Best Holiday I ever had in Coffs Harbour, Australia | Travel Review

Nearly halfway between Sydney and Brisbane and seated between Great Dividing Range behind and Pacific Ocean in front, Coffs Harbour is the perfect site to explore a verdant hinterland and its rainforests, plantations, waterfalls and gorges as well as the coast and its breathtaking beaches. The Big Banana is a must visit place in Australia and one of the biggest attractions at Coffs Harbour where you will find the legendary chocolate coated bananas. 

 My Travel Experience in Coffs Harbour

My family and I visited the Coffs Harbour during our last year’s summer vacation. Our home for one week was a cottage- 12km north of town with a beautiful laidback atmosphere and attractive shop fronts. We sit on the cottage’s deck watching kangaroos graze below us as we listen to the cool saxophone sounds hover across the landscape. I love this cottage because of pet friendly environment. I would like to recommend Alarks Nest as best pet friendly cottage accommodation in Coffs Harbour, Australia. Later in the day we wandered down to river Bellinger to enjoy a good swim in the green, clear water. Everyone had fun here. My kids floating on tyre tubes down gentle rapids and our dog chasing sticks; we indeed fulfilled the conventional saying:”Life is good!”We later lay on the riverbank on our towels for our skin to be warmed up by the beautiful sun. 

With a beautiful kitchenette with all the necessary appliances, we come back just in time to prepare our freshly caught kingfish and rabbit dishes. 

After putting the kids to sleep, my husband and I headed to the nearby bar to take in some live music by popular local musicians as we sipped strawberry daiquiris. The night is balmy when we come back to the cottage to put our tired bodies to sleep.

The following morning we decided to take breakfast at one of the restaurants in Bellingen as we looked around the monthly market. This market is a lot of entertainment for kids with jumping castles, pony rides, live music under enormous shady tree and rotating swings.

Over the remaining days we dug deep into the shallows where Moonee Creek connects with the sea and had excellent meals at Mangrove Jacks. We had an opportunity to test the Decadent brunch fare- a specialty in this area.

On our last day at the cottage we decided to enjoy the cottage outdoors. The area was large enough for some family fun activities and I couldn’t fail to notice that even our dog had so much fun.

Coffs Harbour practically offers any activity that one might be looking for, both on dry land, in the water and in air.  

 The whole setting is beautiful and the beaches are breathtaking too. Park beach is the main beach, north of the town. Jetty Beach is however closest to town and is excellent for both surfing and swimming. You can however get a great surf at Headland Beach, Macauleys Beach and Diggers Beach. Coffs Harbour has warm weather nearly all year round but to take advantage of the lovely beaches, you need to escape the summer crowds. Anytime from February to May and from September to December is fine.

Best Holiday tour I ever had in Bellingen , Australia

Bellingen town in Australia offers an alternative and laid back lifestyle yet it has many local cafes, shops as well as a museum to explore. There is a three hectare island known as Bellingen Bat Island that hosts a community of around 40,000 grey-headed flying foxes which is a truly breathtaking view at dusk when they go out in search of food.

Near Bellingen is a small vineyard that is worth visiting and has opportunities for walking, horse riding, cycling as well as canoeing along the river. 

On the fabulous Pacific coast of the northern New South Wales is the Coffs Harbour which offers excellent fishing, a growing cosmopolitan centre and glorious sandy beaches. 

My Holiday in Bellingen; living in a cottage

We booked self contained, bed & breakfast cottage accommodation in Bellingen, Coffs Harbour.  Picture this; you wake up to a clear morning with birds singing. Even though it’s warm, you can see a mist hanging in the mountains from a distance. You either prepare your own coffee or head out for one great one at one of the nearby cafes. You write a postcard, read the paper and relax as you take in the view. You spend your afternoon cycling through eucalyptus forest or paddling the Bellinger River. Late in the afternoon you have a swim in the river and head to town to mix with the locals. You can prepare your own dinner at the cottage or eat out at one of the many restaurants. Well, that is the kind of experience I had when I visited Bellingen on my last vacation.

 My family and I found this beautiful cottage out of town on a waterfall way. This place was recommended by a family friend who had spent a night there on his way to Sydney. The cottage is around 1km out of town. It has quiet and spacious rooms that are very comfortable and clean. The feeling of spaciousness is felt due to the tall ceilings as well as front and back doors that lead to the pool/garden. The garden is equally beautiful with views over the nearby mountains.

With a kitchenette and a microwave, we were able to cook our own food which we ate from the garden as we enjoyed the cool breeze form the Bellingen River. The outdoor space was spacious enough for my kids’ outdoor activities with their dog.

On dusk, you could hear frogs’ sounds but thankfully they would stop croaking as the night progressed to allow you enjoy your night.

The owners of the cottage seemed attentive, friendly and informative.

Overall, this cottage was reasonably priced. It was the best alternative and we would definitely stay there again if we found ourselves in the area.

It is true that a holiday is what you make of it. But if there is a place that one can relax and regenerate, then Bellingen it is. Snuggled in the base of Bellinger Valley, with breathtaking beaches to the east and the rainforest to the west, your trip to Bellingen can be as relaxed or as active as you like it.