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INTERVAL INTERNATIONAL

IntervalWorld.com

Whales in Paradise Australia

THE BEACHES:

Pick any beach and make no other plans for the day. Find out what the phrase “no worries” means.

SKYPOINT OBSERVATION DECK:

Take in the views of the coastline from the world’s tallest residential tower.

SURFING:

Learn how to hang 10 like a pro at Get Wet Surf School, located on The Spit.

SWINGIN’ SAFARI:

Stop for a meal at this retro-themed cafe in Surfers Paradise.

hy Go?

For the beaches. Sure, you can have that type of experience just about anywhere, but here, hitting the sand

is a way of life. Pick a spot anywhere along the Gold Coast and you’re sure to find people soaking in the subtropical cli-

mate, whether they’re surfing, swimming, or in bask-and-tan mode. Put it this way: There’s actually a town in Queensland

called Surfers Paradise. That said, there are activities away from the shore. Go for a rain forest walk, where tropical

flowers and exotic birds present a kaleidoscope of color. Swing the clubs on one of the Gold Coast’s 30-plus golf courses.

Add in diverse restaurants, an exciting nightlife, and fantastic shopping, and you may never want to leave.

Australia, Queensland

14 – 26

As temperatures become a bit cooler, this is a

great time to break from the shore and visit the

magical Hinterland. Just a 40-minute drive from

Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, Mount

Tamborine is a lush, pastoral enclave that tempts

with its

rain forests

and waterfalls, and oppor-

tunities for picnics, hikes, and refreshing dips in

crystal-clear streams. Nearby, the Queensland

Wine Centre, located at the Cedar Creek Estate

Vineyard, represents local winegrowers and fea-

tures a tasting room and restaurant. Want to give

your body and soul a treat? Escarpment Retreat

& Day Spa and Getaway Day Spa both offer a

range of indulgences, from hot-stone therapy to

massages to mud wraps.

1 – 13

This time of year is all about fun in the sun, and

the 35-mile (57-kilometer) coastline between the

New South Wales border and The Spit features

some of the most gorgeous stretches anywhere.

For people-watching, head to bustling Surfers

Paradise, the unofficial central hub of the area. Build

a sand castle in family-friendly

Coolangatta

, or

grab a surfboard and hit the waves at Kirra Beach,

home to one of the longest point breaks in the

world. And if you love scuba diving or snorkeling,

you’re in the right place. The Great Barrier Reef is

easily reached from Cairns.

40 – 52

It’s time for a more thorough examination of

Surfers Paradise

. Classic attractions such as

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and theWax Museum are

a blast. Play minigolf at King Tutt’s Putt Putt and

choose from three courses (two located indoors and

one outdoors): Ancient Egypt, Jurassic, and Tutt’s

Challenge. Experience a series of illusions and spe-

cial effects that bend reality and push your senses

to their limits at the Infinity attraction. Take a photo

with the iconic meter maids, who have been walk-

ing the streets in golden bikinis since 1965. And

after dark, a host of dazzling nightclubs and bars

make for a lively party scene.

27 – 39

Every year between June and October, more than

10,000 humpback whales swim just offshore of

all the vacationers on the beach as they go to and

from their breeding grounds in Moreton Bay, north

of the Gold Coast. So many make the pilgrimage

annually that the region boasts more sightings

than anywhere else off the east coast of Australia,

and the channel they travel through has been

dubbed Whale Alley. Sea World Whale Watch and

Whales in Paradise

offer daily tours from the Gold

Coast. (The latter also offer trips from Brisbane.)

50 100 150

Weeks

Greatest

Demand

Greatest

Availability

Market

Average

2016 – 2017 2016 2017