The Huka Jet, Huka Falls, New Zealand
Posted by kama
The Huka Jet is a 30 minute high speed jet boating experience that shows you the spectacular Huka Falls and whizzes you past cliffs at 80km per hour. It does a 360 degree spin, and, at times, you get so close to the cliff walls that you can almost feel them graze your ears!

Afterwards, lunch at the Huka Prawn Park right next to the Huka Jet is delicious.

Near Taupo - if you are staying in Taupo, a courtesy coach will pick you up from your accomodation. It costs NZ$79, which is a bit pricey, but a unique experience. Oh, and I advise you to book!

www.hukafallsjet.com
www.hukaprawnpark.co.nz
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The Tongariro crossing, Tongariro National Park New Zealand
Posted by nilpferd 4
The crossing is a day-trip across the extinct volcano of Mt. Tongariro. It requires some effort, but the rewards are worth it once you reach the moon-landscape and startling colours of the upper crater. To the south lies the still active cone Ngauruhoe, and to the north lake Taupo, which is a caldera resulting from one of the largest ever supervolcanic eruptions. The descent through tussock and native bush rounds off the trip nicely.

www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz
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Climbing Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand
Posted by fionafellis
Possibly the best thing to do in New Zealand! Its spectacular, tiring and surprisingly warm - try and get a guided tour because they know better and also they can show you a lot more that if you hiked alone. The pictures will really impress your friends!

www.franzjosefglacier.com
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Cycling road trip, Nullarbor, Australia
Posted by Cyclo
For a road trip to remember ditch the car and try cycling the Nullarbor, Australia. East to west or west to east, it doesn’t matter, the wind will always be in your face and the flies will be lapping up the sweat. Lets not forget the March flies biting your bum as you labour through the sand hills near Yalata. The upside? Camping under a star spangled expanse of sky in the middle of nowhere with only the dingoes for company, waking up to a mob of roos bounding past your head, whale watching from the immense Nullarbor cliffs, sticky date pudding at Nundroo roadhouse, beachcombing along the deserted beach at Eucla, complete strangers stopping to offer you a cold drink, the couple who cooked us a three course meal in their caravan, complete with liqueurs and finally the sense of achievement when you hit ‘civilisation’ at the end of your 1300km pedal. Would we do it again? You betcha!
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Budget reef, Ningaloo, Australia
Posted by richa
A small settlement on the west coast of Australia where Ningaloo reef is just a short swim from Paradise Beach.

I'd recommend it for those on a budget as the snorkelling rivals any organised trip on the Great Barrier Reef and can be done to your own schedule.

Stay at the nearby campsite for a few days and you can venture out on to the reef as many times as you like and see reef sharks, turtles, trumpet fish, octopuses, you name it. It's also handy if you fancy doing a diving course without being out at sea for days, or if you want to take in a leisurely glass-bottom boat tour. It's best to visit outside of the school holidays.

www.coralbay.org
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The Sydney Pylon Lookout, Sydney, Australia
Posted by pb52
Everyone wants to complete the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, but at $180 a pop (around £90) each, plus paying for their photographs (you are not allowed to take a camera with you) not everyone can afford it.

An equally good option, but one which is little advertised, is the Sydney Pylon Lookout. This involves climbing the interior of the concrete tower of the Harbour Bridge and is the tower nearest the Opera House.

It has three floors of exhibits and a film show but best of all, the view from the open top is only a few feet below the top of the bridge and is equally as stunning.

You can stay as long as you like and take your own photographs. And it is only $9.50 each - under a fiver!

Use the 'Bridge Stairs' from Cumberland Street in The Rocks for access.
www.pylonlookout.com.au
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Doing the unusual stuff - besides all the usual stuff!
Posted by chrischil
Having visited Sydney aged 15 with my family and doing all the things that a family should do when going down under - tours of the Opera House, ferry trips to Manly, relaxing on Bondi Beach, etc, I returned to Sydney determined to try out the more unusual attractions that the city has to offer which are maybe more off the beaten track from the hordes of tourists.

Of course, I did the adventurous stuff in Sydney to start with - climbing the Harbour Bridge and swinging out over 250m above the city on a glass floor on the Sydney Skywalk atop Centrepoint Tower (millions of tourists alas), but who'd have thought that just an hour away from Sydney, I could be hang-gliding over the beautiful (and devoid of tourists) cliffs of Stanwell Park, or that a couple of hours away on the train I could be racing over massive sand dunes to shipwrecks and tin cities on a quad bike at Port Stephens?

I did all this and more, in what truly was the adventure of a lifetime. Sydney is a wonderful city, and contains something for everyone. My advice - do everything - you only live once and you may only visit Australia once or twice in your lifetime. My only regret was not having the money to scuba dive with sharks at Manly Aquarium.

Check out these websites for the trip of a lifetime:

www.hanggliding.com.au
www.quadbikeking.com.au
www.bridgeclimb.com/
www.skywalk.com.au/
www.sharkdive.oceanworld.com.au/
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Mt Wellington Hobart, Tasmania
Posted by wiganwanderer
The view from the top is fantastic, overlooking the city plus Bruny island and the outlying areas for up to 50 miles on a clear day. Be aware that as this is a mountain the weather can and does change very dramatically and quickly, so be ready to don waterproofs etc.
Well worth the trip up and for the energetic lots of trails along the mountainside.

www.wellingtonpark.tas.gov.au/
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Dolphin encounter, Kaikoura, New Zealand
Posted by wooffy
As a child I always wanted to swim with dolphins. In fact, I even wrote to Jim to fix it for me. I always imagined being in a swimming pool in Disneyland swimming with dolphins. However, Dolphin Encounter in Kaikoura made my dream come true in a much more natural way. I swam with a pod of about 800 dolphins in the open waters of New Zealand. I played chase with them and sang to them. The company are very conscious of the environment and as such only allow 13 swimmers per trip, so booking in advance is a must. It was the most memorable experience of my life and better than Jim could have done.

www.dolphin.co.nz/kaikoura/
96 Esplanade, Kaikoura; tel: +64 3 319 6777;
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Canyoning
Posted by sazzysoo
It is a mixture of abseiling, swimming, jumping, climbing out in the wilderness.

http://www.deepcanyon.co.nz/
Next to the Red Cow on the high street.