Australia Travel Guide

Australia Travel Guide

A Quick Intro to Australia

Australia, also affectionately known as “Oz” or “The Land Down Under” is an incredibly unique place with an incredible landscape and all sorts of quirky (and sometimes dangerous) wildlife.

A visit to Australia will allow you to see cute, cuddly animals such as kangaroos and koalas, as well as all sorts of sea life. Dolphins, sea lions, box jellyfish and even great white sharks are just some of the things you may come across in the water!

Covering an area of 2.968 million mi², Australia is the sixth largest country in the world and yet it’s very sparsely populated. A trip to Oz will allow you to really get in touch with nature and see some beautiful beaches, stunning mountain ranges, lush rainforest and dusty outback.

It’s an incredibly popular destination for adventure activities that will get your heart pumping! Bunjee jumping, shark cage diving, skydiving, bush walking, snorkeling and diving are just a few activities you can try while you’re there.

For a first-time visit the east coast of Australia is a good option as it has tons of cities, islands, beaches and things to discover. From climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge to snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef, there are tons of awesome things to do.

Koala sleeping on a tree in Australia

Australia Travel Tips

Language: The language in Australia is English.

Plug sockets: Plugs and sockets are type I, which is the one with three flat pins in a triangular shape. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.

Currency: The currency in Australia is the Australian dollar (AUD).

Safety: Australia is a generally very safe place to visit but you should watch out for the wildlife! The country is home to some potentially dangerous animals including crocodiles, stingrays, great white sharks and box jellyfish.

When swimming, only swim at patrolled beaches and stay between the yellow and red flags. If you plan to visit remote areas like the outback then make sure you take plenty of water and supplies with you. Always carry a cell phone and a portable charger.

Getting Around: Australia is a big country with long distances between towns and cities. Therefore the best way to get around is by driving. You could hire a car or hire a campervan so you can camp and sleep under the stars.

If you don’t want to drive, you can get between cities by Greyhound bus. Greyhound offers various passes that allow unlimited travel for a specified amount of time.

Cities like Sydney and Melbourne have their own public transporation systems. Melbourne has an extensive network of trains, buses and trams, which you can pay for using a myki card. This is a plastic card that you use to ‘touch on’ when you start traveling and ‘touch off’ when you end your journey.

Sydney has a system of buses, ferries and trains.  You can either purchase an Opal card or use a credit card if you have contactless.

Best Time to Visit Australia

The cost of flying to Oz is a huge hindrance for some people, which is why I’ve written an extensive guide on how to get cheap flights to Australia. The guide includes plenty of info on the best months and days of the week to get cheap flights.

In general the best time to visit Australia is in Australian summer time, which runs from December to February. The weather during this time is hot and sunny all over Australia, so you can hit the beaches and enjoy the sunshine.

It’s worth noting though that tropical Queensland experiences its wet season from November to March, so sometimes the heavy rainfall can cause roads to flood.

Flights to Australia can be expensive in December and January, so you may want to consider the shoulder seasons. March to May (autumn) and September to November (spring) can be a good time to snag an affordable ticket.

Winter in Australia runs from June to August but it doesn’t get that cold compared to places like the USA or Europe. Days are sunny and mild, followed by cold nights.

It can snow in the south of Australia, while the north remains fairly warm but with cooler temps in the evening. Clothing-wise it’s best to pack a warm jacket and jeans if you plan to travel at this time of year.

Winter is a popular time for Australians to go skiing in the Snowy Mountains of New south Wales.

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