Puffing Billy Steam Train

We met at 12:30 and arrived at 12:15. The tour guide and bus were already there, so we could board directly. It was a 21-seater tour bus, but our group only had 11 people, and 2 people hadn't arrived yet, so we could sit anywhere and the seats were quite comfortable. The journey took about an hour to the steam train. We could first go to the platform for photos and to the souvenir shop, then take the 14:15 train to Lakeside. We were very lucky; we were in carriage A1 (at the back of the train), which allowed us to take photos of the entire train. The whole carriage was just the nine of us, so we could move around and take pictures freely. The journey took about 50 minutes, and the scenery along the way was beautiful, with small woods. Many passersby would greet us. Sitting by the window was very safe; there were also regular seats on the side if you didn't want to sit by the window. After arriving at Lakeside station, we had 40 minutes of free time to take photos anywhere in the carriages and on the platform, or we could walk 5 minutes to the lakeside for photos. There was a souvenir shop there. After that, it took about 1.5 hours to reach the town of Phillips Island for dinner. We only had 45 minutes, which was a little rushed, but we could buy takeout to bring on the bus. We then took an extra 20 minutes to The Nobbies to see the seaside scenery. The tour guide led us to the boardwalk to look for penguins, and we saw many! Afterwards, take a 10-minute ride back to Penguin Parade to see the penguins. The penguins are expected to come ashore between 2030 and 2045. We arrived around 1930. There is a souvenir shop and a restaurant with many introductions to the penguins. Around the time it's almost time, there will be an announcement reminding everyone to go to the beach to see the penguins. It's about a 10-minute walk from the visitor center to the beach via the boardwalk. The beach viewing platform was already full, but it didn't really matter because the platform is quite far from the beach. Standing on the platform, the view wasn't much different. At 20:25, the penguins came ashore! Once you see the penguins come ashore, you can leave the viewing platform (so it's okay if there are no seats). Walk back to the boardwalk for a closer look at the penguins, as they will walk to the boardwalk. Our meeting time is 21:45, so there's plenty of time. The staff will start turning off the lights around 21:15 and urge everyone to leave. Slowly follow the little penguins back to the visitor center. Go to the restroom and board the bus on time. The 2-hour journey back to Melbourne city center was quite long. The entire itinerary was a bit rushed except for dinner, with plenty of time otherwise. The hired guide was excellent and experienced, explaining a lot of things. Along the way, he would stop to tell us about the wild kangaroos and porcupines we saw, mentioning that it's very windy at the beach and we should dress warmly. We bought a general penguin ticket, which could be upgraded to a plus/premium ticket at the visitor center, but unfortunately, all tickets for that day were sold out, so we couldn't upgrade. But even with the general ticket, the penguin view from the boardwalk is still very close.

1. The Rainbow Hut is beautiful, and the sea next to it is very clear. I recommend wearing comfortable sandals or bringing a towel so you can walk on the beach and wade in the water without worry. 2. You can choose whether or not to enter the Moonlight Zoo and have lunch there. The advantage of joining a day tour is that at least you can complete the zoo check-in task 🤣 3. The steam train is a must-see attraction. I originally saw on YouTube videos or other people's experiences that you only ride for a short stop before the tour bus takes you to the next point, but this tour allows you to ride for quite a long time 👍. Don't worry about sitting on the left or right side, as both have their own unique features. 4. For the Nobbies and penguin viewing, since it's close to the beach and at night, you'll need a hat and a windproof jacket. It's summer now, and although it can be chilly when the wind is blowing, it's not as bad as I've heard. It's more like a slightly cool winter in Taiwan. A windproof and warm jacket and hat are enough. 5. The Mercedes-Benz small group tour felt more refined, but because of the smaller group size, it really depends on how well you get along with the tour members and leader. The Chinese-speaking tour was mostly a mix of Taiwanese and mainland Chinese people. It was a little awkward at first, but we got along better after a whole day together. Also, although it was a Mercedes-Benz SUV, after a whole day of driving around, compared to my experience with other tours, I felt that choosing a larger group tour plus bus would be more comfortable in the future.

The driver and tour guide were very professional and concise. They covered all the important points, and the whole trip went very smoothly.