Australia is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. It’s known as a major backpacking, camping, road trip, and diving destination, but no matter your travel style, there is something to draw you here.
Australia is filled with incredible natural beauty: Uluru and the Outback, rainforests and pristine white sand beaches, and of course, the Great Barrier Reef. Sydney’s Harbor Bridge and Opera House are iconic man-made wonders, and Melbourne’s café culture will make you feel like you’re relaxing in Europe.
However, the country is massive with limited transportation options outside the coasts and it is, not surprisingly, very expensive to visit.
What to Expect?
Language: The official language in Australia is English.
Currency: The currency in Australia is called the Australian Dollar. 1 USD is equivalent to about 1.40 Australian Dollars.
Credit Cards and ATMs: Most restaurant and retailers in the big and small cities will accept credit cards as payment. If you need to draw cash, you can find ATM’s almost everywhere: bank lobbies, on the streets, shopping malls, convenience stores, and petrol stations.
Plugs: The plugs in Australia are type I. The standard voltage is 230V, and the standard frequency is 50 HZ. I recommend buying a universal adapter (make sure it has surge protection) and using a converter for hair dryers and hot tools.
Safety: Australia is one of the safest countries in the world. While it has low crime rates, the one thing you do need to look out for is the country’s flora and fauna. Australia is notorious for its poisonous species of spiders and snakes as well as the deadly jellyfish and sharks that swim along its shores.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Australia all depends on where you’re going and what you want to do.
One of Australia’s most popular tourist attractions is the Great Barrier Reef. While the temperatures are warm year-round, the best time to visit is in the summer or spring.
While it is the wet season, the rain keeps away the large crowds that flock to the coast in the drier winter months.
If you’re after picture-perfect days at the Gold Coast‘s famous beaches, plan your trip during the summer months (December to February).
Top 5 Places to See!
SYDNEY
Australia’s largest city has a range of activities to keep you busy. Climb the Sydney Harbor bridge, surf at Bondi Beach, party in King’s Cross, sail across the harbor, visit the Opera House, and take in world-class innovation in Darling Harbor.
GETTING AROUND IN SYDNEY
Darling Harbour: The main area of the city dedicated to entertainment and tourism. Many of the harbor cruises depart from the docks here and it is also home to the aquarium and
and the National Maritime Museum.
City Center: This is where the main business district is located along with the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Sydney Opera House and a range of museums and landmarks.
Kings Cross: Known as a “Red Light District” of sorts, Kings Cross is full of characters. This suburb that never sleeps has nightclubs, restaurants and everything in between.
Surry Hills: This is Sydney’s creative hub for design, fashion and music. It’s one of my absolute favorite spots in all of Sydney with its uber cute cafes.
Paddington: Paddington offers a wonderful range of boutiques and shops to explore along with plenty of cafes and bars. William Street offers the best shopping in all of Sydney. Don’t miss the Paddington Markets on Saturday mornings!
Melbourne
St.Kilda
Snag breakfast at one of the many amazing restaurants on Acland Street. I really enjoyed window shopping along this famous street.
Hit the beach for a sunrise stroll and get a glimpse of Luna Park.
Royal Botanical Gardens
You can walk north past Albert Park Lake to The Royal Botanic Gardens. You could spend DAYS here exploring the massive gardens that cover over 36 hectares with more than 50,000 plants!
Flinders Street Railway Station
When you’ve gotten your fill of nature head north of the Botanic Gardens on St. Kilda Rd. and cross the Yarra River to the CBD (Central Business District).
The beautiful and bright Flinders Street Railway Station was the very first railway station in all of Australia!
CBD
The streets of the CBD are lined with tons of restaurants, cafes, and shops. Don’t be afraid to explore the alleyways as you never know what you might stumble upon. The best part of Melbourne was unexpectedly finding hidden treasures!
The Parliament Gardens
After walking north through the CBD head east on Lonsdale St. until you reach the statuesque Parliament building.
Gold Coast
What to Do?
Go Surfing: You just can’t go to the Gold Coast without surfing! There are so many amazing spots for newbies and pros alike.
One of the most popular spots is the Duranbah Beach (which is actually just north of the Gold Coast in New South Wales). For consistently flawless waves, Burleigh Heads is the place to be for the famous “Burleigh barrels” waves.
At the southern side of Rainbow Bay, there is Snapper Rocks. There you will find the famous area known as Superbank, which is made up of Rainbow Bay, Duranbah, and Kirra.
Get Your Heart Racing: As the amusement park capital of Australia, the Gold Coast is a thrill seeker’s dream come true. First of all, there is the Australia’s largest theme park, Dreamworld, which has more shows and rides than you could possibly fit into one day.
Another Aussie number one is Wet’n’Wild Waterworld. This is the biggest water park in the country and it’s full of slides and pools.
Whale Watching: On top of top notch
surfing, the waters off the Gold Coast are an ideal spot for whale watching. The prime time is from May to November every year.
