in sand. In Hindsight the Dolphin cruise is a better choice.

I highly recommend trying the surfing in Coffs Harbour or in Surfers paradise. I did this is Coffs Harbour because that is a dedicated surf camp, most of the group will do it here.

In Surfers most people on the tour will go to Dracula's and its worth the cost because the more people that go the cheaper it is. Also I did the Tiger Moth Biplane but that I understand in very pricey.

For Fraser Island the best thing I would suggest is to do at least the half day Drive adventure because that is the best way to visit Lake Mackenzie which is beautiful.

For the Whitsundays I didn't do the overnight sailing option but I was going to do the day sail which got canceled because of problems with the boat so I got to do the reef cruise for the same price.

In Cairns if you at all have an inkling to do the skydiving I would do it here and not in Surfers. I did the Reef cruise here with the Scuba dive and after the tour did the Bungy Jump.

One thing in Cairns that you are missing is the White Water Rafting which was popular on my tour.

Hey,
I agree with Bogey217.
I was on the same tour.
I did the
-dolphin cruise and it was good.
-Surfing in Coff's with Mojo's.(went back for their week long camp).
-Went to dracula's in surfers.
-Hired a board in Surfers 4 surfing.(Coff's was better).
-Tigermoth flight in Surfers
-Went for the whole day 4wd tour on Fraser and ended up going for a fly for another $75 while on the tour. Lake Mckenzie is amazing!!
-I did the 3 day sail in the Whitsundays and felt it was to long....
-Went rafting and bungy in Cairns
-Went snorkelling on the great barrier reef.

I also did the bungy in Cairns with Bogey217

This message has been edited. Last edited by: reuben199,

Go to dracula's for sure!!! it was awesome

def go 2 draculas its sooo kewl!