If you’re looking to escape the everyday, head to Ningaloo (Western Australia) and you may feel like you’ve escaped to a different planet entirely. Here, the landscape offers a kaleidoscope of colours, from the Mars red sand to the sparkling blue ocean. Hire a van or some camping supplies and pitch up on the beach where you can wake up to the sound of the waves before plunging in to swim with turtles, dolphins and the gigantic, yet harmless, whale sharks.    

Travel Insider's top tips: 

Whether camping, glamping, diving with whale sharks or admiring from afar, here's everything you need to know to plan your visit to Ningaloo.

How to get there:

Fly Qantas international into Perth, or via Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. Learmouth (Exmouth) is the nearest airport to Ningaloo and can be accessed by flying QantasLink from Perth or alternatively flying direct with Qantas from Melbourne.^ Hire a car or arrange a transfer to Exmouth, taking approximately 30 minutes to arrive at this pristine region.

Once a sleepy little town on the very edge of New South Wales's northern border, Byron Bay has become one of the most talked about destinations in Australia over the past few years. A haven for those looking to escape city life and enjoy a more laid-back approach, Byron Bay offers an impressive sprawl of boutique cafes, shops, bars and restaurants, as well as picture-perfect beaches, while still maintaining its small-town friendly personality. 

Travel Insider's top tips:

From the top spots to grab breakfast to the best beaches and walks around town, we’ve got you covered with five of the best things to do in Byron Bay.

How to get there: 

Fly Qantas international into Sydney, or via Brisbane or Melbourne. Ballina is the nearest airport to Byron Bay, approximately a 35 minute drive. Fly direct to Ballina from Sydney on QantasLink, or from Melbourne or Sydney on Jetstar. Alternatively, drive from Brisbane, taking approximately 2 hours. 

If you’ve heard of Freycinet, you’ll likely have heard of Wineglass Bay. Tasmania’s most picturesque beach lies fringed with lush green bushland at the base of an ensemble of pink granite mountains. You can hike your way to the beach itself or enjoy a glimpse of it from accessible lookout points but make sure you book into one of Freycinet’s luxurious lodges afterwards to really experience both sides of this dreamlike destination.

Travel Insider's top tips:

From eco-retreats and freshly shucked oysters to mountain hikes and penguin parades, find the best ways to spend a day in Freycinet.  

How to get there: 

Fly Qantas international into Melbourne or Sydney. Freycinet is approximately a 2.5 hour drive from Hobart or a 2 hour drive from Launceston in Tasmania. Fly direct with Qantas and Jetstar to Hobart or Launceston from Sydney, Melbourne or other major Australian cities. 

Uluru is one of those wonders that has to be seen to be understood. Its sheer size and location aside, this ancient monolith has deep cultural ties to the First Nations people of Australia that can keep you fascinated for hours. You can fly directly there but if you start your journey in Alice Springs, you’ll experience everything the outback has to offer. Rolling red sand dunes, epic canyons and hidden desert oases all make the journey an essential Australian experience. 

Travel Insider's top tip:

Immerse yourself in the perfect outback adventure that takes you up rugged cliffs, down through deep canyons and onward to Uluru. 

How to get there:

Fly Qantas international into Sydney or Brisbane. Uluru is located in the Northern Territory in Central Australia. Fly direct from Sydney to Ayres Rock (Uluru) with Qantas, or fly from Sydney, Brisbane, Darwin, Adelaide or Melbourne to Alice Springs (a 5 hour drive to Uluru). Hire a car to best explore this unique region.

Famous for producing some of Australia’s best shiraz (a high bar to set), the Barossa Valley is a haven for foodies and wine enthusiasts looking to kick their tastebuds into overdrive. Sprinkled with modern eateries, charming cafes and some of the world’s oldest surviving vineyards, the Barossa is a must for those seeking a getaway that oozes class.

Travel Insider's top tips:

Whether you’re staying for a week or a weekend, here are five unmissable things to do in the Barossa Valley to make your visit as magical as the area itself.

How to get there: 

Fly Qantas international to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth. Fly direct with Qantas to Adelaide (South Australia) from these major Australian cities. Hire a car or get a shuttle bus to Barossa Valley, which takes approximately 1 hour.

Start your Queensland adventure in Cairns, a city thriving on its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and the world’s oldest rainforest. Once you’ve roamed its streets, dipped into the Esplanade Lagoon and booked onto as many tours as you can, head north into the Daintree. Here, the rainforest meets the reef with a band of golden sand connecting the two. Keep an eye out for platypus, crocodiles and cassowaries before hopping on a boat to go diving with turtles, octopuses and millions of tropical fish. 

Travel Insider's top tips:

You know it’s somewhere special when Sir David Attenborough describes the Daintree as “unlike any other rainforest in the world”. If that’s not enough, here are the magical reasons to visit the Daintree National Park. 

How to get there: 

Fly Qantas international to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth. Fly direct with Qantas to Cairns from these major Australian cities. Daintree is approximately a 1.5 hour drive north of Cairns. Hire a car and experience the spectacular coastal drive past Port Douglas and Mossman.

Melbourne may be one of Australia’s easiest cities to navigate but that shouldn’t stop you from renting a car. If not, make sure you explore every inch of this bustling, creative hub, then steer it west and embark upon the Great Ocean Road. Here, you’ll experience one of the world’s top coastal drives with sweeping ocean views, charming fishing villages and friendly faces around every twist and turn. 

Travel Insider's top tip:

Plan the ultimate road trip and explore the Great Ocean Road with our epic two-day itinerary, written to make sure every moment is unforgettable. 

How to get there: 

Fly Qantas international to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth. Fly direct with Qantas to Melbourne (Victoria) from these major Australian cities. Hire a car or join a tour to travel the outskirts of the CBD and in just over 1 hour; you’ll hit the start of the spectacular Great Ocean Road. 

Whether you’ve got a few hours or a couple of days, Perth always makes it worth your while. Watch the sun sink into the ocean from Cottesloe beach, spend a day taking selfies with quokkas on Rottnest Island or hop on a bus to the otherworldly Pinnacles desert and wave rock formations for a trip you’ll never forget.

Travel Insider's top tips:

From spotting the resident celebrities (quokkas) to grabbing lunch on a luxe seafood cruise, check out these incredible ways to experience Rottnest Island. 

How to get there: 

Fly Qantas international to Perth, or via Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. Fly direct with Qantas to Perth (Western Australia) from these and major Australian cities. 

You can visit Sydney’s stunning harbour five times or 500 times and still uncover something new. From rooftop picnics under the warm sun to evenings with Indigenous storytellers under the night sky, simply take a stroll around the iconic Opera House and Harbour Bridge to discover endless experiences that make Sydney one of the world’s most exciting cities to explore. 

Travel Insider's top tips: 

Hidden beaches, epic bushwalks, mystery picnics – uncover some of the coolest experiences you never knew existed in Sydney. 

How to get there:

Fly Qantas international to Sydney, or via Melbourne, Perth or Brisbane. Fly direct with Qantas to Sydney (New South Wales) from these and other major Australian cities.

Whatever your definition of island life, you’ll find it on Kangaroo Island. With secluded beaches, friendly family-run restaurants, an abundance of local wildlife and endless opportunities to make your trip as adventurous or luxurious as you like, you’ll find yourself amazed at how much can be packed onto just one island.  

Travel Insider's top tips:

A paradise for nature lovers, see the best places to find sea lions, go sandboarding and more with our top things to do on Kangaroo Island. 

How to get there: 

Fly Qantas international to Adelaide via Sydney, Melbourne, Perth or Brisbane. Fly direct with QantasLink from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island.