On any given whale watching cruise, there is a good chance that you will get to see Australian Humpback whales. These are an especially cool sight, because Australian Humpback whales love to ham it up for a crowd.
If you’re lucky enough to be on the Gold Coast during October and November, try to catch a whale watching cruise. At that time of year, the whales are heading south for the summer so you’ll see mothers and adorable babies on their annual trips.
Foodie Hotspots: While Australia isn’t exactly known for its great cuisine, the Gold Coast is a foodie’s dream come true. From local cheese makers to impressive fusion plates, you are going to be blown away.
Other Things to See and Do in Australia
1. Explore Fraser Island
The world’s largest sand island is a popular spot for camping, swim, hike, and avoid dingoes. You can hire your own 4WD car or take an overnight tour through the island that’s famous for its freshwater lake (and dingoes). The island is beautiful filled with lakes, hiking paths, and sweeping vistas. Sadly, you can’t go in the water nearby as it’s rough and full of sharks.
2. Cairns
Cairns is Australia’s gateway to northern Queensland. From here you can visit the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree rainforest, the Atherton Tablelands, Cape Tribulation, and much more. Cairns is a pretty typical tropical city and life here focuses on taking the time to smell the roses. With so much to see, the city deserves a very long stay. Plan to visit for a week which will give you enough time to explore the area, plus spend some time lounging by the pool.
3. Brisbane’s South Bank
Brisbane is a “business city”, so unlike Sydney or Melbourne, there isn’t a lot of “culture” here. South Bank has some nice restaurants, and there are some decent pubs, but overall, the city isn’t one of the most exciting places to visit in Australia. However, it’s worth a stop to hang out on South Bank (which I loved) and meet travelers heading north.
4. Hike the Daintree
The world’s oldest rainforest (yes, older than the Amazon) offers hikes that range from easy to challenging, dense jungles, beautiful mountains, waterfalls, and lots of wildlife. Spend a few days hiking around and getting out of touristy Cairns. If you really want to get off the beaten path, head up to Cape Tribulation and enjoy some real peace and quiet (just watch out for jellyfish when you go swimming). There a lot of tour companies in the area but I like Uncle Brian’s tours the best (though he goes more into Atherton Tablelands and not up super far north).
5.Perth
Perth is Australia’s west coast capital and is often overlooked by most travelers. It’s expensive to get out there from the east coast so most travelers avoid it, but I love it. In fact, it’s probably my favorite city in all of Australia. Perth feels more like a large town than a city and is the best place to have a “Sunday Session” (an Aussie tradition of drinking on Sunday afternoons). From the beaches, food, and beer (be sure to take a day trip to Freemantle), Perth is just awesome.
6. Visit Western Australia
The most overlooked area in the country is the west coast where the country really shines. Here you can escape the crowds of the east coast, explore the outback, the Ningaloo Reef, Coral Bay (one of my favorite spots in the world), Broome, Perth, and the Margaret River. It’s much less developed than the east coast, greater distance between each place, and not as much of a tourist infrastructure to get you around (the bus is a nightmare) but if you take one piece of advice away from this guide, it should be to visit this part of Australia. It’s the version of the country you picture in your head.
7. See Tasmania
Despite everyone knowing its name, hardly anyone ever makes it down here. (It’s kind of our of the way from the main tourist trail.) Tasmania has amazing hikes, beautiful bays (Wineglass Bay being the most famous), small towns, and excellent people, just a ferry away from Melbourne. If you have the time, explore this terribly undervisted part of the country.
8. Hike the Blue Mountains
Right outside of Sydney, the Blue Mountains are an awesome place to explore, particularly in 4WD vehicle. As you adventure into the rainforest of the outback, you will see kangaroos, parrots, kookaburras, and more. Some of the more popular sights/hikes here are the Jenolan Caves, the Grand Canyon, and the Ruined Castle.
9. See the Karri Trees
One of the most under-visited sights in Australia are the Karri forests in Southwestern Australia. These dense woods and towering trees grow upwards 60 of meters (197 ft) and are a beautiful testament to the diverse nature of the country. They are only a few hours south of Perth.
10. Visit Kimberley
This area is known for its wilderness, so if you love the outdoors and don’t mind things getting rugged, add this to your itinerary. The mostly-unpaved Gibb River Road runs 660km through the region’s heart, which has towering limestone cliffs, gorges, a desert landscape, and freshwater pools.
11. Explore Kakadu National Park
The enormous Kakadu National Park is a biodiverse nature reserve in Australia’s Northern Territory. It encompasses wetlands and rivers. It’s home to saltwater crocodiles and flatback turtles, as well as many different bird species. Aboriginal rock paintings (dating back to prehistory) can be viewed at Nourlangie, Nanguluwur and Ubirr. You can find a lot of tours from Darwin.
Australia Travel Costs
Accommodation – Hostels start at 20 AUD ($15 USD) per night for a dorm room, though they get as high as 40 AUD ($30 USD) in the big coastal cities. Private rooms with a double bed and a shared bathroom in hostels range between 80-100 AUD ($60-75 USD) per night.
