The Gold Coast, Australia

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WHY GO NOW?

With an average of 300 sunny days a year, it's hard to find a bad time to visit the Gold Coast. However, as the area is popular with both Australians and international visitors, go now and take advantage of cheaper air fares and no queues for attractions - it'll be a different story in the busy Christmas school holidays.

TOUCH DOWN

No airline flies direct between the UK and Brisbane, the Gold Coast's international gateway. You can fly via a number of cities including Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Dubai - which has the most UK departure points, with Emirates (0870 243 2222; www.emirates.com) flying from Gatwick, Heathrow, Birmingham, Manchester or Glasgow. From Brisbane airport, it's a 90-minute ride on the Airtrain (00 61 7 3216 3308; www.airtrain.com.au) to the Gold Coast's Nerang station (1). Trains run every 30 minutes and cost A$23.30 (£9.50). For an extra $14 (£5.70), you can book a ticket that includes a transfer from Nerang station to your Gold Coast accommodation.

GET YOUR BEARINGS

Gold Coast City (to give it its correct title) is situated in the south-east corner of Queensland, and stretches from Beenleigh in the north to the New South Wales border in the south. The most-visited slice lies between the Pacific Highway and the sea and is bordered to the north by Main Beach and to the south by Burleigh Heads. Along the heavily developed coastal strip, Main Beach runs south into Surfers Paradise, the main transport and tourism hub, and south again are Broadbeach, Mermaid Beach and Miami. The Visitor Information Centre (2) in Surfers Paradise (00 61 7 5538 4419; www.verygc.com) is open Monday-Friday 8.30am-5.30pm, Saturday 8.30am-5pm, and Sunday 9am-4pm. Buses run along the Gold Coast and are operated by Surfside Buslines (00 61 7 5571 6555; www.gcshuttle.com.au). Fares operate on a zonal system, with a single zone ticket costing A$2.20 (90p).

CHECK IN

Palazzo Versace (3), Sea World Drive, Main Beach (bookable through 0870 128 6000; www.palazzoversace.com.au) is every bit as palatial and fashionable as the name suggests. A special rate of A$820 (£342) per room includes two nights' B&B accommodation and spa admission. The Gold Coast also has plenty of apartments, rented on a nightly, room-only basis. Beach Haven (4) at 1 Albert Avenue (00 61 7 5570 3888; www.bhaven.com.au) in Broadbeach charges from A$190 (£79) for a two-bedroom apartment 100 metres from the beach. And look out for Ultra (5), also in Broadbeach at 14 George Avenue (00 61 7 5592 3766; www.ultrabroadbeach.com.au) opening in January, with apartments priced from A$180 (£75).

TAKE A VIEW

For epic views in all directions, take the lift up the brand-new Q1 Tower (6), Surfers Paradise Boulevard (00 61 7 5630 4700; www.q1observationdeck.com.au). If you take the edifice's spire into account, at 323m this is the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere. The Observation Deck (open daily from 9am "until late"), however, is just 235m above sea level. Admission is A$16.50 (£6.70).

TAKE A RIDE

Hop on a boat and explore the Gold Coast's Waterway canal system and Broadwater. Wyndham Cruises (00 61 7 5539 9299; www.wyndhamcruises.com.au) operates two-hour cruises twice daily (10am and 2.30pm) from the wharf behind Tiki Village in Surfers Paradise (7). The price of A$39 (£16) includes morning or afternoon tea.

LUNCH ON THE RUN

The Gold Coast beaches are dotted with Surf Lifesaving Clubs (SLSCs), many of which have bars and restaurants. At Kurrawa SLSC (8), Old Burleigh Road, Broadbeach (00 61 7 5538 0806; www.kurrawasurf.com.au), choose from fish and chips or Thai beef salad, both A$13.90 (£5.70). Another good one is Northcliffe SLSC (9), on the corner of Garfield Terrace and Thornton Street in Surfers Paradise (00 61 7 5539 8091; www.northcliffesurfclub.com.au).

