Gold Coast Travel Packages

Australia's Gold Coast

Visit Australia's Gold Coast

You can tell from the name alone that Australia’s Gold Coast is a special place to visit. And there's far more to this region - aka Australia's Favourite Playground - than the skyscraping suburb of Surfers Paradise, which is where most people's Gold Coast experiences begin and end.

Attractions in the wider region include a range of adventure and extreme activities, seemingly endless white sand beaches, lush rainforests, and some of the best places to party in the whole country. Travel to the Gold Coast and you might never want to leave.

Below you can find more information on the Southern Gold Coast, the Hinterland, rainforests and, of course, Surfers Paradise.

Gold Coast flights

12/11 – 26/11
LON London
↔
SYD Sydney
from £452 return*
03/11 - 24/11
MAN Manchester
→
BNE Brisbane
from £646 return*
11/11 – 19/11
LON London
↔
BNE Brisbane
from £598 return*
11/11 - 25/11
LON London
→
OOL Gold Coast
from £744 return*

Southern Gold Coast

A dreamy alternative to the frenetic energy of Surfers Paradise, the Southern Gold Coast is blissfully uncrowded, yet sports some of the country's best beaches and scenery. It's a perfect place to stop for a while and unwind.

Hinterland

While most visitors focus on the golden sands of the seaside, inland the Gold Coast becomes green, with undulating landscapes of forests, rivers and lakes, creating a perfect environment for exploration and adventure.

Rainforests

Much of the Gold Coast Hinterland is covered with beautiful rainforest scenery, with national parks like Springbrook boasting thousands of acres of lush vegetation, and Tamborine National Park with its mile-long Skywalk through rainforest canopy.

Surfer's Paradise

Glittering Surfers Paradise is the main draw for most Gold Coast visitors, with arguably the best nightlife scene in the country, awesome theme parks, and of course miles of sandy beaches and seriously impressive surf.

Our Favourite Gold Coast Tours

Gold Coast tours = some of the best travel experiences in the world. This is a place where you should be prepared for adventure, whether it's getting wet during an epic jet boating ride, snorkeling with dolphins and sea turtles, tackling the epic Skypoint Climb - the tallest external building walk in Australia - or zip lining through dense forest canopy, you’re not likely to get bored.

Book a tour

Sydney to Brisbane Experience

Sydney to Brisbane Experience

7 Day Tour

From £559 
Walk the Light Sydney

East Coast Encompassed

18 Day Tour

From £2,051 
Beaches and Reefs

Beaches and Reefs

13 Day Tour

From £1,539 

Frequently Asked Questions

Your best way to reach Gold Coast is to fly, most flights arriving in Gold Coast international airport. Cheap flights to Gold Coast are always available, both internationally and domestically. Many people also arrive by making the relatively short drive from Brisbane to the north, or the somewhat longer but insanely picturesque drive up the Pacific Highway from Sydney.

The huge range of adventure and extreme activities are unmissable for any adrenaline junkie: jet skiing, skydiving, zip lining, epic theme parks to get the adrenaline pumping, and more. Nearby Hinterland Rainforest and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary are great opportunities for hikes and wildlife spotting, while Jellurgal Aboriginal Centre offers fascinating insight into the area’s indigenous people.

If you’re not Australian, you will need a visa to visit. There are a few available depending on what you're planning to do doing during your time there. If you’re going as a tourist, you need to apply online for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA). This costs around £15. If you’re planning to stick around for a while and earn some money, you must apply for an Australian Working Holiday Visa. These must be arranged well before you’re due to travel, as they can't be acquired once you're in the country.

Gold Coast is warm-to-hot year round, so you definitely don’t need to pack warm clothes. There’s generally enough rain that you should take some kind of light waterproof. Otherwise you can pick up everything you need - sun lotion, mosquito repellent, etc. - while you’re there, and usually for cheaper.

The weather is hottest between November and February, but this is also when there is the most rain. Visit between April and September and the weather is cooler (though still generally in the mid-twenties) and there is significantly less rain. Unlike other areas of Australia the climate here is rarely too extreme, making it a great place to visit at any time of year.

There are so many things to do in Gold Coast that you really don’t want to be in a rush. If you’re travelling independently and your schedule allows it, we recommend giving yourself a solid week-ten days to enjoy everything Gold Coast has to offer, including a few days relaxing on the beach.

Gold Coast isn’t a particularly massive region (especially in the context of Australia), making it easy to get around on foot, by hiring a car and driving, or using public transport. If you’re concerned about getting around, joining a group tour sorts out all your transport for you, so you can sit back and enjoy the ride.

There are so many exciting things to do in Gold Coast. If you’re really brave, we recommend doing a skydive - there are few more spectacular views in the world, and landing directly on the beach is an experience you’ll never forget. You can also hire a Harley Davidson chopper to tour the region in style, or combine lying on the beach with watersports like jet skiing and jet boating. Get used to that adrenaline high.

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*A Note About Flight Prices: All prices were current at the time this was published. Prices are subject to availability and subject to change without notice. Prices are based on searches done in the last 14 days for one-way flights to select destinations in Australia between April 2019 and August 2019. Flight prices vary by date, departure city, arrival city and availability. All taxes/fees are included in the price, except certain government taxes, change fees and fees imposed in destination and airline baggage fees if applicable.

^A Note About GOLDCOAST: The promotion code entitles you to £20 off flights to Sydney, Brisbane or Coolangatta at StudentUniverse.co.uk. Valid on one-way or return flights. Offer not valid on hotels, activities, rail passes, insurance, car rentals or previously booked flights. Promotion Code is limited to a one-time use only per person. Coupons/Discounts cannot be combined with any other offer. Discount will not be applied to taxes and fees. Only 200 redemptions available. Offer ends 31/07/2019

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