Australia
For most of us it is one of the furthest places you could go. But it is worth it. If you enjoy stunning nature, unique animals, sports and diversity, Australia is a great place to visit.
General information
Australia is a huge country (nearly the size of Europe) with a population of almost 28 million people. The currency is Australian Dollar (AUD) and the official language is English, alongside various indigenous languages that are being spoken. The capital city of Australia is Canberra, although other cities such as Sydney and Melbourne are larger. Famous for its unique biodiversity, including kangaroos, koalas and emus.
Safety tips
Emergency number: 000
Non-emergency police number: 131444
Australia is generally considered to be safe for travelers. Nevertheless, always check your home countries’ travel advisory before heading off. In addition, it can be good to also read other countries’ advice, just to get a better idea (see for example US, Canada & UK’s advice for Australia).
Budget
Australia is relatively an expensive country to visit.
Low budget travelers: 100-150 AUD /day
Mid budget travelers: 150-300 AUD /day
High budget travelers: 300+ AUD /day
Itinerary
Some common tourist destinations in Australia are Sydney, Melbourne, the Great Barrier Reef, Gold Coast, Tasmania, and Uluru.
Sydney is a gorgeous city in the south-east of Australia, famous for its beaches (such as Bondi and Coogee beach), the Sydney Opera House, and the Harbour Bridge. Sydney area provides access to some great hikes, for example in the Blue Mountains.
Melbourne is less of an iconic city than Sydney, but it’s famous for its coffee culture, street art and music scene. Melbourne has a great art museum (the NGV) and the iconic Brighton Beach houses. The area provides access to the Great Ocean Road.
The Great Barrier Reef is often crowned in the top three of ultimate places to visit according to the Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travelist.
Travel tips
Flights to Australia are very affordable if you’re coming from particular hubs in Asia, such as Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam or Bali. Do note that traveling within Australia can be expensive: domestic flights need to be booked in advance to prevent overpaying. There are also other transportation options, such as a nightbus or nighttrain between Sydney and Melbourne, but these definitely take longer.
Hiring a car can be a great way to see Australia, especially for parts of the Great Ocean Road for example or when touring Tasmania. Do keep an eye on rules with regard to your international driver’s license. When you are only visiting the cities, there is generally no need for a car as public transportation is fine.
As is true everywhere: make sure you have an adequate travel insurance that will cover you throughout your stay. Medical help can be very expensive in Australia, so make sure your travel insurance covers medical expenses too.
Accomodation
Booking a stay while traveling in Australia? I usually compare prices on Booking.com, Hostelworld and Agoda. Searching on Google Hotels can also help to make an easy price comparison.
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