Australia and New Zealand: Surfing Waves & The Whitsundays

Land in Auckland, drop your bag at the hostel, and get your bearings. There’s nothing formally scheduled until the evening, giving you a free afternoon to wander. Your first meet-up with the rest of the crew will be in the evening, usually around 7pm, before heading out to find a local meal.

The road trip begins. You'll leave Auckland behind, taking backroads south to the impressive Bridal Veil Falls for a short walk through native bush. The destination is Raglan, a classic North Island surf town. Before you even properly check in, the plan is to get on the water for a sea kayaking session around the harbour. The hostel is right in town, a perfect base for the next two nights.

A full day in Raglan is all about its world-famous surf break. You'll get a surf lesson in the morning to learn the basics on the black sand beach. The afternoon is completely free. You can rent a board and practice, explore the town’s independent shops and cafes, or just hang out at the waterfront hostel with the rest of the crew.

Trade the coast for the strange geothermal landscapes of Rotorua. On the way, there's a stop in Waitomo, where you'll have the option to go black-water rafting or take a boat tour through caves lit by thousands of glow worms. After arriving in Rotorua, the evening's plan is a visit to the Te Puia thermal valley to see the Pōhutu geyser erupt under the stars and experience a local Māori cultural performance.

You've got a free morning in Rotorua. The classic options are exploring the bubbling mud pits and multi-coloured pools of a geothermal park or, for more of a rush, white-water rafting. In the afternoon, it’s a short one-hour drive to Taupo. Just before town, you’ll stop at Huka Falls to see a massive volume of water thunder over a narrow cliff. The day ends with a group sail on Lake Taupo, New Zealand's largest lake.

Settle in for a long-haul travel day. The drive from Taupo to Wellington, at the southern tip of the North Island, takes five to six hours. You’ll watch the scenery shift from volcanic plains to rolling hills. You should arrive with enough time to drop your bags and visit Te Papa, the excellent national museum. For the evening, the move is to find a group and explore the bars and restaurants around Cuba Street or Courtenay Place.

Time to swap countries. Today involves a four-hour flight from Wellington across the Tasman Sea to Sydney. After landing and navigating your way to the hostel, the evening is completely free. A smart first move is to take a walk down to Circular Quay to see the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, or grab a beer with your new hostel mates in The Rocks, the city's oldest neighborhood.

Today is a classic Sydney day trip. You'll catch the public ferry from Circular Quay across the harbour to Manly, a ride that offers some of the best views of the city skyline. Manly itself is one of Australia's most famous surf beaches, lined with pine trees. You can take a surf class, claim a spot on the sand, or explore the shops and bars that line the main Corso. It's a full day out.

A full free day to tackle Sydney on your own terms. You can tick off the big sights like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, or escape the crowds with a walk through the Royal Botanic Garden. For a different vibe, catch a bus to Bondi Beach to see the scene there, or jump on a train to Newtown for its street art, vintage shops, and brewery taprooms.

Your last full day in the city is another free one. This is your chance to hit any spots you missed, whether that's a museum, a different neighbourhood, or just finding a good coffee shop and people-watching. It's a good day to take it easy before the trip heads north tomorrow.

Leave the city behind for a full day of travel. You'll board a train in Sydney for the long journey north up the coast to Coffs Harbour. From there, it's a short 30-minute transfer to a dedicated surf camp at Arrawarra. This will be your base for the next few days, a beachfront spot completely focused on the surf lifestyle. Settle into your cabin and listen to the waves.

A day lived by the rhythm of the ocean. The morning starts with a surf lesson right at the camp's beach break. After a few hours in the waves, you'll head out on a walk through the coastal bushland to find local mobs of kangaroos. The afternoon is yours to do as you please: swim, scramble over the rockpools, or just chill out on the beach.

It's a few hours' drive up the coast to the legendary arts and surf town of Byron Bay. After checking into the hostel, the first mission is a walk up to the Cape Byron Lighthouse. Standing at the most easterly point of the Australian mainland, the lighthouse offers huge views of the Pacific. Keep an eye out for the resident dolphin pods and, depending on the season, migrating humpback whales.

You have a full, unstructured day to do Byron your way. Rent a board and surf The Pass, join a sea kayaking tour to get a closer look at dolphins, or just claim a patch of sand on Main Beach. The town itself is a maze of surf shops, boutiques, and organic cafes. For a quieter beach experience, take the short walk over the headland to Wategos or a longer one south to Tallow Beach.

Trade the beach town for the city with a morning drive north to Brisbane. You’ll arrive with most of the day free to explore Queensland's capital. You can hang out in the South Bank Parklands, get a 360-degree view from Mount Coot-tha, or explore the bars and street art of Fortitude Valley. For dinner, the Eat Street Northshore market is a massive collection of food stalls in shipping containers.

An early start begins the journey to K'gari, the world's largest sand island. After the drive and ferry crossing, you'll receive a formal welcome from the Butchulla people, the island's Traditional Owners. Then it's straight into a 4WD to hit the sandy inland tracks. The day includes a swim in the impossibly clear, rain-fed Boorangoora (Lake McKenzie) and a walk through a unique rainforest that grows entirely on sand. The night ends around a campfire.

Today you'll explore K'gari's coastline by 4WD, driving along the famous 75 Mile Beach. The route includes stops at the rusting hulk of the Maheno shipwreck and Eli Creek, where you can float down the fast-flowing freshwater stream to the ocean. In the afternoon, you'll take the ferry back to the mainland and drive south for a couple of hours to the chic beach town of Noosa.

The morning is dedicated to exploring Noosa National Park. A well-maintained coastal track winds from Main Beach out to a dramatic headland called Hell's Gate, passing several beautiful coves along the way. This is prime koala-spotting territory, so keep your eyes on the gum trees. The afternoon is free to hit the beach, browse the expensive boutiques on Hastings Street, or relax at the hostel.

You have most of the day free to enjoy Noosa one last time. In the late afternoon, it's time to pack up for the next big leg of the trip: an overnight train journey north. You'll settle into an airline-style seat for the night as the train travels up the Queensland coast. It's not a sleeper, so bring headphones and a neck pillow.

The train arrives in Proserpine in the morning, where a short bus transfer will take you to Airlie Beach. This town is the main backpacker hub for the Whitsunday Islands. After dropping your bags, the day is yours. The town's social life revolves around the main street and the massive man-made swimming lagoon, a popular spot to cool off and hang out since the ocean here can have marine stingers.

Today is all about the islands. You'll board a high-speed ocean raft for a full-day excursion through the Whitsundays. The fast boat allows you to cover a lot of ground, including a stop at the world-famous Whitehaven Beach to feel the pure silica sand. A short bushwalk leads to the Hill Inlet lookout for that iconic photo of the swirling sands. The day also includes time for snorkelling over the fringing reef.

Prepare for another long travel day. An early start gets you to the train for a 10-hour journey north to Cairns. The route cuts through Queensland's vast sugar cane fields and rural countryside. It’s a slow, scenic ride, so make sure your phone is charged and you have something to read. You’ll arrive in Cairns in the evening and head straight to the hostel.

It's your last full day, and you're in Australia's adventure capital. The main draw is the Great Barrier Reef, and you'll have the option to join a boat trip for a day of snorkelling or diving. Other options include trips into the Daintree Rainforest, white-water rafting, or just chilling at the Esplanade Lagoon. Cairns has a reputation as a party town, so plan on a big final night out with the crew.

The trip officially ends today in Cairns. There are no activities planned, so you can pack your bags and head for the airport at any time. If you've got more time, Cairns is a popular place to start or end further travels along the east coast.