It’s fun to plan what places to visit and read interesting facts about Australia, but what about the practical things? What visa do you need? Where do you buy cheap plane tickets? How will you get around, where will you stay and what are the fun things to do once you are in Australia? Planning the practical side of your trip is just as important as planning where to go and what to see. Below is some information, tips and links to where to apply for visas, where to buy flight, train and bus tickets, and where to book a rental car.
Australia Travel Tips: VISA REQUIREMENTS It is not easy to know what Australia Visa you need or if you need a visa at all. There are many different options, and what opportunities you have and what requirements there are depends on the purpose of your trip, and what country you are from. Here is some information on all the different visas available, and links to Australian Government websites, where you can apply for your visa online: Australia Visa Requirements.
Australia Travel Tips: PLANE TICKETS TO AUSTRALIA Another good question is where to buy cheap plane tickets. There are so many different options available nowadays that it can be hard to know where to start. It used to be that a travel agency was the place to go – not anymore. The cheapest way is now to buy your tickets online. It is cheaper because it saves you the agent’s costs, but you have to do the agent’s job – make sure you triple check dates, times and destinations, not joking – i’ve heard of two girls who ended up in a small town called Sydney in Canada, with their bags packed with summer clothes for Sydney in Australia.
Here are links to websites selling some very cheap plane tickets to Australia; airline companies, and Australian international airports.
Australia Travel Tips: HOW TO GET AROUND Australia is a huge country and many great places to visit are far away from each other. So it is a good idea to plan ahead how you will get to all the places you’ve planned to visit. Domestic flights are the quickest but most expensive option. Long-distance trains are next quickest, and they are fairly comfortable, with your own TV screen and opportunities to buy drinks and snacks. Long-distance buses are cheaper than trains, but they are also slower and less comfortable. You are not even allowed to eat or drink on a bus, let alone having an opportunity to buy any snacks or drinks. The cheapest and most flexible way to get around in Australia is to rent or buy your own transport. Renting a campervan is cheaper than renting a car, because it saves you the hotel/motel costs and you can cook your own meals. But a car is also cheaper than any buses or trains. Many travellers nowadays buy a car or a campervan, and sell it in the end of their trip – it seems to be the cheapest option.
Here are links to where to buy Australian domestic flights, train and bus tickets, and where to hire and buy cars and campervans for a trip: Australian Trip Route Planner.
Australia Travel Tips: ACCOMMODATION Australia is a popular travel destination and there are many different kinds of accommodation available. Hotels and resorts are the most expensive, next come motels, and the cheapest are backpacker hostels. In the countryside, some of the popular places to stay are outback pubs, and also cattle farms – these stays are called “farmstays”. But one of the most popular ways in Australia, particularly when travelling around the countryside, is to camp. There are caravan parks all over the country, where you can either stay in cabins, your campervan, or in your own tent, and it’s cheap. But in fact, you can make it even cheaper – you can camp anywhere in the bush for free. It is not dangerous – nobody will even know you are there. Just get off the main road and set up your camp.
Australia Travel Tips: ACTIVITIES Apart from visiting museums and tourist attractions, what are the popular things to do in Australia? Australia is a great place for bushwalking, but there are heaps of other popular activities like camel and horse riding, skiing and snowboarding, adventure sports such as mountain climbing, abseiling, paragliding, bungy jumping and many more. It is also a popular country for water sports, diving and snorkelling, surfing, white water rafting, kayaking, canoeing and sailing. And finally, with lots of unique wildlife, Australia is a great place for bird and wildlife watching. Apart from watching cute Australian animals like kangaroos and koalas, some popular activities are watching whales, dolphins and turtles.
AUSTRALIAN CELEBRATIONS AND FESTIVALS With a good mild climate all year around, Australians put on heaps of festivals and celebrations every month of the year. Some of the most popular are Australia Day in January, Sydney Mardi Gras in February-March, ANZAC Day in April, Alice Springs Camel Cup in July, Mount Isa Rodeo in August, Alice Springs’ Henley on Todd in September, Canberra Floriade in October, Melbourne Cup in November and Australian Christmas celebrations in December.
STUDY OR FIND A JOB IN AUSTRALIA Would you have so much fun in Australia that you want to stay longer, you may want to consider studying or working in Australia.
Here is some information and links to where to apply for jobs and where to start when choosing where and what to study in Australia: Study or Find a Job in Australia.
NOTE: This website is written in British English, which is the English we use in Australia. You will find words like "traveller", "harbour" and "realise", and they are all correct in the language used in Australia.
