Australia is, without doubt, a massive country by area. If you plan to drive from Sydney to Perth, you would be making a 4,000 km trip, can you beat that? A one-way journey would involve driving for two days straight, without any rest. Crazy!
What we are trying to tell you is… if you are planning a trip to this beautifully vast country, you just can not do it wrong. You know why? A trip to Australia is a once in a lifetime opportunity for most people and you, sure as hell, do not want to take a chance.
There is nowhere like Australia. The place has wilderness, nature, beaches, animals, scenic beauty… You say it and the country has it. But, with so many places to travel to and so many things to see, it becomes confusing for people to plan the *trip of a lifetime*. Basically…you have very little time, and you need to see so much. So here is how to plan your Australia trip the right way.
Prioritise
Whenever you plan a trip with little time at hand and on a budget, you must prioritise your interests. Decide beforehand WHAT you prefer:
- Is it the city area or the countryside?
- Do you like the coast or the outback?
- Would you rather eat good food at expensive places or go for adventurous activities?
- Are you a party person or do you love relaxing?
- Would you rather see historical places or go for sporting events?
- Are you on a budget trip or is it the other way round?
Once you answer these questions and some other similar ones, you’ll be clearer of your goals and which part of Australia to focus your time and money on.
Pack Light
Trust us! Packing over the 30Kg weight allowance would be really annoying after a point of time. Travel light and you’ll thank us later.
Understand The Expenses
You must know this as it is important. When travelling to any new country, make sure you understand the expenses you could incur.
- Flights
One of the significant expenses you would incur while traveling to Australia would be on the flights. Here are a few things to keep in mind to lower down those costs.
- Try to book your tickets well in advance. Keep an eye on offers and deals where you might get incredibly cheap fares. Subscribe to a few airline newsletters so you can be notified of any upcoming deals on tickets.
- The best time to travel to Australia is from December to February. However, during this period, the flight prices are costly due to the massive inflow of tourists. If you are sure of your travel dates, keep checking for the best deals. Otherwise, you can travel during the winter months.
- Accommodation
Once the flights are paid for, you need to book your accommodation. The accommodation in Australia is beautiful and worth the money. Staying at a hostel in shared dorm accommodation will cost between $20 and $35 per night, depending on where you are and whether it’s peak season or not. Hostels are the best places for solo travellers to stay as it’s so easy to meet people, they can also work out cheaper for groups too. Besides hostels and hotels, you could go couchsurfing, book an Airbnb or attack a friend’s place. Once you decide, start making the bookings well in advance.
- Food and Drink
The next thing on the list is food and drink, which is one of the most essential parts of any trip. Instead of going the usual lets-eat-at-the-restaurant way, I would suggest trying out the local markets or street food for lunch and dinner.
Also, here is a vital hack I, as a fitness freak, follow – dine out in the afternoon rather than at night. Why, you ask? The afternoon meals would save you a lot of unnecessary calories. Take into account a minimum of $20-25 as the daily budget for food.
- Travelling within Australia
The next thing you would be spending bucks on is traveling in and around the country. The best way to enjoy the scenic beauty of Australia is by being on the road. Trust me, the experience is totally worth it, but if you’re buying a car make sure it’s a good one. The country is huge and you don’t want to breakdown in the middle of nowhere. Alternatively you could buy Greyhound passes, which start from $329, or hop onto a backpacker bus like Oz Experience or Loka, which are great for travelling with like-minded people.
You can also look for domestic flights which start for as little as $70, but then you are missing the fun of a road trip.
- Day Trips / Activities
You’re not going to want to watch everyone else dong bungy jumps, going whitewater rafting or scuba diving on The Great Barrier Reef so don’t forget that you have to factor in the cost of activities and day trips too.
Top Tip 1 : Get a Job
If you’re eligible for a working holiday visa and have enough time on your trip to get a job then this is a great way of being able to afford to do and see more. Look for a job here.
Top Tip 2 : Free Stuff
Galleries and museums capture your attention? Cool! Some of them have free entry during specific times of the day. Search about the particular ones that attract you and pay a visit during that time.
Australia is full of fun activities and things to do. But here are a few of the free things you can do:
Visit City Parks. Most of the major cities have free entry to city parks, DO pay a visit to those. There is the Royal Botanic Garden (The Domain and Hyde Park) in Sydney, the Carlton Garden in Melbourne and the Kings Park in Perth. A visit to these parks is worth it and, of course, free.
Coastal Walks. Coastal Walks are a fantastic experience. You can choose from the many famous ones in Australia, like Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach coastal walk, the Byron Bay Lighthouse walk, Noosa Heads Coastal Walk, The Valley of the Giants, The Pinnacles (WA) or Uluru! and you are sure to love it.
See the Wildlife
Australia is well-known for its wildlife. A visit to the place without seeing the wildlife would be a big miss. Every part of the country is famous for some animal or the other. Be it kangaroos, crocodiles, clownfish, wallabies or even camels – there is everything. DO NOT miss out on that.
I hope I’ve helped you to plan your trip to Australia – you might find the following articles useful when you’re in the planning stages of your trip:
- 101 Free or Cheap Things to Do in Australia
- A Complete Guide to The East Coast of Australia
- A Guide to Australias Free & Cheap Events
Author: Nayab Hasan. The article is brought to you by 9ightout, an application guiding you to amazing Nightlife experience and offers. The post is dedicated to all the travellers whose wanderlust takes them to Australia!