From Wikitravel

Imagine Hawaii, only with wider, whiter beaches, and cheaper to stay and eat, and not so commercialized, and weather just a little more temperate, and Australian beer. Now you are starting to get the picture of Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia. With 70 km of beaches and several hundred km of tidal rivers and basins, water sports rule Surfers Paradise.

Many Australians believe that Surfers Paradise has been spoilt, and the whole of the Gold Coast area now has a somewhat dubious reputation for being a place where foreign tourists go to get ripped off or locals go for a night out in seedy strip clubs (which are plentiful). Although there can be no doubt the area has been overdeveloped, this reputation is probably a little bit harsh and in recent years many of the seedier aspects of the Gold Coast have been redeveloped into more lucrative upmarket ventures. The beaches are undeniably great but be aware that high rise developments just off the main beach mean that every afternoon huge amounts of the beach sit in the shadows!

[edit] Understand

[edit] When to go

Assuming that you want to experience the sea, the best time to hit the Gold Coast in between October and March when temperatures climb.

Be aware that Schoolies Week is on in November, when the entire area is invaded by tens of thousands of 17 year olds who have just finished high school and head to the beaches to let off steam and celebrate. It's a huge party - but if drunken 17 year olds aren't your scene then you should avoid the area!!

[edit] Get in

Surfers Paradise is located on the Gold Coast of Australia, about an hour by car south of Brisbane. A train service also connects to Brisbane Airport and arrives at Robina just a 10 minute bus ride from Surfers.

Coolangatta Airport is on the southern side of the Gold Coast and is about a 20 minute bus ride to Surfers. Frequent flights are available from Sydney.

[edit] Get around

Surfside bus lines provides public bus services for the Gold Coast area, for time table information and prices check out http://www.transinfo.qld.gov.au

Taxi cabs are another way to go, but can be quite expensive.

• Alpha Car Hire, [1] cheap brand new car rentals in Queensland, Australia. Alpha has car rental offices throughout Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Hire brand new cars from $26 a day. Alpha Car Hire guarantees to beat any of our competitors rates to ensure you get the best price and service!

[edit][add listing] See

There are 21 theme parks and attractions in Surfers Paradise, including Sea World, Warner Brothers Movieworld, Dreamworld and Wet 'n Wild Water Park. At Currumbin Sanctuary you can see hundreds of mountain parrots. If you want to pet kangaroos and emus, then Fleays Wildlife Park is where you should head.

[edit][add listing] Do

As the name of the city implies, surfing is the order of the day. You can check live surf cams and surf conditions here. Other water sports like boating and fishing are also plentiful.

If you are going to swim make sure you swim in patrolled areas (between the red and yellow flags). Each year hundreds of swimmers get into trouble in the strong currents and it's always the tourists swimming outside the flags who end up swept out to sea and drowning.

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Budget

• The Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club offers a great lunch deal $6.50 for a large piece of crumbed chicken, chips and salad plus free basic drink. And it is right across for the beach just down from Cavil ave.

• Surfers Paradise RSL Club the staff at the sign-in desk are quite rude and the whole place feels a little seedy as you walk right in to the pokie machine lounge, however once you get upstairs it's ok. This club offers a great value roast dinner from 5:30pm till about 8:30pm for about $6.50, all the other meals are well priced. Beer is cheap and it's just a short walk to Melba’s and Cavil ave.

• Jacks Kebabs, this is a great little Kebab joint across from the beach opp. McDonalds, makes a very tasty Kebab and it's popular in the early hours of the morning as all the drunks stumble out of the clubs looking for a meal.

[edit] Splurge

Plenty of the hotels around Surfers Paradise offer buffet all you can eat seafood, which is normally quite nice and around $50 - $60 per person plus drinks. Some offer lunch specials or early bird deals.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Most of the night clubs are down Orchid Ave just off the main strip Cavil Ave, ones to check out are:

• The Drink
• Elsewhere
• Cocktails & Dreams (Multi-level Club)
• Shooters
• Melbas

[edit][add listing] Sleep

A great alternative to hotels is the plentiful supply of apartments that are available for rental in Surfers Paradise. For a lower cost alternative, you may want to check out hostels for backpackers.

[edit] Get out

[edit] Stay Safe

As with all beaches in Queensland you need to swim between the Red & Yellow flags at all times. These flags mark the safest area of water in which to swim & also the area in which the lifeguards are supervising. Many lives have been lost due to people not swimming in the marked area.

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