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Leaving one’s home country to study abroad requires a lot of ambition, bravery and well.. a knack to travel. So, if you are an international student studying in Australia, I think it’s safe to assume that you like travelling. This blog is a compilation of all our top tips for travelling around Australia. We’re starting off with one first tip – Australia is massive, so refer to this blog to enjoy the beauty of Australia in the most convenient way!
Australia | At A Glance
- Australia is as wide as the distance between London and Moscow.
- It is the 6th largest country in the world.
- It is the world’s largest island.
- Australia is the only continent in the world without an active volcano.
- The largest state of Australia is Western Australia.
- It takes 24 hours to drive from Melbourne to Brisbane, and Sydney to Perth is a five-hour flight.
Travelling Around Australia | Tips For Travelling Around Australia
Your options for travelling around Australia include buses, trains, planes, group tours, car shares and campervans. All these travel routes have their own set of advantages and challenges. In order to make the best decision on the mode of transportation follow our tips for travelling around Australia.
The most scenic and popular Australia travel route is up/down the east coast. Many people travel from Sydney to Cairns, or Sydney to Melbourne. There are numerous attractions to witness on the way of both of these routes. Depending on your time and budget, it will take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months to travel these routes.
Do You Need An Australia Visa?
You should look into the visa requirements for your country before embarking on a trip to Australia. Visitors to Australia are subjected to visa requirements and the most common Australian visa is the eVisitor visa. This visa allows tourists and travellers to stay in Australia for 3 months. This is the perfect visa if you are looking to just travel in Australia for a few months. Alternatively, if you wish to work, study or do business in Australia, you will need to check the Australia visa requirements to find out if you meet them and then how to apply.
Australia Travel Costs | Tips For Travelling Around Australia
Accommodation
As a student traveller, the cost of accommodation will form a major chunk of your budget. This won’t be the case if you book your Australian accommodation through UniAcco. Find a wide range of room types at affordable prices only on UniAcco. The cost of hostels start at 20 AUD ($15 USD) per night for a dorm room, but can increase to 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. Getting the lowest deal on your accommodation is one of our most important tips for travelling around Australia.
Food
Food is not cheap in almost all major cities of Australia. The cost of an entree starts at 20 AUD ($15 USD). Grab and go restaurants cost around 8-10 AUD ($6-7 USD) for sandwiches and other quick bites. Fast food will cost you around 15 AUD ($10 USD). The best-value foods are the Asian and Indian restaurants where you can get a really filling meal for under 10 AUD ($7 USD).
Activites
Multi-day activities and tours are generally quite expensive, costing 400-540 AUD ($295-400 USD) whereas day trips cost about 135-230 AUD ($100-170 USD). For instance, a one-day trip to the Great Barrier Reef can cost 230 AUD ($170 USD) while a two-night sailing trip around the Whitsunday Islands can cost upwards of 540 AUD ($400 USD). Some good budget activities to do in Australia are walking tours that cost around 50 AUD ($35 USD) and day trips to wine regions are between 150-200 AUD ($112-150 USD). A three-day trip to Uluru from Alice Springs is around 480 AUD ($355 USD).
Best Tips For Travelling Around Australia
We won’t sugar coat it. Australia is a very expensive country to visit. If you aren’t careful with your money, there’s a good chance you’ll blow through your entire budget in no time. Follow these simple tips for travelling around Australia –
Get a local phone plan
There are many telecom companies in Australia that offer great mobile coverage throughout the country. Our pick of the bunch – Optus. They offer great value-for-money phone packages that don’t compromise on coverage. Their call/text rates aren’t that high either, so the credit will last you a while. Vodafone has some good deals too.
Cook as often as possible
Cooking your own food is going to save you a fortune. It Is well documented that eating out is not cheap. One of the best ways to lower your overall expenditure is by cooking your meals at home. ALDI is the cheapest supermarket in the country, followed by Coles and then Woolworths. Sometimes, you don’t get a choice at which place you can shop at as some small towns only have one.
Try some goon
Goon (box of wine) is the best and cheapest way to get a drink in Australia. You can drink this before going out. This will lead to savings at the bar where it is about 10 AUD ($7 USD) per drink.
Get a shared car
Just like food, travelling in Australia can be expensive. If you are traveling with friends, it’s highly recommended to buy a used car or campervan. You can also rent a new one from one of the many rental companies in Australia. This way you can also split the costs of gas between your friends. You can also hitch a ride with other travelers using sites like Gumtree, Jayride, or hostel message boards.
Book tours as a package
Australia is a major tourist destination, attracting thousands of tourists every year. That being said, this country has many 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.
Work for your room
There are many hostels in Australia that offer travelers the opportunity to work for their accommodation in Australia. By simply working for a couple of hours a day, you can get a free bed to sleep in. Check with the hostel staff when you arrive to see if there are any work opportunities available. This is one of our favourite tips for travelling around Australia.
Fill up your water-bottle
Cutting the 2-3 AUD for each bottle of water will reduce your daily spending, thus allowing you to save some money. Moreover, by ditching water bottles, you are lowering your carbon footprint! Tap water is clean and safe to drink in Australia, so simply fill up your water bottle and head on to your next adventure.
Learn the Aussie lingo
Learning Aussie slang words is a great way to fit in with the locals. To get you started, here are some of the most commonly used local lingo –
- Thongs – flip flops
- Lollies – sweets
- Singlet – a vest top
- Bottle-o – Off License
- Budgie smugglers – tight speedo-style swimwear
- Chook – chicken
- Macca’s – McDonalds
Try the coffee
If there’s one thing you need to know about Australians it’s that they love their coffee. Local coffee shops are the only (and best) place to drink coffee. In fact, you won’t see any of the large coffee chains in Australia. Once you arrive in Australia, head over to any coffee shop to pick up a ‘flat white’.
We hope you enjoyed reading this blog on Tips For Travelling Around Australia. If you wish to read more about Australia, here are some blogs that we think you will enjoy reading –
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