Off to Australia, the world’s largest island? Discover our top 14 of the most beautiful sites to see when visiting Australia!
It’s hard to come up with a list of the most beautiful things to see when visiting Australia! An austral country at the antipodes of the Earth, Australia is the oldest and most isolated continent in the world. The country lies to the south of Indonesia, and to the northwest of New Zealand. Australia has 24 million inhabitants spread over 7.69 million km², 90% of whom live in urban areas. The result is a population density of just 3 inhabitants/km²!
The largest country in Oceania, populated for over 50,000 years, Australia is one of the few countries in the world to have been able to retain its indigenous inhabitants (the Aborigines), who have lived here since prehistoric times. Discovered by Europeans in the 17th century – Dutch, French then English – Australia was claimed by Great Britain in 1788, and thus has a relatively recent official history (which has not prevented it from being bloodied by colonization, slavery, racism and the wars of the 20th century…).
This country fascinates from many points of view: the immensity of its territory, the hospitality of the locals – who call themselves Aussies in the local dialect – its many endemic species (sometimes deadly), its breathtaking landscapes between the Pacific and Indian oceans, the diversity of its climates, its beaches, its nature, its biodiversity and its economic prosperity (it’s the 13th largest economy in the world, and the second most developed country in the world after Norway, according to the United Nations).
What to do in Australia The list of must-sees is long! Here’s our list of the most beautiful places to visit in Australia!
1. The Great Barrier Reef
Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef is also one of the world’s best-known attractions. Stretching over 2,600 kilometers from Cape York to Bundaberg, it is the world’s largest coral reef. It is home to numerous marine species and billions of polyp corals, spread over 900 islands and 2,900 reefs, making it a unique site that has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1981.
Its warm, clear waters, biodiversity and proximity to the coast make it a marine paradise for divers and bathers, and one of the underwater wonders we must continue to protect!
2. The Whitsundays
An archipelago right in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland, this is another must-do when visiting Australia: hundreds of thousands of tourists visit every year, but the Whitsundays islands that make up the archipelago are numerous enough (there are 74 of them) to give you peace of mind.
And the scenery is sumptuous, unique in the world: white sandy beaches and strips, warm, crystalline, emerald and turquoise waters warmed by a tropical sun… Enough to make anyone want to go there! Airlie Beach is one of Australia’s most beautiful beaches and the best-known starting point for exploring the Whitsundays archipelago.
3. Cairns and the rainforest
Photo credit: Flickr – Niklas Morberg
What to do in Australia The area around Cairns is also worth a visit. A coastal city with a hot, humid tropical climate, Cairns is surrounded by mountains and lush vegetation: the rainforest, where you can enjoy beautiful hikes through mangroves and eucalyptus forests, and observe numerous endemic species dating back to Gondwanaland (marsupials, rodents, birds, reptiles, etc.).
Nearby attractions: Palm Cove, Port Douglas, Mission Beach.
4. Fitzroy Island
We were there in 2012 and fell in love with the island. Not sure what to do in Cairns? Take the ferry for a day or two to Fitzroy Island, a magnificent island on the Great Barrier Reef, where you can stroll and swim or snorkel, admiring the brightly colored tropical fish.
5. Sydney
We come here to visit the Opera House, with its view of the Harbour Bridge, but Sydney has many other attractions: its nightlife – towards the Kings Cross district – its immense Botanical Gardens, The Rocks district, strolls along Sydney Harbour – as jagged as it is immense -, surfing beaches (Bondi Beach, Clovelly Beach, Palm Beach, Avalon Beach, Manly, Maroubra Beach, etc.).
6. The Blue Mountains
Blue Mountains National Park, two hours north-west of Sydney, is a sandstone mountain range covering 1,436 km² and rising to an altitude of 1,112 metres.
