A travel guide to Noosa Heads
All I did in Noosa Heads was to eat and drink. The restaurants and bars along the beach were absolutely amazing. And the food was even more amazing. I was there with my friend about 3 years ago (yes, this post is a long time pending post) and I really enjoyed the various restaurants that we tried at Noosa Heads.
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Where is Noosa Heads?
Noosa Heads is a coastal town in Queensland state of Australia. It is around 140 kilometres from Brisbane city, capital of Queensland and is one of the most beautiful towns in Australia. It is a sleepy town with breathtaking views of the coast.
Noosa Heads is famous as a surfing destination. The best time to visit Noosa Heads is during the spring season between the months of September and November.
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How to get to Noosa Heads?
- Drive – The convenient way to get to Noosa Heads from Brisbane is by driving. Noosa Heads is around 140 kilometres from Brisbane and takes only 2 hours to reach by car.
- It is a very long drive from Sydney. Noosa Heads is 1054 kilometres from Sydney and takes around 11 hours to drive.
- Flight – The best and quickest way to go from Brisbane or Sydney is by flight. The closest airport is the Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore) Airport, which is around 30 minutes drive from Noosa Heads Central Business District (CBD). There are frequent flights between Sydney and Sunshine Coast Airport. Jetstar is the budgeted airline.
The taxi from Sunshine Coast Airport and Noosa Heads CBD costs AUD 75 to 100.
There is a bus that goes from Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa Heads Junction (1 hour journey). Inquire at the information desk in the airport.
- Train/ Bus – The cheapest way to get to Noosa Heads from Brisbane is by a train or a bus. The train costs between AUD 15 to 20 and the bus costs AUD 25 to 50. The journey takes around 3 to 4 hours. Greyhound or Premier Motor Service buses are the ones that go to Noosa Heads from Brisbane.
- The train/ bus journey from Sydney is a bit complicated. One needs to go to Landsborough from Sydney via train and then catch two buses to reach Noosa Heads Junction (via Maroochydore). The entire journey takes close to 20 hours.
Where do we stay at Noosa Heads?
Noosa Heads has a huge range of stay options. It caters for all. It has stay options for backpackers and for luxury travelers, whatever one needs.
- Hostel – Being a budgeted traveler, I generally choose cheaper stay options. My friend and I opted to stay at YHA Noosa Heads. The hostel was very comfortable and is very close to the main beach. A private room costs around AUD 85 per night. Note this is a private room with shared bathroom.
- Resorts – There are plenty of resorts along the beach. The best one is the Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort. I have not stayed at any of the resorts but I have received feedback from one of my friends who stayed at Sofitel. The feedback was that the stay was absolutely amazing and comfortable.
Itinerary
Noosa Heads is popular tourist attraction for its pristine beaches and wildlife. It has a huge population of koalas and are seen in and around the Noosa National Park. The main street is the Hastings Street that lies directly behind the seashore. It has plenty of restaurants and cafes.
My friend and I was at Noosa Heads only for a weekend and this is our itinerary.
Day 1
On day 1, my friend and I explored the Australia Zoo, which is famous for the well known Australian nature expert and television personality – Steve Irwin. I, like everyone else have been a huge fan of Steve Irwin. I used to watch his shows when I was in school and I used to love the way he interacted with animals and reptiles. So visiting Australia Zoo was always on my Australian bucket list.
Day 2
On day 2, we started the day by hiking in the Noosa National Park. This beautiful park is known for its eucalypt forest.
Tip: Make sure to look up at the branches of the trees, you may spot a koala.
The coastal walk in the Noosa National park is a must do. The walk is along the picturesque and pretty beaches.
In the evening, we took the sunset cruise with Whale One cruises. It was two hours cruise on the Noosa river during the sunset. This is a great way to spend the evening watching the sky put up an amazing show.
Tip: Even on hot warm days, make sure you carry a thin jumper as it could get windy and chilly in the evening after the sun sets.
A food guide to Noosa Heads
Locale
Locale is one restaurant where I enjoyed every single dish I tried. I loved everything about this restaurant. The food was very delicious and was a bliss. The service was great and the ambiance and the vibes were amazing.
Definitely try their Fiore Di Zucchine! That is one dish I can never forget. Sorry for the bad picture below but this dish was just awesome.
- Address: 62 Hastings Street.
Gaston Noosa on Hastings Street
Unfortunately, this restaurant is permanently closed.
The location of Gaston Noosa is amazing. It is just few minutes from the beach.
Corn fritters was something to die for. They have a chilli caramel twist and they are absolutely mind blowing.
- Address: 2 Hastings Street.
Aromas Noosa Cafe
Aromas Noosa Cafe is great for breakfast and brunch. It is a French style cafe with cane back chairs. We tried the delicious poached eggs with hash browns and mushrooms.
- Address: 32 Hastings Street.
Bistro C
Just on the beach, Bistro C offers great views with delicious food. It serves Australian cuisine. It is definitely a most relaxed and stylish restaurant I visited. I tried their big brekky and the pan cakes and both were awesome.
- Address: 49 Hastings Street.
Safety for solo female travelers
Noosa Heads is extremely safe for solo female travelers. The city is buzzing with tourists and travelers and it is very safe. Even though I traveled with a friend, I still managed to walk around alone and I did not have any issues whatsoever. However, be a bit cautions and know where your surroundings especially at nights.
Closing Notes
I thoroughly enjoyed trying out different restaurants and food in Noosa Heads. I still remember Noosa Heads for a place that I loved food. Being a very picky eater makes it really hard for me to appreciate food. But here in Noosa Heads I absolutely enjoyed and loved it.
All the opinions written is this post are solely my opinions and are unbiased.