MELBOURNE 6D5N TRAVEL ITINERARY! | VISIT VICTORIA

 'Travelling to Melbourne' has been on my bucket list since forever and I am so, so happy that I finally ticked it off my bucket list with AirAsia and #VisitMelbourne Tourism Board!! *hooray* 😭💗

It's my first time ever visiting Australia and words can't describe how excited I was to be onboard for this fam trip! I have heard so many good things about Melbourne and I was beyond excited to be able to finally discover and experience all the goodness in Melbourne myself.

Being the second most populated state in Australia after Sydney, there are a lot of things that you can see and do in Melbourne. In this blog post, I'm going to share with you my 6D5N travel itinerary as well as my accommodation details!

Itinerary:

MONDAY (12 NOV) 

- Arrived in Melbourne

- Werribee Open Range Zoo

- Arrive in Geelong for lunch at The Pickers Union 

- Visit Geelong Waterfront
- Visit blueberry farm at Tuckerberry Hill 

- Arrive in Queenscliff and check-in our resort (BIG4 Beacon Resort)

-  Dinner at resort

TUESDAY (13 NOV)

- Breakfast at Roro Cafe

- Wine-wasting at Jack Rabbit Vineyard

- Surfing class at Torquay

- Lunch and chocolate-making class at Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie 

- Dinner at Athelstane House

WEDNESDAY (14 NOV)

- Resort check-out

- Sea All Dolphin cruise at Queenscliff 

- California Redwood Forest in Aire Valley

- Visit Loch Ard Gorge at Port Campbell

- Check in Seafoam Villa at Port Campbell

- Dinner at Waves Port Campbell

THURSDAY (15 NOV)

- Breakfast at Forage on the Foreshore

- Check-out and depart for the 12 Apostles Visitor Centre

- 12 Apostles Helicopter Ride

- Stop by Timboon for ice-cream

- Lunch at Platypi at Forrest

- Depart to Melbourne city

- Hotel Check-in Ibis Melbourne Central

- Hosier Lane, ACDC Lane for street art

- Eureka Skydeck 88 Observatory Deck

FRIDAY (16 NOV)

- Breakfast at Krimper Cafe 

- Brighton Bathing Boxes

- St.Kilda Beach

- Lunch at South Melbourne Market 

- DFO Outlet Shopping

- Dinner in hotel

SATURDAY (17 NOV)

- Hotel Check-out

- Use Skybus service to Melbourne Airport

- Bye Melbourne 

MONDAY (12 NOV)

Depart from KL to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport via AirAsia X!

First stop - Werribee Open Range Zoo (about 40 mins away from Melbourne Tullamarine airport) - home to a range of magnificent animals from the grasslands of Africa, Asia, North America and Australia. It was exciting to see all these wildlife animals lumbering right in front of you!

We hopped on an open-air vehicle for a 45 mins safari tour that comes with a live commentary to see a range of wildlife animals! Look how stoked I was to see the giraffes at such close distance!!

Of course, we saw the cuddly koala bears!!!

After the safari tour, we headed to the Pickers Union @ Geelong for brunch!

Shortly after lunch, we headed to Geelong Waterfront. Walking along the shore, you will spot a lot of different painted bollards, which are the work of artist Jan Mitchell. She has transformed old timbers and piles from the city's Yarra Street pier, demolished in the 1980s, into remarkable works of art that stop young and old in their tracks.

Check-in our resort - BIG4 BEACON RESORT at Queenscliff. This resort is a popular choice, especially for family and friends reunions as it's situated at the entrance of Queenscliff - which is accessible to a lot of restaurants and marine parks. I love my room - it's clean, cozy and feels very much like home!



TUESDAY (13 NOV)

Breakfast at Roro cafe - just 10 mins away from our resort! I ordered the big breakfast which came in a huge portion that can be shared among two. So full!

Next, we headed to the Jack Rabbit Vineyard for wine-tasting. Soak up the spectacular ocean view here with your favourite wine - it was such a relaxing experience!

