Food & drink<\/p>\n
Surfers Paradise<\/p>\n
I almost miss my tour of the HOTA, Home of the Arts gallery as I\u2019m busy making my way through Palette\u2019s tasting menu, the onsite restaurant where dishes like deep-sea scallop with Shaoxing, samphire and sea grapes are inspired by artworks from their latest exhibition (in this case, a Chinese contemporary art collection).<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a tantalising start to the trip, and foodies will find plenty of top-notch options in Surfers Paradise. Two of the newest are Valentina (think share plates and coastal villa vibes) and Fig\u2018n\u2019Fox, a lively yet homely British pub. Yamagen is a must for modern Japanese, and, while most hotels offer breakfast, places like Stairwell Coffee have your caffeine craving sorted.<\/p>\n
Come evening, the streets are bustling. I suggest Lulu Rooftop Bar for a drink, or descend the steps to Timmy\u2019s Tea Room for live music.<\/p>\n
Fig n Fox. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
Kirra<\/p>\n
Kirra\u2019s dining scene feels more curated and is mostly contained within a 550m beachfront stretch.<\/p>\n
The har gow dumplings, stuffed with pork and Mooloolaba prawns, and house-made bao will see me returning to Pan-Asian restaurant Billy Chow, while the Euro-inspired bistro, Hanks, perfectly paired sea views with my lunchtime pasta and wine. Siblings Kirra offers another Mediterranean-inspired dining experience, tucked inside a beachfront pavilion.<\/p>\n
Hanks. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
Cafe options abound along the short strip, from espresso bar MADE to the beach-shack-style Love Street Store cafe. Nightlife, however, is centred around the new Kirra Point precinct. Kirra Beach Hotel is the classic local hangout, while the deck of Kirra Beach House on level one is where you want to be when the sun goes down, yuzu-lychee martini in hand.<\/p>\n
Billy Chow. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
Accommodation<\/p>\n
Surfers Paradise<\/p>\n
Surfers Paradise has accommodation for all kinds of travellers and budgets. I\u2019m staying at the oh-so-cosy qtQT cabins, set amongst leafy landscaping on QT hotel\u2019s level two podium, where thoughtful touches include a welcome aperitivo and nightly tea and chocolates.<\/p>\n
QT Cabins. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
The cabins are best suited for couples and solo travellers, while the hotel rooms offer king, twin and connecting suite options (if you\u2019re travelling with a family or group, check out the apartments at Peppers Soul or Mantra Crown Towers).<\/p>\n
Kirra<\/p>\n
Kirra Point Holiday Apartments are also part of the Kirra Point precinct; my one-bedder is modern and sophisticated, but it\u2019s the pool deck, overlooking the pristine Kirra Beach, that steals my heart.<\/p>\n
(Tip for those driving: park outside before checking in to receive your pass and instructions on where to park in their underground garage).<\/p>\n
Unlike Surfers Paradise, Kirra is home to more premium, self-serviced apartments rather than hotels. For family resort-style accommodation, consider Club Wyndham Kirra Beach or Kirra Palms Holiday Apartments.<\/p>\n
Beaches & recreation<\/p>\n
Surfers Paradise<\/p>\n
A highlight of my visit is ArroJet, a jet boat that takes guests on a twisty, high-speed dash along the Broadwater (a sheltered estuary that doubles as an aquatic playground). Come prepared to get wet. <\/p>\n
default ArroJet-4. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
For a calmer pace, pick from whale watching, sightseeing ferries and dining cruises, or, if you prefer the beach to the Broadwater, stroll the beachfront promenade, take a dip between the flags, or opt for a surf lesson (the waves here are usually gentle).<\/p>\n
Art lovers should visit Home of the Arts to check out the latest exhibitions, while families with kids can spend afternoons at Ripley\u2019s Believe It Or Not, the Wax Museum or the immersive Infinity maze.<\/p>\n
Kirra<\/p>\n
When I left my apartment at 7.30am, I had clearly slept in. Kirra was already bustling with walkers and joggers along the oceanfront pathway and surfers in the water.<\/p>\n
