Queensland - Nightlife

Drink champagne all night in Surfers Paradise, hunt down the urban vibe in Brisbane, party with the young backpacker crowd in the Whitsundays or chill out with a beer after a long hot day in Cairns.

With its high-rise hotels, ultra plush waterside homes, slightly seedy underbelly and party town vibe, Surfers Paradise is reminiscent of Miami. High flyers and low riders play blackjack at Conrad Jupiter's Casino, dance in 70s-style glamour at Elsewhere or chill to live music at The Chophouse.

Queensland's laid-back capital has plenty of party places. Fortitude Valley is the main nightlife zone with a casual, slightly alternative vibe. Party with style at the Family Nightclub or sup a cocktail at The Press Club. Try superb steaks with a beer at Breakfast Creek Hotel or enjoy riverside views at the Regatta Hotel.

Relaxed island vibes abound here. Start with a champagne cruise on the Banana Winds from Shute Harbour and dance the night away at the Juice Bar - which contrary to its name is fully licensed. Dress codes are super relaxed - in many places flip-flops are as dressy as it gets.

After a day out diving on the reef or white-water rafting in the hinterland, Cairns has an easygoing nightlife scene, perfectly suited to the tropics. Nightclubs are all within walking distance of each other: Gilligan's attracts a backpacker crowd and upmarket Cadence (or SoHo) nightclub hosts the occasional international DJ.

The Gold Coast's top venues aside, Queensland is fairly relaxed and the lack of dress code means shorts and flip flops (or thongs) are perfectly acceptable, especially in the tropical north. Bars and pubs are open until 11pm, sometimes later at weekends, and clubs often stay open until 5am.

In Queensland, it's lager all the way after a hot day on the beach - the local brew is the infamous XXXX. For more refined palettes, decent Australian wine is well priced and widely available. Ask for cocktails only in the most sophisticated surroundings, although everywhere will serve a 'Bundy and coke' from locally made dark Bundaberg rum.