Scuba diving Archives - Australia 2000 Travel

August 2, 2019

What is the Meaning of Luxury Travel?

Luxury travel commences when the discerning traveler meets a passionate, knowledgeable travel designer who specializes in handcrafting bespoke, luxury journeys to a specific part of the world, based upon each traveler’s interests and desires.

At Australia 2000 Travel we focus on luxury travel to Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific Islands, notably Fiji.

In visiting those countries annually I meet the locals, select boutique accommodations, choose the quintessential vibrant, private tour guide, move beyond the cities, seek the usual from a unique perspective.

As a travel designer I ask travelers, ‘”what” makes your eyes sparkle and your heart sing? And so begins the magic of creating individual, one-of-a-kind, stress-free, immersive travel experiences. Experiences that could include waking in a luxury tent at sunrise to see water buffalo walking by glistening in the sun after an early morning swim, dining in a local’s home, private wine tastings with the local vintner, visiting sacred indigenous sites, helicopter flights over Lord of The Rings country, firework displays at New Year, private garden, gallery and museum tours, diving on a glorious Fijian island.

I’m considered one of the top 250 travel designers in the world and recognized by Tourism Australia and Tourism New Zealand for my expertise. We take care of every single detail. All travelers need do is show up and be prepared for a good time. Past clients often say I helped them create the best trip of their lives. Now that’s luxury travel.

Vinaka vinaka, Nga Mihi, Cheers

Karen Hardy Hodgson

President

Australia 2000 Travel

Creating Bespoke Luxury Journeys to Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific Islands

March 1, 2019

Thank You from Dan & Erica Nye

We met with Karen about a year and a half before our Honeymoon trip to Australia and New Zealand. The entire process with her has been fantastic and very fun. We met a couple of times in person during the planning phase and then once more in person right before the trip. During the planning phase most of the correspondence was through email, which she did great at keeping us informed of what our itinerary looked like and what the plan was. She has been very supportive, accommodating, and had great communication (let us know when she would be travelling, how long to expect updates, etc.). She gave us recommendations of the best time to go, things to do/see, and what to expect. The activities and excursions she had us signed up for were incredibly fun and once in a lifetime experiences. All of the travelling went very smoothly and even though we were busy and did a lot of things, Karen still managed to build into the itinerary plenty of time to relax. The scenery and everything we experienced had the perfect amount of romance attached to it as it was our honeymoon.

Our trip started in Sydney (Botanical Gardens, Private Harbour Tour, Bridge Climb, Opera House tour and show), then up to Cairns/Port Douglas (Dive Great Barrier Reef, Rain Forest Resort, Aboriginal Tour), then to Brisbane (Night in the city), then over to Auckland (Hobbitton/Shire tour, Waiheke Island winery tour). Every stop had breath-taking views and awesome guides (majority of time was all private, which helped make everything more romantic). All of the flights, airport pickups, and excursion drop-offs were right on time and went perfectly.

The 2 and a half weeks spent in the land down under will be remembered and cherished forever. We’re planning on going back every 5 years to celebrate our anniversaries and as long as Karen is still doing travel arrangements we will absolutely go through her.

Thank you again.

Dan & Erica Nye

July 6, 2018

Orpheus Island ~ An Award Winning Luxury Private Island Accommodation in the Great Barrier Reef Hand Selected by the Owner of Australia 2000 Travel

Welcome to the kindness, the beauty and the innate healing power of Orpheus Island…

Orpheus Island Photo Credit to Tourism Australia

At Orpheus Island the accommodation is sophisticated, inviting and a stone’s throw from the water’s edge. During my recent travels to an invitation only Tourism Australia event I had the utmost privilege to off a stopover at tropical secluded Orpheus Island. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated being embraced by the bliss, the beauty, the magic, the comfort, the taste sensations of beautiful Orpheus. Every member of the team exuded a sense of joy through each welcoming smile. I was unobtrusively cared for in unpretentious comfort with minimal fuss and maximum care.

Orpheus Island South Suite Photo Credit to Simon Shiff

Oh how I savored the beauty of my suite, the chaise lounge by the beach, the garden, the exquisite cuisine. I snorkeled, read, drank champagne, luxuriated in the garden bath under the Milky Way at midnight and saluted the Southern Cross! For a passionate Aussie life could not have been better.

Orpheus Island Snorkeling Photo Credit to James Vodicka

Fringed by sheltered bays and seven unspoiled sandy beaches, wreathed in spectacular coral gardens and invigorated with native flora and fauna, Orpheus is a kaleidoscope of the senses. While snorkeling or diving in the underwater gardens surrounding the island guests glimpse giant clams in their natural environment, observe over a thousand species of tropical fish and more than three hundred varieties of multicolored reef coral that have been spared the bleaching that has occurred in other areas of the Great Barrier Reef.

For over twenty years I have shared the wonder of this breathtaking destination with hundreds of travelers and now it’s time to introduce it to you. Contact us to include Orpheus Island awarded the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence in your Bespoke Down Under Adventure.

June 21, 2018

Thank you from 2 Happy Germans, Peter and Meggie and Their Family

Welcome Back to Fiji – Photo Credit to Peter Schmitz

It is exactly 15 years ago that I asked Karen to apply some of her magic and work out a trip to the Southern hemisphere for my wife’s and my 30^th wedding anniversary.

I thought it is about time to have the honeymoon trip we never had since, at that time, I was still attending university and we didn’t have the money.

And what a trip Karen proposed!

It started on Fiji’s Nukubati Island, a small private island off the Northern coast of Vanua Levu, an hours drive from Labasa. It is a paradise for those who like a quiet and peaceful time to relax and recharge batteries. Luxurious service, pristine waters, outstanding scuba diving, fishing and so many more things to do and last but not least, being pampered by the wonderful Fijian people.

