Head to the Sunny Coast for a beachy break. Photo / Visit Sunshine Coast
Direct flights to the Sunshine Coast are cheaper than ever for Kiwis. The question is, what should you do once you’re there for a weekend? Don’t waste time researching; simply copy Sarah Pollok’s itinerary.
Book a direct flight from Auckland to Sunshine Coast Airport, which takes just shy of four hours. Once you’ve landed, hop in a rental car; you’ll need one to get the most out of the weekend.
Drive 15 minutes to your accommodation for the weekend: the brand-new Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Maroochydore, which may be affordable but is a surprisingly trendy high-rise just minutes from the beach. Check-in then check out the rooftop pool, 24-hour gym or lobby bar before getting ready for dinner at Giddy Geisha.
This is a spot you’ll want to reserve a table at because, on Friday and Saturday nights, the cosy, neon-lit restaurant heaves with people enjoying the Asian street food-inspired menu. Given how good every single dish is, we recommend ordering a few plates and sharing with your partner or group so you can taste everything from the lamb redang (braised for 10 hours) and raw tuna tataki to the crispy pork and fried chicken ribs. Vegan or gluten-free? You can bet they’ve got a separate menu for you.
Add one of their spectacular cocktails, like the Bruce Lee sour or mandarin and yuzu martini and you’ve got everything you need to click into holiday mode.
Thanks to the time difference, even a sleep-in has you up early with the locals. Make the most of the morning and walk one minute across the street to FLOW ST8. The backlit mirrors, black yoga mats and ambient music may feel familiar but the classes are like no yoga class you’ve ever taken. Instead of a typical flow and stretch, FLOW ST8 combines modalities such as yoga and breathwork with functional strength and mobility for classes that make you sweat before you savasana.
Chase up the class with a buffet breakfast at the hotel, which isn’t just free but delicious too. Alongside the cereal and toast, you can dish up yoghurts, fresh bircher muesli, eggs, baked beans and more.
It may only be 8.30am but you’re fuelled up and ready to drive 40 minutes into the Sunshine Coast hinterland to Kondalilla National Park. The Kondalilla Falls is a must-visit spot and the short loop track down to the waterfall takes you through native forest with several lookout points to the lush valley beyond.
Once you reach the bottom, roll a towel out on the sun-baked rocks or dive into the massive rockpool fed by the 2m waterfall. At this hour, you’ll only share the oasis with busy dragonflies and the odd monitor lizard (a cousin of the Komodo dragon) but by 10.30am expect to see locals ambling down for a dip and some sun.
Speaking of locals, there’s one place you’ll find thousands of them on a Saturday and it’s Eumundi Markets, Australia’s best and biggest artisan market. It’s free to enter but you’ll likely part with a few dollars once you wind through more than 600 stalls selling crafts and creations ranging from personalised pocket knives and handmade soap to Sunshine Coast T-shirts and delicate jewellery.
If you’re in the mood for food, it’s easy to find the crowd of food trucks that offer giant gooey cookies, piping-hot kebabs, fresh fruit smoothies and more. Grab a bite and follow the sound of musicians dotted around the markets so you can enjoy lunch with a show.
At 2pm clamber back into the car and drive 30 minutes back to the hotel to freshen up. Put on your best outfit because you’ll be enjoying the sunset on the water. That’s right, at 3.30pm, you’ll climb aboard a 116-year-old, little pine-wood sailboat for a Sunset Tour with Saltwater Eco Tours. The tour starts with a glass of bubbles and a quick speech from Torres Strait Island descendant Simon Thornalley, who founded the company in early 2020.
Alongside just 30 guests, you’ll gently cruise around the sprawling seaside homes of Malloolaba Canals in what feels like a Hollywood homes tour. Things turn a little more magical and a lot more Instagram-worthy at 5pm when the sun heads for the horizon and turns the sky a hot, rich mess of orange, gold and creamy blue. After filling your camera roll, you can enjoy a petit grazing box full of local cheese, dips, meat and fruit as the ship returns to the wharf.
At 6pm, it’s the perfect time to grab another drink and dinner. Casita, a wine bar opened by former All Black Hosea and his partner Kate Yates, is just 100 metres from the water but feels like a trip to Spain thanks to the classy Mediterranean decor. Or, for cheap eats and a buzzing atmosphere, grab a bite at the Mooloolaba Sunset Markets, which stretch across the esplanade.
READ MORE: Former All Black Hosea Gear is living the Mediterranean lifestyle on Australia’s Sunshine Coast
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, so start Sunday with yet another stretch and sweat at FLOW ST8 chased by a buffet breakfast. Want to mix things up? Walk 20 minutes to Maroochydore Beach and along the boardwalk followed by a tasty yet wholesome breakfast at charming neighbourhood spot Lil Canteen.
One can’t skip past Noosa, the Denarau of the Sunshine Coast. One of the hottest beach destinations in Australia, you can easily spend hours strolling along the polished white paving stones of Hastings St and browsing the minimalist boutiques, jewellery stores and surf shops. Resist stopping at the many Scandinavian-style brunch spots; you’ll want to save yourself for lunch at Bistro C.
There are few better places to be on a sunny afternoon in Noosa than this popular eatery. On the beach’s edge, the restaurant’s large glass windows look out to the white sand where people sunbathe on towels, play volleyball or splash about in the waves.
Here, fresh, seasonal dishes are on the menu and funky tunes are on the speakers. Don’t skip past the cocktails either, which include a chilli coconut margarita and bounty espresso martini.
With nowhere to be, take your time picking through dishes like the tempura softshell crab, barbecue prawn salad, or Greek lamb shoulder. Sitting in the sun with a full stomach you’ll almost certainly start feeling sleepy but fear not, an espresso and a walk through Noosa National Park is up next.
Walk 20 minutes from Bistro C, along the beach to the start of the Noosa Coastal Walk or drive right up to the carpark by the entrance. From here, you’ll hug a rocky path with a forest of eucalyptus on one side and a spectacular view of near-empty white sand beaches and dramatic coastline on the other. The park has several different trail lengths but the 6km Coastal Walk is a classic, taking you to the edge of Noosa Heads and back. Try to time your return walk for 5pm so you can amble along the coastline during golden hour.
Return to the hotel to prepare for your final night, which is guaranteed to be a highlight. Getting a table at SOKA can be a mission but on Sunday night you’ll only share Sunshine Coast’s top charcoal Japanese restaurant with a few others.
No matter where you sit in the intimate restaurant, hidden down a quiet street, you’ll have a full view of the terracotta tile-lined open kitchen, where the chefs dance with fire before large hot plates and charcoal grills. Don’t worry if you find it impossible to choose from the mouth-watering menu; it’s designed to share so select a handful of plates. Our only advice? Don’t miss the Tantamen Ramen noodles with rich miso sauce. At the end, you may think you can’t fit anything else in but we promise you can make space for some coconut lychee ice cream.
Roll back to your hotel with a belly full of food and a camera roll full of memories of a dreamy weekend across the Ditch.
GETTING THERE
From December 13, Jetstar will operate direct flights between Auckland and Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore) and Auckland. The new route will operate three times per week year-round.
Air New Zealand offers non-stop flights between Auckland and the Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore) seasonally between July and October.
DETAILS