Archive for the ‘Boys' weekends’ Category

The sun, the surf, the sights … the cheese. Ah, it’s what boys’ weekends are made of. The Gold Coast, Australia’s answer to Las Vegas minus a squillion casinos and bright neon lights, but certainly ample gambling opportunities, bands, great pubs and clubs, sunshine and sand – and that’s not desert sand, but the soft, powdery kind plonked right at the feet of some of the most spectacular beaches in the world.

Oh yes, then there’s the bikini clad babes wandering around here, there and everywhere. And plenty of buff male torsos for the ideal eye candy for a girls’ weekend, mind you.

The journey

But down to business, boys’ weekend business, of course. Do something a little different and fly into Brisbane rather than Coolangatta, where we snapped up our DriveNow bargain basement Mitsubishi Lancer, and take your time looking around this sunny city before cruising down the Pacific Motorway for an hour or so. We had lunch at the superb Cha Cha Char Wine Bar & Grill in Brisbane, beaut river views and awesome venue to tear into a juicy char grilled steak. This recharged the batteries for an afternoon of surfing action on Main Beach on the Gold Coast. Then we checked into the mighty Crowne Plaza and set up base for the rest of the weekend which included a day at the races, and a big night at Jupiters Casino.

On the Sunday, a hangover couldn’t stop us from letting rip with some adrenalin-pumping fun at the Wet N Wild fun park – can’t avoid Surf Rider, Kamikaze and extreme Tornado for a real buzz and to set the real men apart from the boys. Take note: this kind of activity is the perfect hangover cure! It allowed us to fire up, head back into town for another tilt at the nightlife, this time minus Jupiters which would have continued to clean out our wallets, no doubt. This time we did the rounds in the heart of town in Surfers Paradise, namely Orchid Street after about 10pm. No shortage of great night spots, food and beautiful people.

AUSTIN BONHAM

Kayaking with dolphins, having our “auras” photographed at Crystal Castle in the hinterland and laying a few bets on the gee-gees at a pub with ocean views wasn’t exactly the sort of blend I had in mind for a boys’ weekend, but hey, we were in Byron Bay and it was a case of doing as the Romans do … well, some of them, anyway.

Our weekend launched the moment we touched down on the Gold Coast at Coolangatta. We hooked ourselves up with a Toyota Aurion after snapping up the hottest deal at DriveNow with Hertz emerging the winner on this particular search mission. Three blokes with a thirst for adventure and a boozy weekend in mind headed south and the party was up and away.

Spirit of adventure

While exploring Byron Bay, hitting the beach, entertainment, eateries and nearby hinterland only a short drive away was the name of the game, reaching the destination is a leisurely one hour drive direct from Coolangatta along the Pacific Highway, but we detoured to a Crystal Castle (www.crystalcastle.com.au) set in the hinterland only 20 minutes or so in a westerly direction from Byron.
This was an ideal way to hit all the right R&R buttons before playing hard in town – Crystal Castle is an enchanting place with mystical statues, an ancient labyrinth walk and amazing gardens. Then there’s the thousands of crystals, a cool cafe for lunch, books of wisdom to peruse, tarot card readings, and an opportunity to catch a snap of your aura and see what your energy fields are up to.

A place to party

Once in town, our destination of choice was the Oasis Resort (www.byronbayoasisresort.com.au) and a tree-top house, only a stone’s throw from all the action in town. For food, don’t miss the O’Sushi Train for a fresh lunch, Belongil Beach Cafe for breakys or lunches (and amazing beach views!), and Balcony Bar and Restaurant in the city’s heart for a great evening meal. Other than that, The Beach Hotel (www.beachhotel.com.au), formerly owned by the legendary Aussie actor/comedian “Strop”, was our second home for food, betting on the TAB, great beers and superb entertainment – Sunday session is a must do, especially with its amazing Pacific Ocean waterfront views. Other cool nightspots include Liquid, Lalaland and Cheeky Monkey’s. If you find the time, visit Stone & Wood Brewery (www.stoneandwood.com.au) where three blokes share their love of beer, music and surf and are living the dream.

Paddle power

For boys’ weekend, I cannot recommend a better hangover cure or travel adventure experience as kayaking with the dolphins, turtles, stingrays and/or whales thanks to the gang at Cape Byron Kayaks (www.capebyronkayaks.com). Owner Alice and crew take you on an ocean safari for between 2 and 3 hours and it’s an exhilirating experience you can’t forget. We learnt a little history about Byron Bay, frolicked with the marine life, surfed a wave back to shore and shared a beer or 10 with Alice at the Beachy (hotel) for what was the highlight of the weekend.

For driving adventure it’s an 8 out of 10 in this part of the world.

For a boys weekend, it’s a 9.

10 words: Sun, sand, spiritual, relaxed, views, crowded, backpackers, hippies, chilled, adventure.

AUSTIN BONHAM