We spent Christmas on the island and then went on to Sydney for the New Year celebrations.

Harley-Davidson Tour – Photo Credit to Peter Schmitz

Not surprisingly, Karen found what we believe- is the best location to experience this event: The Quay Grand Sydney Harbour hotel at Circular Quay, with a direct look at the Harbour Bridge and in walking distance from the Opera House and the center of the city. Sydney is a great place to visit, a truly wonderful city.

After a few days in Sydney we continued to the Whitsundays further North. Seaplane trips to Whitehaven Beach and out to the reef for some snorkeling are a must.

After four weeks, which were filled with lasting impressions and just flew by, we returned home and for weeks, we couldn’t stop talking about this miraculous trip, praising Karen’s magical work. As a result, we got our kids all wound up so that we promised to take them also on the same trip, which we did a few years later.

New Zealand – Photo Credit to Peter Schmitz

Since then Karen has organized 12, four to five-week trips to Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand.

Every trip was top notch and even in the places where we returned to, like Sydney, Karen made sure that there was always something new to see or experience. Not one boring minute in now nearly one full and exciting year of accumulated travelling time.

Australia, Fiji and New Zealand, their wonderful people, lifestyle and breathtaking nature are worth to sit 20+ hours on airplanes to get there and every dime spent, was worth spending thanks to Karen!

We have seen many wonderful places and met great people among them some very memorable:

Tasmania Australia – Photo Credit to Peter Schmitz

Cities: Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney.

Nature: The Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef, Nukubati’s Great See Reef, Flinders Range and Tasmania, North and South Island of New Zealand.

Locations: Nukubati with wonderful Jenny and the Nukubati family and The Manse in Hawkes Bay with the equally wonderful hosts Dietske and Gary.

Karen will never cease to amaze me with the magic she does. We cannot thank her enough and I hope that she will continue with this wonderful work for at least as long as we are fit for travelling those distances so that we can continue to put our travel plans in her expert hands.

June 8, 2011

Australian Islands

ORPHEUS ISLAND

Orpheus Island is a true Great Barrier Reef island, located fifty miles north of Townsville, one hundred and twenty? miles south of Cairns and fifteen? miles offshore. ?It is fringed by sheltered bays and seven unspoiled sandy beaches, wreathed in spectacular coral gardens and invigorated with native flora and fauna. While snorkeling guests will view giant clams in their natural environment and? look for over a thousand species of tropical fish and more than three hundred varieties of reef coral in the underwater gardens surrounding the island.

The entire island, 3380 acres was declared a National Park in 1960.? ?Guests are likely to see echidnas and bandicoots, harmless brown and green tree snakes and green tree frogs in the rainforest, woodland and around the resort.? Many native birds can be found on the island including the orange-footed scrub fowl, brilliant yellow-bellied sunbirds, friar birds, boobook owls, sulfur crested cockatoos, ospreys, spangled drongo, brahminy kite, reef heron and rainbow lorikeets.

KANGAROO ISLAND

One of Australias true wilderness areas, Kangaroo Island is a place of rugged cliffs, roaring surf, pristine beaches, vivid blue ocean waters, dramatic caves, beautiful bush land, national parks and home to an abundance of wildlife.?Its natures paradise with unique flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world.

To derive the greatest pleasure and value from any visit to KI we always suggest?exploring the island with one of our specialist guides who know just where to find the timid Aussie wildlife and where best to observe the?spectacular scenery along the South Coast.

LIZARD ISLAND

Situated right on the famed Great Barrier Reef, Lizard Island is an exclusive island; with 24 soft white beaches and fringed with coral reefs. Guests are limited to just 80 at any one time. This is an island where you can enjoy a wide choice of activities or simply take a break and luxuriate in the peace and solitude of the islands delightful natural environment.

LORD HOWE ISLAND

After flying over 370 miles of empty ocean from Sydney you will be in awe as you approach the breathtaking World Heritage listed Lord Howe Island, formed when a volcano erupted 6 million years ago. Snorkeling on the most southern coral reef in the world that teems with marine life of over 500 species of fish and 90 species of coral is a popular past time. World-class bush walks through the natural forests of spectacular Banyan trees and Kentia palm range from easy level-ground walks to challenging hikes to the peak of Mt Gower. In order to maintain the islands pristine environment and uniqueness the number of visitors is limited to 400 at any time.

MARIA ISLAND

Get off the beaten path on an award winning four day guided walk on historic Maria Island where peak hour traffic is a line of little blue penguins emerging from the sea.

During your four day hike you?ll see world-rated fossil cliffs and tread softly through a refuge of rare wildlife and plants.? You?ll trace the history from the era of convicts back to the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana.? The entire island is a national park, surrounded by pristine beaches and secluded coves.

Maria Island is a wildlife haven for mammals, birds and marine creatures and home to many rare and endangered species found nowhere else on earth.? The meeting of the warm and cold ocean currents surrounding the island provides a rich source of food for bait fish, seals and sea birds.?? The island lies on one of the great whale migration paths.? Maria Island has long been a prized destination for the keen birdwatcher with 11 of Tasmania?s 12 endemics and over 130 recorded species.? There are almost too many animals to take in.? Rare Tasmanian mammals that hop, climb trees, burrow underground or even lay eggs, seals and dolphins splashing happily in the sea are all to be found during your adventure on? Maria Island.

What is the Meaning of Luxury Travel?

Thank You from Dan & Erica Nye

Orpheus Island ~ An Award Winning Luxury Private Island Accommodation in the Great Barrier Reef Hand Selected by the Owner of Australia 2000 Travel

Thank you from 2 Happy Germans, Peter and Meggie and Their Family