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Australia is the only country in the world to cover an entire continent. The region is practically synonymous with the Great Barrier Reef, didgeridoos, kangaroos, and barbecues – rightly so – but visitors can expect much more. The diverse landscape, located a world away from North America, is also home to the Outback (an arid, expansive desert that takes up 70 percent of the land), tropical, Gold Coast beaches, stellar wine-producing regions, a fascinating indigenous heritage, and warm Aussie hospitality. While most people come for outdoor adventures like diving, surfing, and wildlife-spotting, the classy, cosmopolitan cities of Sydney and Melbourne deserve more than a passing glance.
Because this remote, earthly land contains some of nature’s most impressive, “out-of-this-world” accomplishments – Technicolor reefs, pristine beaches, outrageous surfing, and eye-popping wildlife.
$158/nt+: 4-star Sydney hotel nr Darling Harbour The Menzies Sydney