I mean, how can anyone say 'no' to this beautiful view? 😍

Australians love surfing! And if you love it too, you should definitely join the surfing class with Go Ride a Wave at Torquay! It's 75AUD/person for one hour with a trainer!

I don't know how to swim, but I still tried to learn surfing! I was hit by the waves, my surfboard flipped, and the next thing I knew I was struggling to get myself back on the feet while tasting some salty sea water (literally). But that's the fun part!! It was exhilarating and truly an unforgettable experience!

GIVEAWAY
I'm giving away 1x pair of surfing class tickets to 1 lucky winner + his/her partner! Leave me a comment and NAME THE PLACE WHERE I LEARNED SURFING IN MELBOURNE" + include your email address in the comment box under this blog post! The lucky winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email on 30 November!

After surfing, we departed to the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie to indulge in some delicious desserts before our chocolate-making class! The strawberries were honestly sooooo good and I'm craving for them right now. 😩

During the chocolate-making class, we got to learn how chocolates are made, we got to taste different types of chocolates, and even got to make our own! This class is ideal for those who LOVE chocolates and I'm giving away 1x pair of chocolate-making class tickets to 1 lucky winner + his/her partner! If you are travelling to Melbourne soon and want to win this pair of tickets as an additional activity for your trip, just answer this simple question: "NAME THE PLACE WHERE I LEARNED CHOCOLATE-MAKING IN MELBOURNE" + include your email address in the comment box under this blog post! The lucky winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email on 30 November!


Before you leave, don't forget to buy some handcrafted chocolates home as souvenirs!

Discovered this beautiful lavender field right outside the Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie!! 

WEDNESDAY (14 NOV)

Nothing excites me more than going on a DOLPHIN CRUISE. We hopped on a cruise with Sea All Dolphin Swims and Cruising in Queenscliff on Wednesday morning. Do take note that they operate from October through until May only! You can also go for their snorkelling package to swim with the dolphins!!


We literally squealed so hard seeing the dolphins swimming underneath our ship!! They're so precious 😭

During the cruise, expert interpretation is delivered from friendly crew as they describe the remarkable wildlife and special features along the way. The crews even offered us hot drinks and hoodies on the cruise as the weather was pretty chilly in the morning. How thoughtful of them!


We also saw these frolicking seals gathering at the Chinaman’s Hat Seal platform! 

The 3.5 hour cruises are suitable for all walks of life! The experience was totally worth it!
Note: Take sea-sick pills before going on board just in case you get motion sickness. 
(btw, the dolphin was photoshopped lol)

Moving on, we departed to The Californian Redwood forest (Sequoia trees) in Aire Valley. These magnificent-looking trees were planted alongside the river since 1939, which has more than 70 years of history! I was also told that this place is ideal for picnics.

After a 2-hour drive from the Californian Red Wood Forrest, we have arrived in Port Campbell (my personal favourite place). This is the place where you can admire spectacular coastal scenery along the Great Ocean Road! This picture was taken from Gibson Steps. 

Being a treasure trove of natural beauty, coastal wilderness and maritime history, the view of Loch Ard Gorge is absolutely stunning. 

A beautiful sight that I will never forget. 💛

Later on, we checked-in at Sea Foam Villa, which is located just metres away from the beach in Port Campbell, vibrant heart of the Great Ocean Road and Shipwreck Coast. 

Ended our day with a scrumptious dinner at Waves - just 5 mins walk away from our villa!

THURSDAY (15 NOV)

You know what's the best part of waking up? BREAKFAST. We had breakfast at Forage on the Foreshore, a beach front cafe just located 5 mins walk away from our villa. They serve locally cooked, grown and produced food - so good!

#OOTD

The majestic 12 Apostles. 
Created by constant erosion of the limestone cliffs of the mainland beginning 10–20 million years ago, the stormy Southern Ocean and blasting winds gradually eroded the softer limestone, forming caves in the cliffs. The caves eventually became arches and when they collapsed, rock stacks up to 45 metres high were left isolated from the shore. 

12 Apostles Helicopters will take you on an awe-inspiring flight over the fantastic rock formations that make up the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, London Bridge! You will get the opportunity to see the Great Ocean Road from a spectacularly different perspective!

