Sydney had some heavyweights on its side – the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, and the fantastic combination view at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, all of which delivered on the promise. It also had the charming Manly Beach, which overdelivered, as opposed to Bondi! But in terms of overall experience, and probably because it had a stronger big city feel than the other two, both Melbourne and Cairns worked better for us.
Melbourne was a pre-favourite because of many factors – the Great Ocean Road, meeting friends, and skydiving! While Melbourne does not have the laid-back feel of Cairns, it compensated with great food, splendid street art, and a casual vibe.
We spent the first few days of our Australia vacation in Cairns. Cairns is a non-negotiable if the Great Barrier Reef is on your list. And while you’re there you might as well visit the Daintree rainforest and Kuranda. But what we really liked about Cairns was its overall vibe – relatively laid-back and yet lively, public parks which had large groups enjoying a day/evening out, everything a walk away, and a lovely promenade!