TAKE A HIKE

You probably won't have time to walk the whole Oceanway, a 36km walking trail stretching from The Spit to Coolangatta. Instead, start at Northcliffe SLSC (9) and walk north along the beach. You'll pass the location of arts and crafts markets (10) held on Wednesday and Friday evenings, and Surfers Paradise SLSC (11). As you leave Surfers Paradise, the next beach down is Narrowneck Beach where you'll pass Munga Barry's Surf School (12). Cut inland and follow SeaWorld Drive, passing the Sheraton Marina Mirage (13) to your right and Palazzo Versace (3) to the left. A fig tree in the car park opposite the entrance to Seaworld (14) marks the start of Federation Walk, which winds its way through patches of rainforest undergoing regeneration. Leaving the Federation Walk Coastal Reserve you'll pass underneath the sand bypass jetty (15) and can then head along the pathway to the southern training wall of the Gold Coast Seaway. Continue on to the very tip of the wall (16): South Stradbroke Island is almost in touching distance across the water.

WINDOW SHOPPING

Carrara Markets (17) near Broadbeach (00 61 7 5579 9388; www.carraramarkets.com.au) is held 7am-4pm at weekends. Opposite Jupiter's Casino, the Pacific Fair shopping centre (18), Hooker Boulevard, Broadbeach (00 61 7 5581 5100; www.pacificfair.com.au), is one of the Gold Coast's best malls. If you feel less than stylish in your old swimsuit, Sundaze (00 61 7 5504 6844; www.sundaze.com.au) in the Centro Mall (19) at Cavill Avenue and Surfers Paradise Boulevard has a huge range of swimwear.

AN APERITIF

Try a Fruit Tingle (ingredients of which include blue curaçao, pineapple and cranberry juice) for A$14.50 (£6) at the Cocktail Bar at Melbas (20), 46 Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise (00 61 7 5592 6922; www.melbas.com.au). Vodka lovers should also visit another Surfers Paradise bar: Opium (21), 110 Surf Parade in the Phoenician Resort complex (00 61 7 5570 4300; www.opiumbar.com. au) which serves peach-flavour Polish Wyborowa at A$7 (£3) a shot.

DINING WITH THE LOCALS

Moo Moo Wine Bar & Grill (22), 2C/2685 Gold Coast Highway, Broadbeach (00 61 7 5539 9952; www.moomoorestaurant.com) is a sleek restaurant with a good wine list. The signature dish is a spice-rubbed 1kg Wagyu rump roast: the A$92 (£38) price may seem high, but it is intended to serve two.

SUNDAY MORNING: GO TO CHURCH

Make the journey north to Pimpama, near Ormeau station. The Uniting Church dates from the 1890s, and a 10am service at this quiet, historic building could hardly be more of a contrast with the brashtourist strip.

OUT TO BRUNCH

At Fisherman's Wharf Tavern (23), 60-70 Seaworld Drive, Main Beach (00 61 7 5571 0566; www.fishermanswharftavern.com.au). Breakfast is served until 11am at the weekend: try honey and cinnamon toast served with grilled bananas and vanilla ice cream for A$11 (£4.60). At lunch (served from 11.30am), go for the Fisho's Feast seafood basket, A$18.90 (£7.90).

CULTURAL AFTERNOON

Most Gold Coast visitors come here for the theme parks. Three of the most popular are Sea World (24) (00 61 7 5588 2205; www.seaworld.com.au) on The Spit, just north of Main Beach A$62 (£26); Warner Bros. Movie World (25) (00 61 7 5573 3999; www.movieworld.com.au), in Helensvale North on the west side of the Pacific Highway A$62 (£26); and Wet'n'Wild Water World (00 61 7 5573 2255; www.wetnwild.com. au) A$40 (£17). All three attractions can be visited on one "funpass" for A$135 (£55). Not covered by the funpass is Dreamworld (26), in Coomera (00 61 7 5588 1111; www.dreamworld.com.au): A$62 (£26).

A WALK IN THE PARK

In Burleigh Heads National Park (27) (00 61 7 5535 3032; www.epa.qld.gov.au), walking trails take you along the coast and through rainforest; open 6am-6pm daily. Cascade Gardens (28), 2730 Gold Coast Highway, Broadbeach, is a popular picnic spot with forest walks and a bird sanctuary.

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