ALL READY. 

The view from the helicopter ride was incredible!! (See more in my vlog!)

On the way back to the Melbourne city, we stopped by Timboon Ice-cream - where all things ice cream and desserts are on offer!

Also, Timboon Ice-cream is one of the food artisans from the 12 Apostles Artisan Food Trail. 

The food trail gives visitors the chance to savour several amazing food and wine experiences along the spectacular coast and scattered throughout the inland crater country. Head over to their website if you want to know more!

We finally arrived in MELBOURNE CITY! We spent our last 2 nights at the Ibis Melbourne Central. It's located at the heart of the city, so you can be immersed in the famous laneway dining and shopping just steps away and take advantage of the free tram network connecting all corners of the city!

A trip to Melbourne will never be complete without visiting these graffiti-covered walls and art-installations at the famous Hosier Lane, ACDC Lane, etc.

Here, I'm at the Block Arcade - Melbourne’s oldest, most historic and posh arcade and can be found between Collins and Little Collins and Elizabeth Streets. It contains an array of the city’s most exclusive retailers offering fashion as well as jewellery and giftware, leather goods, handmade toys, etc. Having more than 100 years of history, this Arcade is now listed under the protection of the National Trust.

Eureka Skydeck 88 - the highest public vantage point in Melbourne that offers unparalleled views of the city. Also, we managed to catch the beautiful sunset!




FRIDAY (16 NOV)

Breakfast at Krimper - love its unique and edgy architecture as well as their brunch options! I got myself an avocado on toast spread with smashed pumpkin and it was marvellous! (Honestly, I don't mind having avocado every day heh)

YAY! FINALLY HERE IN THE ICONIC BRIGHTON BATHING BOXES!

Rainbow hut 🌈

There are more than 80 colourful wooden beach huts here!! Apart from being a wonderful spot for your Instagram #ootds, this place is also extremely ideal for those who want to enjoy the sea breeze while taking a stroll along the beach.

My amazing travelling partners that made my trip even more memorable😍

Rindu these two!

If you have time, do visit the St.Kilda beach and take a stroll on the esplanade to take in the ocean breeze! Also, I like how this place gives off a laidback California vibe!

After that, we visited South Melbourne Market - one of the oldest markets in Melbourne.

Here, you can shop an array of goods - from jewelries to house decor items, flowers, confectionary, etc!


HOW CUTE ARE THESE?

Of course, don't forget to taste the fresh oysters here in South Melbourne Market!!

Enjoying my seafood lunch at Claypots Evening Star @ South Melbourne Market.

If you love coffee, do drop by Market Lane Coffee (opposite South Melbourne Market) to try out their coffee!


St.Patrick's Cathedral. 

SATURDAY (17 NOV)

It was the day that we had to say goodbye to this beautiful city. We took the Skybus Express Airport Transfer to the airport! The Skybus stop was just 4 mins walk away from our hotel. It was comfortable and even had wifi onboard.


So that's all about my trip! Honestly, it was nothing short of amazing. I got to enjoy the stunning landscapes and coastlines, pristine beaches, wineries, forests teeming with wildlife around Victoria and also get to experience the lively, vibrant city side in Melbourne - which sounds like the best of both worlds to me! Whether you are someone who enjoys a laidback lifestyle, someone who enjoys arts and rich culture, or someone who likes adventures - Melbourne is the city that has everything to offer!

AND Good news! Starting from 5 December 2018, AirAsia will fly between Avalon Airport and Kuala Lumpur! Avalon Airport is 15 mins away from Geelong and it is also the closest airport to the internationally renowned Great Ocean Road!

Will I travel to Melbourne again?
Definitely YES!

I hope you guys find this post useful and don't forget to COMMENT AND ANSWER THE SIMPLE QUESTION if you want to win a pair of chocolate-making class ticket OR a pair of surfing class ticket!
(Winners will be announced on 30 Nov and the e-tickets will be sent to the winners via email)

Love,
Jessica.

♡

WATCH MY MELBOURNE VLOG ⤵