Ayers Rock Tourism Review
At the end of my study abroad in Australia, I went to Ayers Rock (Uluru).
This article provides a review of it as a tourist destination and various points to note.
Overall rating: -1 (Not recommended)
- There's nothing special other than the rock
- The insects are sanity-draining
- Resort pricing
Ayers Rock
Overview
A massive rock dubbed the navel of the Earth. It takes 3-4 hours by plane from major Australian cities.
There were many Japanese tourists, but not as many as in Cairns (which I'll write about in another article). It seems surprisingly unpopular among Australians (not due to cultural conflicts... but simply because it doesn't seem very attractive. They say, "It's just a big rock, mate").
It's known as the world's largest monolith... but in fact, it's the second largest.
Advantages
As befits a famous tourist destination, the rock is incredibly HUGE and impressive.
To give you an idea of how big it feels, it's about 5 times the "bigness" I felt when I first saw a 3L milk carton(?) in an Australian supermarket.
It looks big even from a distance, so of course it's even bigger up close.
There's a scale there that you don't experience in everyday life.
Big even from afar
Also, the rock changes shape and color quite a bit depending on where you view it from, so it doesn't get boring.
The appearance of the rock, essentially its weathering, varies greatly from place to place.
It's basically a smooth rock, but in places where the wind is strong, it's been eroded to form caves, or patterns have formed along the flow of the wind, which is interesting to look at.
Eroded rock
Although it's a major tourist destination, it's a sacred site, so the resort area has been developed quite far away.
As a result, nature is preserved around the rock, and there are many areas where you can see little man-made structures other than roads and small fences.
It's perfect for those who want to experience nature.
The resort itself is well-equipped with everything you need, so they coexist well.
Disadvantages
While Ayers Rock itself is very attractive, the problem can be summed up as there's nothing but the rock.
No matter how good it is, you'll get bored after a few hours.
Most tours involve circling the rock in the morning, but after that, there's not much to do except look at the small exhibitions at the nearby Culture Center. Even if you return to the resort, all you have is hotels, a few shops, and wilderness.
You can swim endlessly in the hotel pool, but that's not what you came all this way for.
Depending on the person, the flies and mosquitoes come in abnormal numbers in the nature-rich wilderness, rapidly draining your sanity.
Until I came here, I didn't realize flies could be this torturous.
Apparently, they increase even more in summer, so it's recommended to go in winter.
Also, the main mode of transportation, buses, is very inconvenient, sometimes with 3-hour waits, and they always arrive 30 minutes late from the scheduled time.
The bus stops are also rich in nature, so you constantly take slip damage from flies and mosquitoes mentioned above.
Waiting for a bus that may or may not come in such conditions... It's quite an ordeal.
The occasional bird that comes by is a relief.
Occasional bird
With all this, you might want to go for just one day to see the rock, but it costs too much for just one day.
The main flights arrive at noon, and there's no time to go to the rock from noon, so you have to go the next day.
The hotels seem to be aware of this and become cheaper from 2 nights.
Of course, being a resort area, the cost of living is also high.
It's definitely not suitable for a student's trip.
Tips and Details
From here on, I'll provide details and tips.
I hope this will be helpful for those considering a trip.
Below is a signboard.
Kangaroo riding a Segway
There's nothing at Ayers Rock Airport
The closest airport to Uluru is Ayers Rock Airport (AYQ). There are direct flights from Brisbane and Sydney, and many tourists land here.
The airport is a very small one that looks like a house in the middle of the desert. There are no shops after arrival. There's barely one toilet and one vending machine each.
The bus to Ayers Rock Resort (the area where hotels are clustered) is free and you can board immediately, so try to avoid waiting at the airport.
It usually takes 10-20 minutes by bus to the hotel. Enjoy the desert scenery and announcements during the ride.
By the way, the souvenir shop near the departure gate has quite a good selection of products.
Points to consider when choosing a hotel
The options are limited, and they're all very expensive due to resort pricing. Think of it as paying for the location and just accept it. There are discounts based on the number of nights and people, so if possible, it's cheaper to book a room for 2-3 people for 2 nights and 3 days.
This time I stayed at the cheapest hotel, which cost just under 10,000 yen per night. It wasn't clean, but the facilities like air conditioning, kitchen, and shower worked properly, so let's consider that acceptable. The more expensive hotels seem to have not only better facilities but also better locations, such as being closer to the supermarket.
