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- 1Our travel route through Australia
- 2Australia guide for a first trip
- 3Is it so expensive?
- 4How to travel around Australia
- 5Visa for Australia
Australia is a destination I have always wanted and was about to travel to when I spent several months in New Zealand . On that occasion I remember not going because I did not have enough days. I chose the Fiji islands, which was not bad either. Australia is the sixth largest country in the world so it is recommended to go early . It is also one of the least densely populated. There is one inhabitant for every 3.2 kms. And it is that Australia has a population of only 25 million inhabitants . Furthermore, 60% live in one of its 5 big cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Birsbane, Perth and Adelaide.
Having visited about 40 countries, I would say that Australia is where I have seen the best quality of life . Going between the end of December and the beginning of January has probably helped too, since these are vacation dates. Be that as it may, the infrastructures, public services, climate, nature and the relation of prices vs. wages –minimum salary of over $ 15 / hour– have seemed to me to be of an enviable level.
Our travel route through Australia
On our 16-day Australia route we took 2 domestic flights and stayed in 5 destinations : Melbourne (3 nights), Sydney (4 nights), Brisbane (2 nights), Byron Bay (3 nights) and Gold Coast (3 nights) . If I were to go back, I would take 2 nights off the Gold Coast and add one in Brisbane and one outside Melbourne to travel the Great Ocean Road. Here you can see the detailed map.
If it were 16 days again, I would do the following :
Day 1 – Arrive Melbourne
Day 2 – Visit Melbourne
Day 3 – Melbourne – Great Ocean Road
Day 4 – Great Ocean Road – Melbourne
Day 5 – Melbourne – Sydney
Day 6 – Visit Sydney
Day 7 – Sydney Beaches
Day 7 – Trekking in Blue Mountains National Park
Day 8 – Flight from Sydney to Brisbane
Day 9 – Visit to Brisbane
Day 10 – Visit to Brisbane
Day 11 – From Brisbane to Byron Bay
Day 12 – Visit Byron Bay
Day 13 – Rest and surf in Byron Bay
Day 14 – Visit around Byron Bay (Lennox Head)
Day 15 – Byron Bay – Gold Coast
Day 16 – Departure
Thanks to Marta, founder of the company that gives free advice to those who want to travel to Australia to study English , Aussieyoutoo , for her advice to design our route.
Australia guide for a first trip
Australia has many places to visit. In this list I have selected those that would be most recommended for a first 12-20 day trip .
1) Sydney, the most important
The most important city in the country. Sydney is in an unbeatable location. If you are lucky enough to see it from the air when you arrive by plane, you are amazed at the surroundings of the city. In Sydney you have to spend at least 3 or 4 days visiting the center where there are such emblematic places as the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House. One of the days must be reserved for the beach. Bondi Beach is the most famous, but there are many in the area. It is also worth a trip to the Blue Mountains National Park for some trekking.
2) Melbourne, the European
The second largest city in the country. Melbourne is famous among Aussies for being a more European city where culture and good food are its great tourist attractions. In Melbourne you will find alleys with great cafes hidden among street art. The city is also famous for hosting major sporting events, such as the Tennis Open, and for the high quality of its universities. Here you have more info about what to do in Melbourne .
3) The Great Ocean Road
From Melbourne it is worth renting a car for a couple or three days and traveling this magnificent road parallel to the ocean until you reach the famous 12 Apostles. They are called the ‘twelve’ but in reality they are 4 or 5 huge rocks that come out of the sea. The Great Ocean Road is a good adventure for those who like the road and the sea breeze.
4) Brisbane, and its good standard of living
We arrived in Brisbane expecting little and we left dreaming of settling in it . Brisbane is a small city that offers a great standard of living. It does not have impressive tourist attractions, but it is worth spending several days. The best thing about the city is that it faces the river. Few cities I have known that make the most of the river area so well: beautiful walks and bridges, free-to-use barbecues with views, public pools in front of the river with beach sand and its incredible botanical garden. The area provides for a whole day.
From Brisbane you can go to the famous Fraser Island , which is 300 kms away. A large island 122 km long. You can go in your own car and take it on the ferry or go on a tour. There are several options for places to stay.
5) Gold Coast, beach tourism
Gold Coast is the typical mega-urban beach destination. It has an area of large skyscrapers, Surfers Paradise, which draws an almost futuristic skyline in front of the ocean. In Gold Coast you will find a tourist destination full of Australians enjoying life . And it is that its many beaches are full of people sunbathing, playing volleyball, doing all kinds of sports related to the waves, fishing, enjoying scuba diving, while in its parks you do not stop seeing people with skates, running , by bike or enjoying a good barbecue or picnic at the public tables. Here they know how to live well. I recommend you visit Burleigh Heads beach and do the little trekking along the coast.
6) Byron Bay, tranquility, sun and surf
Probably the destination that I liked the most on the trip . Byron Bay is a small coastal town, with an atmosphere between hippie and posh, but in which, above all, people will enjoy the sea, nature and tranquility. It is also an important destination for surfers and it is easy to rent a board or even surf lessons.
I recommend you do the walking tour to the lighthouse and watch the sunset from there. Also visiting some of its waterfalls, such as the nearby Killen Falls , is recommended. If you have several days, near Byron Bay you have other similar towns like Lennox Head , which are also worth a visit.