Kirra is home to a world-class surf break. If you\u2019re inspired, Kirra Point Surf School offers group lessons for beginners, or head up to Kirra Hill Lookout for panoramic views of the ocean. To ease your muscles afterwards, visit Native State bathhouse \u2013 after 90 minutes in the saunas, a magnesium pool and a cold plunge, I almost floated back to my apartment.<\/p>\n
If nature is more your thing, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is just a 10-minute drive, or head south to Tweed Heads, the launching point for many eco whale watching and snorkelling tours.<\/p>\n
Native State Kirra Spa Bath Gym Native State Steam Room. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
Shops & markets<\/p>\n
Surfers Paradise<\/p>\n
Shopping in Surfers Paradise is centred around Cavill Mall and Paradise Centre, where you\u2019ll find popular surf and streetwear brands such as Ripcurl, Vans and Surf Dive\u2019n Ski.<\/p>\n
For a more local shopping experience, wander the stalls at the Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets, held on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings.<\/p>\n
Kirra<\/p>\n
The local strip runs along the beachfront, Musgrave St: shop unique women\u2019s clothing at Gypsy & the Muse Co, or pop into Cotton Living for beautiful homewares and a latte from its on-site cafe. And don\u2019t miss Kirra Surf \u2013 the warehouse-style store is massive and has everything surf-related you could need.<\/p>\n
For more retail therapy, The Strand shopping centre in Coolangatta is just a 15-minute walk.<\/p>\n
Getting around<\/p>\n
Surfers Paradise<\/p>\n
Shops, restaurants, bars and local attractions are all within walking distance, and many day tours offer pick up from Surfers Paradise. To reach neighbouring suburbs, the G:link light rail runs from Broadbeach South to Helensvale (and will soon be extended further south to Burleigh Heads).<\/p>\n
Kirra<\/p>\n
You can walk everywhere in Kirra. While frequent bus services connect to Broadbeach South and the light rail, if you\u2019re intending to explore a broader area, hiring a car is a convenient option.<\/p>\n
Kirra Point Surf School. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
The best bit<\/p>\n
Surfers Paradise<\/p>\n
Feeling the wind rushing through your hair as you zip along the Broadwater.<\/p>\n
Kirra<\/p>\n
Watching spectacular sunsets from Kirra Beach. <\/p>\n
Room for improvement <\/p>\n
Surfers Paradise <\/p>\n
I love to window shop, so it would have been great to see more unique, independent boutiques over mainstream brands. <\/p>\n
Kirra <\/p>\n
The beachfront is stunning, and regular events like a twilight market or pop-up food vendors would bring it to life at night.<\/p>\n
The verdict<\/p>\n
In terms of sheer choice and a bustling nightlife, Kirra can\u2019t match Surfers Paradise. But if you\u2019re after a laidback, nature-focused holiday with delicious food, make a right turn out of the airport and follow the signs for Kirra.<\/p>\n
The journalist travelled courtesy of Experience Gold Coast<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Food & drink Surfers Paradise I almost miss my tour of the HOTA, Home of the Arts gallery…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":527275,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[48706,11586,9174,156,2082,9178,13800,4241,538,302,27306,260605,300,111,139,69,91210,228206,110292,8145,105772,42903,18694,2564,223,21539,102,9192],"class_list":["post-527274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-entertainment","tag-cafes","tag-coast","tag-discover","tag-entertainment","tag-for","tag-gem","tag-giving","tag-gold","tag-hidden","tag-its","tag-jade","tag-kirra","tag-money","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-paradise","tag-raykovski","tag-relaxed","tag-run","tag-seaside","tag-sunset","tag-surf","tag-surfers","tag-the","tag-views","tag-with","tag-writes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/527274","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=527274"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/527274\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/527275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=527274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=527274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=527274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}