An integral part of the Australian Cordillera, the Blue Mountains are carved by deep gorges reaching depths of almost 1,000 meters in places, vertiginous peaks that would almost make the Gorges du Verdon seem like a tiny furrow! Climb to the top – to Echo Point or Three Sisters – for a breathtaking view of the gorges, between precipices and waterfalls to cross.
7. The Great Ocean Road
Once you’ve visited Melbourne, what else can you do in Australia on your road trip? Head west along the Great Ocean Road, Victoria’s famous 243 km coastal road, with its magnificent views and cliffs overlooking the ocean: Loch Ard Gorge, London Bridge and The Twelve Apostles are the most famous landmarks.
The cliffs of Étretat (Seine-Maritime) or the Algarve (Portugal) are small pebbles by comparison!
8. Tasmania
How can you visit Australia without going to Tasmania? Tasmania, the country’s southernmost territory, boasts a rich, unspoilt natural environment, a third of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wander the bays and the many national parks – Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, Southwest Conservation Area, Southwest National Park, etc. – and discover an incredibly rich biodiversity. – and discover an incredibly rich biodiversity. If you love nature, this is the place to be!
9. Coral Bay and Exmouth
After a road-trip to Perth and the West Coast, don’t miss Coral Bay, nicknamed the « Little Barrier Reef », in the state of Western Australia. A true diver’s paradise, this secluded wilderness spot is home to sharks, whales, manta rays and many other marine species.
On the way up to Exmouth, the Cape Range National Park, home to a wealth of flora and fauna, offers the chance to stroll along sublime, almost deserted beaches.
10. Karijini National Park
Photo credit: Flickr – david takes photos
Another of Western Australia’s jewels, Karijini National Park is a must-see for anyone visiting Australia with time to venture into the Western Desert. A region of replenishing beauty and wilderness, it’s an absolute must-see.
Arriving by road, you’ll feel like you’re in an American Wild West movie, with red rock canyons, waterfalls, caves and natural pools to immerse yourself in, waterfalls tumbling down impressive gorges and plenty of unforgettable treks to enjoy.
11. Cable Beach in Broome
Photo credit: Flickr – Brian Yap (葉)
This beach in Broome, on the western peninsula overlooking the Indian Ocean, is remembered as one of the most beautiful in Australia.
Situated in the north-west of the country, it is a 22-kilometre stretch of white sandy beach where, in the evening, you can watch camel caravans go by…or even ride on the backs of these beasts and have the sensation of walking on water!
12. Kakadu National Park
Photo credit: Flickr – Geoff Whalan
Finally, to round off your tour of Australia, are you looking for something to do at the end? Discover the Northern Territory, with Kakadu National Park, comparable to the size of the Gironde and Landes departments combined. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981, the park has been continuously inhabited for 40,000 years, and is home to the remains of hunter-gatherers and fishermen from the Neolithic to the present-day Aborigines.
It’s a unique place in the world, just 250 kilometers from Darwin. Made up of multiple escarpments, cliffs, waterfalls and basins, the park is home to a highly diverse fauna (thousands of species of insects, freshwater fish, amphibians and reptiles, including the terrifying saltwater crocodile, snakes and over 280 species of birds). Beware of crocodiles if you want to swim…
13. Devils Marbles
Continuing south, you’ll come across a unique site in Australia’s red desert: the Devils Marbles, huge granite boulders scattered across a valley between Tennant Creek and Alice Springs.
The rocks shaped by erosion over millions of years are impressive, and offer a unique view, especially at sunrise and sunset.
14. Ayers Rock – Uluru and the Red Centre
And last but not least: how can you visit Australia without seeingUluru? A true emblem of the country, Uluru – or Ayers Rock – is world-famous as a pebble set in the middle of the red desert, a mountain sacred to the Aboriginal peoples.
There are many other must-see sites in the surrounding area, including Kata Tjuta – or Olgas – and Kings Canyon. Note: you’ll be surrounded by flies!
Map of hotels and accommodation – Australia