International backpacking tourism has changed a bit over the last 15 years. There are now many destinations like Sydney, Byron Bay, Fraser Island the worlds largest eco tourism island, Whitsunday Islands (Airlie Beach), the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, the Rainforest and Daintree region. So we have some competition to keep you travellers here in Surfers Paradise but you have to visit Australia and see it.

One way you can afford to do that is by Working in Australia. Student Visas Australia and Working Holiday Maker Visas are much easier to get theses days. Surfers Paradise is full of English Language Students attending Study Abroad Programs and working in cafes and restaurants to pay their way. We have many Brazillians / Brasilians studying and working. Japanese students are everywhere also and they all seem to work to work at Sushi Train. You can go to the Australian Government Website for visas and study options on the Gold Coast.

Many backpackers visit the Surfers Paradise area to hit the popular party crawl - it is quite a big night out with other options such as The Party Cruise, Plan B and Wicked Pub Crawl all taking you on a cheap night out with other travellers to the night clubs in Surfers Paradise. When you wake up you can lie on the beautiful beach all day or take a tour to the Gold Coast hinterland if you need some trees.

The other Major Gold Coast Attractions are the theme parks. They started over 20 years ago and my family was here to see it all begin. In fact I was the first person with a friend on the Sea World Rollercoaster in about 1979. To keep the form my class in year 5 was given the first ever ride on the Dream World rollercoaster. Some claim to fame. My family also developed house boats on the Gold Coast, golf courses and real estate. We have been an original family on the Gold Coast with vast experience in tourism. With that history & experience being a surfing traveller, I opened one of the first surfing schools on the gold coast and based in Surfers Paradise in 1999 as RECOMMENDED IN LONELY PLANET!!!!!

If you are visiting the Gold Coast and plan to visit theme parks and tours I highly recommend my friends at Thrifty Rent a Car Surfers Paradise. They have new discount voucher booklet commencing in February 2008 and some discounts are wild! They include a buy 1 get one free surfing lessons with Australian Surfer International gold coast surfing school. They have strong corporate support with all the major theme parks and attractions and you will find their book has discounts for; SeaWorld, DreamWorld, Wet N Wild, MovieWorld, Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo, Tall Ships Sailing Adventures, Scenic Hinterland Tours, Adventure Duck, Aqua Duck Tours, the very popular Currumbin Sanctuary & Whale Watching tours that operate in May to November every year. So go Thrifty and Enjoy!

Australian Surfer International was an original Surfing Queensland surf school licensed operator for Surfer's Paradise beach. Surfing Australia surf school licenses are given to surf school operators that have an excellent standard of service and have accredited Level 1 and level 2 surfing instructors. We have a great relationship with the Gold Coast City Council and operate in accordance with their recommendations to hold a beach permit and insurance cover.

In November 2007, local surfer Mick Fanning won the ASP World Championship in Brazil. Mick has come through the Surfing Queensland coaching Academy and elite development programs. Other legend young surfers on today's world junior men's and women's surfing have come through Surfing Australia in some way. Mick has been personally coached by Phil McNamara, High Performance Coaching Director for Surfing Queensland Gold Coast. I have been extremely blessed to have been involved with coaching under Phil Mac and that experience in surfing instruction here and around the world is passed on to our students who choose to learn to surf the best waves on the Gold Coast with us.

Learn to surf planet earth is part of australiansurfer.com's registered trade mark. We have 10 years experience in providing fun Learn to Surf Lessons in Australia and are very proud of our Learn to surf school in Surfers Paradise. We have a new shop location in Elkhorn Avenue directly across the road from the beach. We have direct access to the Gold Coast City Council Lifeguard Patrolled Beach from Lifeguard Tower 35. All the stuff you see on Bondi Rescue and Surf Patrol is a really not the total truth about our beaches. But always swim between the RED & YELLOW Flags and ask the surfing school for advice on lessons or surfboard rental.