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- Great Ocean Road (near Melbourne)
- Little Penguins and Koala Sanctuary at Phillip Island (near Melbourne)
- Melbourne – Great place for food, bars, and coffee shops
- Great Barrier Reef – We went with Wavelength to learn to snorkel on the outer reef. They only had a small number of people in the boat so we got some undivided attention to help us get comfortable with snorkelling and the water.
4. Port Douglas – if you go to see the reef, I recommend you fly to Cairns, but go to Port Douglas for your accommodations. Cairns is very touristy. Port Douglas isn’t. It’s a comfortable, warm place to stay.
5. Ayres Rock and King’s Canyon

1. Milford Sound – the highlight of my trip. Don’t research it, ‘cause words can’t describe the beauty of Milford Sound…Just do it. From Queenstown, find a tour or arrange a bus/helicopter to Milford Sound with a boat tour at your destination. From there, enjoy the Sound in all it natural beauty. Simply put, it’s a lake surrounded by mountains, yet it’s different from anything I’ve ever seen (and I live near the Rocky Mountains and go hiking lots!) Pictures and words don’t do this justice. If you like and appreciate nature, this is a absolutely MUST see!

2. Doubtful Sound – I didn’t see this, but after going to Milford Sound, I’ll bet this one is just as good. The site where I learned about the 2 Sounds recommended them as the top two places to see in New Zealand. From what I read, it’s not as touristed and untouched.

3. Hobbiton in Matamata – If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, this was a great experience. It requires a bit of imagination to see it as it was in the movie, but it’s easy to do in the midst of the sheep and lamb baa-ing, the big tree, and the rolling hills.

4. Queenstown – Beautiful setting. If you’ve been to Canada, it’s like Banff, but bigger, and with many adventure activities. Go up the gondola as the view of the city is spectacular.

This was my most relaxing spot in India…especially taking houseboat through Kerala’s backwaters.