For budget hotels, you are looking to spend at least around 75-95 AUD ($55-70 USD) for a double room, private bathroom, TV, and breakfast. Larger, chain hotels cost closer to 200 AUD ($150 USD). Camping costs between 15-30 AUD ($10-20 USD) per night (cheaper if you bring your own tent, more expensive if you’re parking an RV).
For Airbnb, private rooms average around 85 AUD ($65 USD) per night while entire homes/apartments cost at least 100 AUD ($75 USD) per night though they average closer to 150 AUD ($112 USD).
Food – Food isn’t cheap in Australia! Most decent restaurant entrees cost at least 20 AUD ($15 USD). Originally, I thought I was doing something wrong spending so much, but as many of my Aussie friends told me, “we just get screwed here.” Chicken and lamb are super popular here, with meat pies being a common meal on the go. Fish and chips can also be found everywhere, owing to the country’s British roots.
For quick snacks, grab and go places cost around 8-10 AUD ($6-7 USD) for sandwiches. Fast food is around 15 AUD ($10 USD) for a combo meal. The best-value foods are the Asian and Indian restaurants where you can get a really filling meal for under 10 AUD ($7 USD).
If you cook your meals, expect to pay 100 AUD ($75 USD) per week for groceries that will include pasta, vegetables, chicken, and other basic foodstuffs.
Money-Saving Tips
Australia can be a very, very expensive country to visit. If you aren’t careful, you’ll blow through your entire budget in no time! Here are some ways to save money when you visit Australia:
Get a phone plan – The telephone company Optus offers great phone packages that have great coverage throughout the country. Their call/text rates aren’t that high either, so the credit will last you a while. Vodafone has some good deals too.
Drink goon (box wine) – Goon is infamous on the Australian backpacker hostel trail. This cheap box of wine is the best way to drink, get a buzz, and save a lot of money at the same time. Drink this before you go out and save on spending money at the bar (where it is about 10 AUD ($7 USD) per drink).
Cook often – Again, eating out is not cheap. The best way to reduce your costs is to cook as many meals as possible. ALDI is the cheapest supermarket in the country, followed by Coles and then Woolworths (though sometimes you don’t get a choice at which place you can shop at as some small towns only have one).
Car share – Australia is a big country that can be expensive to get around. If you are traveling with friends, it’s smart to buy a used car or campervan (or rent a new one from one of the many rental companies in the country) and split the costs of gas. You can also hitch a ride with other travelers using sites like Gumtree, Jayride, or hostel message boards.
Book tours as a package – This country has a lot of exciting activities and tours that eat into any budget. Booking activities together through a hostel or tour agency can get you a discount and save you hundreds of dollars.
Couchsurf – Accommodation in Australia is pricey. If you plan ahead, you can usually find really nice Couchsurfing hosts throughout the country. This way, you not only have a place to stay but you’ll have a local host that can tell you the best places to go and things to see.
Fill up your water bottle – The tap water is clean and safe to drink in Australia. Cutting the 2-3 AUD for each bottle of water will reduce your daily spending and lower your carbon footprint too!
Where To Stay in Australia
I’ve been a backpacker here for ages and have accumulated a long list of places to stay. Here are some of my favorite places to stay in Australia:
Base St. Kilda (Melbourne)
Space Hotel (Melbourne)
Bunk Brisbane (Brisbane, Queensland)
Kimberley Travellers Lodge (Broome)
Witch’s Hat (Perth)
Aquarius Backpackers (Byron Bay)
Byron Bay YHA (Byron Bay)
Nomads Noosa (Noosa)
How to Get Around Australia?
City Transit – All of Australia’s cities have reliable, affordable public bus systems. In the bigger, cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth, you’ll even find subways and tram systems. This is the cheapest way to travel the cities. Fares cost between 3-4 AUD ($2-3 USD). Taxis are expensive — skip them.
Air Travel – With Australia being over seven million square kilometers, it takes a long time to get around the country. Flying is one of the most efficient ways to city hop, but it’s not the cheapest.
Bus – After driving, this is my favorite transportation option in Australia. On the east coast, this will be your cheapest option too. On the west coast, buses are surprisingly expensive as there are not many people moving up and down that coast and there’s limited competition. However, on the east coast, you can find really cheap bus tickets, especially if you book in advance.
Train – Between city trams, commuter trains, and long-distance and trans-continental trains, Australia can be seen extensively by rail. However, their use isn’t that widespread. Train lines exist mostly on the east coast with only two other major lines in the country: one goes north/south from Melbourne to Darwin and another east/east from Sydney to Perth.
A one-way ticket from Sydney to Perth (which takes 3 days) is $890 AUD ($650 USD).
Rideshare – If you really want to save money and travel cheap, find some other friends, rent a car or campervan, and drive around the country. It’s really easy to rideshare in Australia. Every hostel has a bulletin board where travelers post rides and websites like Gumtree have active ridesharing sections where people look for cars or riders.
That's all for today! I hope you liked my post and more posts about Australia are coming up!
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