7) The Uluru Rock, the symbol of the aborigines
Also known as Ayes Rock, this huge monolith of red sand stands out in the middle of nowhere and is a symbol of spiritual importance to some Aboriginal Australians. It is located in the area known as the Northern Territories, in the middle of the country and thousands of kms from the big cities. Arriving by land should be an experience only available to those who have many weeks ahead. Those of us who have fewer days must be content to fly to it if we want to know it. It is part of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park .
8) National Parks
Australia is cities, beaches, but also national parks. If you open Google Maps from any of its cities and look around, you will see a large number of national parks 1 or 2 hours away by car . Probably, choose the one you choose, you will not regret it. For example, if you are in Sydney, the most famous is the Blue Mountains. Whereas, if you are in the Gold Coast, it is worth visiting the Springbrook .
It is advisable to go with a rented car or, in the absence of this, to hire an organized tour.
9) The Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reserve in the world stretching over 2300 km . It is a dream destination for diving enthusiasts. It is usually visited from the city of Cairns or from the Whitsunday Islands area . Here’s how to visit it .
10) The Whitsunday Islands
It is a group of 74 islands, 900 km north of Birsbane , located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. Most are not inhabited, only 4 offer accommodation options. The most developed island is Hamilton Island , which has an airport and accommodation offer. Another famous island, which is also the largest, is the one that bears the same name as the group of islands, Whitsunday Island , where the most famous beach in the area is located, the long Whitehaven Beach . A beach many times voted the most beautiful in the world. There is no accommodation here and you have to come on day tours. There are people camping, although there is no running water.
It’s so expensive?
Australia is one of the richest countries in the world . Specifically, the tenth per GDP per capita and the second in the Human Development Index. The currency of Australia is the Australian dollar, which is around € 0.65.
Traveling in Australia is not cheap, but it may not be very expensive if you control your expenses . The expenses are not very different from traveling through northern and western European countries, the United States or Japan ( Travel expenses to Japan ).
► Sleeping : A bed in a hostel in a big city will cost you $ 30 AUS, while in a smaller city it can go down to $ 15 AUS. A room in a well-located hotel in a major city is around $ 150 AUS. In big cities Airbnb also works very well and you can find rooms for over $ 75 AUS.
► Getting around : A Sydney subway ticket is about $ 3.5 AUS. Renting a car is around $ 50- $ 75 AUS per day. A 9h train ticket from Melbourne to Syndey costs $ 120 AUS. In Australia there are several low cost airlines with very competitive prices.
► Eat: The water was drinkable in all the cities I was in and all the restaurants served it free. A meal in a cafeteria or fast food restaurant is around $ 6- $ 15 AUS per person, while in a more elegant restaurant it will cost around $ 25- $ 50 AUS. The pizzas are very cheap, they can be bought for about $ 10 AUS.
How to travel around Australia
Australia is a country in which its cities can be separated by up to 4000 km. From Perth to Sydney there are 45 of roads! Over hundreds of kms you will find practically nothing, not even telephone coverage. So, if you want to travel it by land, you will need a lot of time and be well prepared. Otherwise, you will have to book flights . In the end, it is best to travel from one city to another by plane and rent a car upon arrival , at the same airport, to move around the area.
► Domestic flights : There are many low-cost airlines such as Jetstar, Airasia or Tiger Air. Others are Qantas or Virgin .
► Rent a car : Australia has good roads and highways. Drive on the left. It is advisable to carry the international card. They let me drive with the European, but I don’t know if all the companies rent without the international. Here you will find the main car rental companies such as Avis, Hertz, Europcar or Budget. Also other premises. It is recommended to book in advance directly on the rental company’s website (I DO NOT recommend using the Rentalcars.com website, you always end up with problems). Rentals start at $ 50- $ 75 AUS per day and they usually charge extra if you leave the car in another destination.
► Renting a van or caravan : To save on hotels, a good option is to rent vans with sleeping space or caravans. Some rental companies are: Camperjourney, Hippie Camper, Jucy Rentals, Spaceships or Campervan finder . You can also look at the Relocations option , in which they rent vehicles for one or two dollars per day in exchange for taking it from X (for example, Sydney) to Y (for example, Melbourne) in 3 or 4 days. A couple of relocation websites are TransferCar and CoSeats .
►Trains : In Australia, trains are not very fast and are a good option if you want to see landscapes outside the cities or reduce the environmental impact of your trips. One of the largest train companies is NSW TrainLink , which operates routes such as Melbourne-Sydney and Brisbane-Canberra. Anyway, keep in mind that, for example, from Melbourne to Sydney there is about 12h by train. They are not high speed trains.
► Buses : Buses are cheap so it is a good option for those who want to save and have time. Some of the main companies are: Firefly Express, Greyhound, Murrays and Australia Wide Coaches.
Visa for Australia
Australia has been the first country I have visited that has not put a stamp on me either for entry or exit (without taking Europeans into account, of course). With a Spanish passport you have 90 days without the need for a visa, although you must fill out this online form before going.
Citizens of Argentina, Brazil and Chile can request a 90-day visa online from this website (cost of $ 130 AUS).
Australia has strict regulations for anyone traveling with plants or food. It is necessary to declare them or you can be fined.
