Guess who's back with another price comparison!
ABD Australia
August 12-22, 2018
$8,599 pp x2 = $17,198 for 2 people, 1 room
Hotels:
All hotels assume 1 Queen/King or 2 doubles, whichever is cheaper, and double occupancy.
Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney, 3 nights = $727
Sails in the Desert, 1 night = $532
Pullman Palm Cove Sea Temple Resort and Spa, 3 nights = $737
Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, 3 nights (includes breakfast)= $733
Hotel Total = $2,729
Transportation:
Opal Card for Sydney public transport, $12.09 x2 people, 4 days = $96.72
Flight from Sydney to Ayers Rock, $329 x2 = $658
Rental car at Ayers Rock, one day plus fuel = $120
Flight to Cairns, $473 x2 = $946
Rental car in Cairns, 3 days, plus fuel = $270
Flight to Brisbane, $146 x2 = $292
Rental car at Brisbane airport, 3 days plus fuel = $100
Transportation Total = $2,362.72
Meals (all prices are for 2):
Day 1
Lunch on your own
Dinner at The View Restaurant: $100
Day 2
Breakfast at hotel: $60
Lunch Cruise
Dinner on your own
Day 3
Breakfast at hotel: $60
Lunch on your own
Dinner at Tobruk Sheep Farm: $50
Day 4
Breakfast at hotel: $60
Lunch at Cultural Center: $30
Dinner at Ilkari Restaurant: $140
Day 5
Breakfast at hotel: $80
Lunch at Gecko's Cafe: $60
Dinner at Pullman Palm Cove: $100
Day 6
Breakfast at hotel: $60
Lunch on boat
Dinner on your own
Day 7
Breakfast at hotel: $60
Lunch on your own
Dinner at Hartley's Crocodile Adventure: Private dinner, $120 estimate
Day 8
Breakfast at hotel: $60
Lunch and Dinner on your own
Day 9
Breakfast included
Lunch at Byron Bay Pub: $50
Dinner on your own
Day 10
Breakfast included
Lunch at local farm: $100
Farewell Dinner at hotel: $140
Day 11
Breakfast Included
Food Total = $1,330
Activities:
Day 1
Taronga Zoo: $67
Day 2
Lunch Cruise: $160
Opera House Tour: $266
Day 3
Tobruk Sheep Farm Tour: $110
Day 4
Tours and visitor center at the park are free
Day 5
More free walking tours at Kata Tjuta
Day 6
Great Barrier Reef Boat Tour and Snorkeling: $408
Day 7
Tjapukai Cultural Park and Skyrail: $224
Hartley's Crocodile Adventures: $63
Day 8
On your own in Gold Coast
Day 9
Byron Bay Kayaking: $112
Cape Byron Lighthouse: Free
Day 10
Mt. Tamborine Experience: $142
Day 11
N/A
Total for all activities: $1,512
Summary:
Lodging: $2,729
Transportation: $2,362.72
Meals: $1,330
Activities: $1,512
Grand Total: $7,933.72
Price difference: $9,264.28
Things included in ABD but not included in booking on your own:
2 Guides familiar with the area acting as your personal concierge
Luggage service at all hotels and the airport
Private transportation that does not involve driving yourself
Several private meals at the restaurants mentioned above
Separate activities for children
Dinner at The View Restaurant, Tobruk Sheep Farm and Hartley's Crocodile Adventure are booked as private events and not normally available to the general public.
Well, that's quite a steep difference between the ABD price and booking on your own. There are a few things that might justify that number. First is the internal flights. ABD is dealing with the airlines, handling luggage and seat assignments, and taking care of the transfers to hotels, so it will probably be the least stressful 3 flights possible. Next is the private transportation. I assumed using public transit in Sydney, which is very good and the hotel is pretty close to most of the activities anyway. Then I included rental cars in the other 3 locations, which ended up being surprisingly cheap. That being said, between the physical activities and flights this trip is exhausting. Having a luxury coach waiting to take you everywhere instead of having someone drive has tremendous value. Last are the private after-hours meals at the zoo, Sheep Farm, and Crocodile rescue. These are some of the exclusive experiences you get with ABD that you really can't replicate on your own. Your group basically gets the venue to themselves.
So for the value of the trip? If you only had 2 weeks to see Australia, then I don't think you can get much better than this, except maybe adding a pre-night in Sydney, because there isn't much time there. I would probably spend 3 weeks to justify the length of the flight from Michigan. Add a few more nights in each city to allow for more cultural activities and unguided hiking. However, that is more vacation time than most people have to spare, so I understand having to trim it down. So if that was the case, then I think it's actually worth the money as a once in a lifetime chance to see Australia. Getting to see the best of a massive, diverse country in 11 days is a huge challenge, and this trip really fits in a lot. That doesn't mean I'll be doing it any time soon, but in the future this trip is a real possibility if it's paired up with pre-nights in Sydney.