I haven't been to Surfer's Paradise in Queensland for about 17 years now; I was looking online and it seems awfully cheesy now. Of course I expect change after all that time but it just doesn't seem to be... a good change. Does anyone know if it has gotten tacky or if it's just the way it seems on the websites I have found?
2007-07-22 17:31:44 · 4 answers · asked by snoopy 5 in Travel ➔ Australia ➔ Other - Australia
You are not wrong. Surfers Paradise has changed a lot! Especially since 17 years ago. As for tackiness - its not only the websites you have seen, it really is..
We went in 1995, and it was a very family orientated area back then, with plenty of things to do with the family including the Theme Parks. We went back again in 2004, and although the Theme Parks are still there, it seemed as though there really wasn't anything else to do with the family.
Surfers Paradise, itself, has become a major tourist centre totally aimed at the Asian (especially Japanese) tourism market. It seemed as though most stores spoke only Japanese (or other Asian languages), with all store signs written in Asian - NOTHING in English - leaving the rest of the world to wonder what these signs say. They also had Asian people standing at the store doors trying to entice the Asian tourists and TOTALLY ignoring you if you looked anything other than Asian.
There were all these Asian tourist buses that would stop at certain stores (Asian), where the passengers would disembark, shop and eat ONLY at the stores that they were directed to, and then hop back onto the bus to another store. They were not allowed to go to the other stores surrounding the Asian stores, so the neighbouring stores would just miss out on the clientelle. Which is really sad, seeing that I read somewhere that Surfers is the number 1 Australian destination of Asian tourists.
Cavill Avenue is now just totally full of nasty, cheesy, expensive souvenier shops full of rubbish souveniers from China and Taiwan, including some incredibly rude t-shirts hanging from every corner - in fact most of Surfers itself is full of souvenier shops! We wanted to buy some authentic Australian souveniers, but it was EXTREMELY difficult to find anything Australian made, apart from the Aboriginal art (which also seem to be overly expensive).
All the quaint little shacks and beach houses are gone and replaced by highrise towers and "resorts" everywhere. A lot of restaurants advertise cheap prices, but then sting you with hidden costs.
Oh, also, if you are thinking of going there during Easter, I highly recommend that you buy everything you need before Good Friday, because nearly everything closes and doesn't re-open until Easter Tuesday, or you'll end up (as we did) having to eat out for every meal, or buying milk and bread from the extremely expensive 7-Eleven. (I think this may be the situation throughout all of Queensland, but I'm not sure! - I think us Victorians may be somewhat spoilt) Don't know what happens at Christmas time, but it may be a good idea to avoid the area at Schoolies Week which is between 17 - 26 November (obviously more than a week) as the place is totally inundated by 16 - 20 year olds, looking to have a good time anyway they can.
If you are thinking of going to the Gold Coast, there is over 40 kilometres of it and there are many other places to go to, perhaps somewhere further south such as Broadbeach or further south - Currumbin? Tweed Heads?, or even somewhere further north - Runaway Bay? Mermaid Waters? Or even further north than that....
Sorry to be so negative. We were so woefully disappointed last time we were there.
2007-07-22 22:29:07 · answer #1 · answered by Melbourne Girl 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It was always tacky. Now it is more so.
Go to the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane. Noosa or Maroochydore if you want biggish towns, or Marcus, Peregian and Sunshine for a more laid back ambience.
2007-07-23 02:09:00 · answer #2 · answered by iansand 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i agree with melb. grl
def not a good change - i don't go there anymore either & i live less than an hour's drive away. not safe at night, asian street signs are ridiculous. highrises are higher, only the beaches are the same. give it a miss - go somewhere where the mass asian tourist market doesn't go.
2007-07-23 05:34:34 · answer #3 · answered by mariemlm 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
a lot more touristy & busy now than 17 years ago
2007-07-23 01:01:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