What To Do in Melbourne
My very first step on Australian soil was in Melbourne. There is so much to see inside and outside this city. The 4 days we spend here were too short, but enough to experience the essentials. The first few days we did a lot with public transport and Uber. In the last days we rent a car to drive the Great Ocean road.
It was an amazing place to kick start our Australia adventure. I collected my favorite spots here in this blog post.
Hosier Lane Street Art
What to do at Hosier Lane Street Art?
If you’re into street graffiti art, then this place is for you! Located just at the opposite of Federation Square where the Flinders Lane and Flinders Street adjoints, you can expect a colorful area imprinted with people’s idea, creativity, passion, and hidden messages. Get ready to be mesmerized by the art and get your camera ready for Instagram-worthy pictures!
Brighton Bathing Boxes
The Most Instagrammable Spot: Brighton Bathing Boxes
Brighton Beach must be the most instagrammable beach in Melbourne with its colorful bathing boxes! If ?” There are 82 multicolored bathing boxes and each of them would be the best background for your holiday pictures. So take your most adorable swimsuit and strike a pose!
Queen Victoria Market
The Hippest Market in Melbourne
This market is famous among the locals since you can find fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, smallgoods, even coffee! Keep in mind to bring cash with you, with all those delicious foods around you.. you don’t want to miss out!
Yarra River
Sunset at the Yarra River
Yarra River is in fact, an important part of the Melbourne scene. And for me, the view was astonishing as I watched the sky turned orange, decorated with tall and immense buildings on the sides. You can enjoy the river by renting bikes then exploring its banks, or simply hop on a cruise and enjoy a beautiful view of the city from the water!
Son in Law Melbourne
Fairy Floss at Son in Law Melbourne
The son-in-law that everybody needs! Can be found at the corner of Johnston Street, you can expect the most adorable dessert in Melbourne. You can start with choosing a drink of which will be decorated with fairy floss in any shape that you’d like. Think about unicorns, panda, Pikachu, and my all-time favorite Totoro!
Location and Contact
56 Johnston Street
Collingwood, VIC 3066
0394100399
www.soninlaw.com.au/
Milkcow
Milkcow’s Infamous Watermelon Soft Icecream
Delicious soft icecream? Check. 100% Organic? Check. Insta-worthy? CHECK!
Is it a watermelon or is it an ice cream, Lily? Well, it’s both! You can find this yearly summer hit at Milkcow, and I wouldn’t call this as a guilty pleasure as this icecream is vegan, dairy-free, and gluten free 😉
Address : 287 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Methodist Coffee
Breakfast at Methodist Coffee
I found this place through Instagram and since I’ve read lots of good reviews about it, it’s only time that I experience it myself. Not only that the food was amazing, but the whole vibe of Methodist Coffee is also very hip and happening. A good breakfast makes a very great day, and I would definitely recommend this place to you!
Fat Jak’s at St. Kilda
Burgers at Fat Jak’s
If you happen to be in the area of St. Kilda, stopping at Fat Jak’s is a must! Forget about your diet and treat yourself some of these mouthwatering meals. The menu is arranging from burgers, different kind of fries, hot dogs, hot wings, nachos, and OH not to mention the unlimited refills on soft drinks that they offer. Heaven!
The one pictured was a Mac n Cheese bites, so imagine the traditional mac n cheese, but 10 times better with its crispy sides. I would love to come back again and recommend this place to all of you!
205 Barkly St, St Kilda VIC 3182, Australia
St. Kilda Pier
Penguins colony at St. Kilda
One of the most amazing thing I have experienced in Melbourne was penguins-watching! Guess what, it’s free too! I would watch them waddling around after they have finished hunting for fishes in the sea.
They are so adorable, how they walk and jump to their burrows. Make sure you squash St. Kilda Pier in between your Melbourne itinerary because you surely don’t want to miss making these new little friends at the pier.
Tip: The best time to spot them is 30 minutes after sunset, all year round!
St. Kilda Pier
Not only that this popular pier offers a beautiful panorama, but it is also being used as the spot to do rollerblading, cycling, fishing, and also strolling. To get to St. Kilda pier, you can take some public transports such as: Train (Sandringham Train), Tram (no 16, 3/3A, 96), and Bus (no 246, 600, 623, 922).
Great Ocean Road
If you are into road trips, or you are not, doing a road trip at the Great Ocean Road should definitely be part of your Melbourne trip.
Expect a very picturesque, yet lightly (244 kilometers) coastal drive, starting at Anglesea all the way to end at around Warrnambool. You can make plenty of stops to witness incredible views. Here are my favorites that you should definitely take a look at when you’re driving this scenic road.
First Stop: Erskine Falls
On the way from Melbourne to Great Ocean Road, we made a random stop that happen to have this astonishing waterfall! Five minutes from the parking spot you can find the lookout for Erskine Falls from above, while if you go further and walk downstairs, you can enjoy the waterfall from another angle, like shown in my picture here.
Address : 15 Mountjoy Parade Lorne VIC 3232
Kennett River
On top of my Australia bucket list was cuddling a Koala bear, or at least spotting them in the wild. Along the Great Ocean Road, I suggest taking a pitstop at Kennett River where you have a big chance to spot multiple koalas in their natural habitats. Reportedly there are over a thousand of of koalas living in the area. And since koalas spend most of their time sleeping, you gotta keep your eyes open and have some patience.
Tip: You will most properly find them on an Eucalyptus tree, so look between the stem and the branches.
Carisbrooke Creek
Between Lorne and Apollo along the Great Ocean Road, you can find a curious spectacle. In this place, you can practice the skill of stacking stones. The effort in balancing stones can actually bring peace and relaxation to the mind, and some people actually take this activity a bit more seriously, as in looking at it as performance art and attending classes for this activity.
The 12 Apostles
We ended this Great Ocean road trip with the icon: the 12 Apostles. A must see if you ask me. This famous viewpoint in the National park overlooks these magnificent limestone rocks. There are only eight left. The last one collapsed in 2015.
To get here from West Melbourne is approximately a four-hour drive along the Great Ocean Road.
Cathay Pacific
*This trip was in collaboration with Cathay Pacific
I flew in Premium Economy class from Hong Kong to Melbourne.
Cathay Pacific has daily flights with Boeing 777-300ER to Hong Kong and to almost 200 destinations worldwide from there on.
Tickets from Amsterdam to Melbourne in January 2018 start from:
Economy class: €1005 ,-.
Premium Economy Class: €1.725 (when booked 1 month ahead)