Each hotel provides a shuttle to the airport.
However, the return buses seem to have set times for each flight, and if you miss the display at check-in, you might not get a ride to the airport.
I messed up, but when I pleaded at the lobby, they provided a car for me ε-(´∀｀*)ﾎｯ.
Make sure to confirm at check-in.
Ayers Rock Resort
The resort that serves as the base for the trip is (relatively) compact, with souvenir shops and supermarkets concentrated in the center. The cost of living is very high due to resort pricing. Try to prepare as much as you need before your flight.
Each hotel also has a pool. In October, it's comfortable during the day, but too cold to enter in the evening. In fact, when I went at 6 PM, it was so cold that I got out after just one minute.
Other hotels are also nearby, so it's easy to go to restaurants in other places. There was something called a Noodle Bar that I wanted to go to, but it was already closed and I couldn't go.
The hotel I stayed at had a guest kitchen, so I bought meat at the supermarket and grilled it to eat.
Environment
It feels like The Wilderness. Imagining Texas might give you a good idea.
Wilderness
There's a severe temperature difference between day and night, changing by more than 20°C. I think it won't be cold at night after October, but having a hoodie would be good. It's hot during the day, so water is essential to avoid collapsing.
The problem is the large number of flies and mosquitoes. They constantly follow you while walking, greatly increasing the discomfort level. Those living in urban areas of Japan probably can't imagine this as it's rarely experienced... but it significantly drains your sanity. Even insect repellent spray wasn't effective. There were also many in the hotel room, so pest control work was necessary before relaxing upon arrival.
Access to Ayers Rock
- Buy a bus ticket
- Buy a tour
- Go in your own car
If you came by rental car or similar, you can use option 3 (the most comfortable), but if not, it's 1 or 2.
Whether you choose 1 or 2, you'll ride the same type of bus (Hop-on Hop-off). This bus is always nearly 30 minutes late, and the frequency is quite limited. Some places have only one bus every 3 hours, so be prepared for major schedule constraints.
This inconvenient bus costs at least A$49/day. Since a bicycle tour is A$90, you'll likely end up deciding to go for a tour.
Uluru Hop On Hop Off | Shuttle Service Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park |Ayers Rock Resort
Waiting for a bus that may or may not come while being swarmed by flies at a bus stop with nothing else around can be considered a kind of spiritual training. Plan with a generous heart and plenty of margin.
Now, with option 1, you buy a ticket just to ride the bus and explore the rock freely. With option 2, when you buy a tour, you can use the same bus as in option 1. For example, bicycle tours or Segway tours. With tours, you can take any bus you like for the return trip.
By the way, the picture below is of a tour bicycle, but it didn't have anything as soft as brakes.
Bicycle
Whichever method you choose, you need an A$25 entry ticket. This is valid for 3 days, so buying it once is enough.
By the way, when I got on the bus to return to the hotel before evening, due to the driver's kindness saying "You want to see the sunset, right?", we were forced to stop at a sunset spot and wait for about an hour.
How free-spirited
Around Ayers Rock
Despite all the complaints I've written, when you actually see the rock, it's indeed amazing.
It takes just over an hour to go around it by bike. It's huge.
But, once you've gone around it, you start to get bored.
There's a place called the Culture Center, which has poster sessions, traditional crafts, and a small food stall.
Since it's near the bus stop, you'll likely spend time there, but there aren't many places to sit, so it's tough to wait here for more than an hour.
By the way, there's the usual donation box here.
If you're a collector, don't forget to visit.
Donation box
There's a viewpoint a bit far away, which you can reach if you take the last bus.
Even if you take the second to last bus, it will probably stop there on its own because it's 30 minutes late.
If you see the rock at sunset, you can experience how the color changes... but I missed it and before I knew it, it had turned grayish.
Climbing Ayers Rock
Currently, you can climb it, but as it's a sacred site, it will be completely prohibited from mid-2019.
To begin with, the conditions for days when climbing is allowed are quite strict (determined by temperature, wind direction, humidity, etc., with only 10% of days in October being suitable, apparently).
If you go with the intention of climbing, you're likely to be disappointed.
Summary
While Ayers Rock itself is attractive, I concluded that I can't recommend it due to its extreme naturalness and the cost involved.
It's perfect for those who like wilderness or want to interact with nature endlessly, but for others, it requires careful consideration.
