Australia Travel Guide: All you need to know to visit Australia in 2023

Welcome to this ultimate Australia travel guide, perfect for every traveler who wants to travel to Australia. This guide will teach you everything you need for this trip, including destination information, travel documentation, COVID-19 restrictions, and much more.

Australia is a country surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is known for the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne, and the Great Barrier Reef. It is also known for its culture, history, and excellent animal diversity, unique in the world, which includes animals such as the kangaroo and the platypus.

Get ready to plan an incredible trip!

Document checklist for Australia

It is essential to know what kind of documents are needed to travel to Australia. These are the following:

The most crucial document to travel to Australia is the passport. According to the Ministry of Tourism, it must be valid for the entirety of your stay in the country.

Other documents required to travel to Australia are a return airline ticket and proof of financial means to pay for your stay.

The country usually also asks about the activities to be carried out during the trip, where you will be staying, and how you will be transported between destinations.

Essential Australia travel information

Here you will find some general information about Australia that will allow you to better plan your trip... Let's see:

• Currency - The Australian dollar is the country's official currency. It is expressed in dollars and cents, hence the dollar symbol $ and the cents symbol ¢ are used. In texts, the Australian dollar is identified by the code AUD. $1 is equivalent to approx. AUD 1.48.

• Languages - The most widely spoken language is English. It is the mother tongue of 73% of the Australian population. But this is not the only language: Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Spanish, and Italian are also spoken.

• Socket type - In Australia, plug type is I. The standard voltage is 230V, and the standard frequency is 50Hz.

• Time zone - In Australia, there are three time zones, from west to east: UTC+8, UTC+9.5, and UTC+10. So, depending on your chosen city, you will have a greater or lesser time difference.

• Top 3 cities to visit - Sidney, Perth, and Brisbane.

• Top landmarks/monuments - Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour, and the Great Barrier Reef.

Visa information for Australia

The visa is an essential document for this trip; therefore, we have made a list of Australia's types of visas. These are as follows:

• Tourist Visa - This is the option you are looking for if you are coming to Australia on vacation or for a short stay. This visa is required for all international travelers., so it will be requested if you come from any of the international flights.

There are two types of tourist visas, the eVisitor Visa, which is free and allows you to stay for up to a maximum of 90 days Per Entry, and the Tourist Visitor Visa, which costs between 150 and 1,120 AUD (depending on nationality) and allows you to stay for up to a maximum of 90 days Per Entry in the country.

• Student Visa - The student visa is the most popular and ideal if you want to study in Australia while working part-time to pay for your stay. To obtain this document, you must enroll in the required course for at least ten weeks.

This type of visa has no age limit for the applicant. You do not have to prove a minimum level of English and your partner can accompany you and work part-time, even if they are not a student. The average cost of this visa is 650 Australian dollars.

Typical costs and budget for Australia

This travel information is about the approximate expenses you can have on a trip to Australia. Take this information into account when planning your trip.

Daily spending per person - The daily expenditure per person on the trip will depend on what you want; there are some free activities, such as walking tours, but there can also be tours between 30 and 40 dollars per person.

• Meals - When looking for a place to eat, you can find restaurants that can cost around 15 dollars per person, but there are also more luxurious places where you can spend up to 65 dollars per person.

• Transportation - The cost of transportation will depend on whether it is private or public. The prices vary between 10 and 30 dollars per day.

• Hotel - The average price will depend on the type of hotel you are looking for. For example, for backpackers, cheap lodgings can cost around 60 Australian dollars for two people, whereas for travelers wanting more luxurious hotels, the cost can be up to 130 Australian dollars per day.

Transport and ways to travel around Australia

There are different ways to move around the country. Here are the most common ones:

Transportation in Australia is made up of four main options: train, bus, ferry, and light rail. Not all cities have a river network or light rail. Reusable smart cards provide transportation in the country for its public transport systems. These are the different available cards according to each destination:

• Brisbane - Go Card; used on trains, streetcars, buses, and ferries.

• Melbourne - Myki Card; used on trains, streetcars, and buses.

• Sydney - Opal Card; used on trains, streetcars, buses, and ferries.

• Adelaide - MetroCard; used on trains, streetcars, and buses.

• Perth - SmartRider; used on trains, buses, and ferries.

• Hobart - Greencard; used on buses.

• Canberra - MyWay; used on buses.

• Darwin - Tap & Ride Card; used on buses.

Depending on the city you arrive in when you start your adventure, you can buy one of these transport cards in Australia at ticket counters at domestic or international airport train stations.

Safety in Australia

Traveling to an unfamiliar country can always cause a bit of trepidation. But don't worry; the Australian government has provided us with some tips to travel. These are as follows:

Australia is a relatively safe place to travel to in terms of crime and violence. However, natural disasters do occur frequently. Fires, floods, and cyclones are concurrent in the region.

We also have the following general recommendations:

• Swimming in northern Australia is dangerous because of the presence of crocodiles.

• Care should be taken when driving on country roads at night, as wildlife may be encountered.,.

• Be aware that there is significant police presence on Australian roads, and police are authorized to stop vehicles, ask for driving licenses, check that the vehicle is roadworthy and conduct breathalyzer tests.

• Carry a universal charger with you so that you can use your electronic equipment everywhere.

• Take good care of your belongings because, although it is a safe country, there are pickpockets and common thieves.

• Before traveling, get travel insurance with comprehensive medical coverage. It must cover expenses related to COVID-19 or any other emergency. You can get this insurance on other internet sites.

• If you plan to rent a car before traveling, take the necessary steps to apply for an international driver's license.

• If you need any emergency assistance, you can contact any number of the emergency consular assistance the country provides to all tourists.

Weather in Australia

The climate in the country is the following:

Climate in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane - The east coast of Australia has a temperate climate. The waters of the ocean regulate the temperatures in the coastal areas. The further north, the warmer it gets, and the further south, the colder it gets.

Summers are warm with mild nights. Winters, however, are cool and rainy but also have many sunny days.

The climate in Perth - The climate in the state of Western Australia can be considered Mediterranean. Summers are hot and dry, and winters are mild and rainy.

The coastal areas to the south are a little cooler due to winds from Antarctica, but Perth and its surroundings have a very pleasant climate all year round.

The climate in Darwin and Cairns - The climate in Australia is somewhat extreme. The weather in these northern cities is humid and warm all year round. These areas, in fact, have only two seasons: winter and summer.

Since the climate in this country is somewhat intense, there are phenomena such as droughts, cyclones, floods, and the dreaded bushfires every year.

Must do and see in Australia

We suggest visiting these places too:

Melbourne - Attractions you will see in this city include the Botanical Garden, Flinders Street Station, State Library Victoria, Shrine of Remembrance, Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne Arts Precinct, and National Gallery of Victoria.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge - Along with the Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of Australia's most famous icons. It is the largest steel arch bridge in the world, with a height of 134 meters over the bay. The Great Barrier Reef - One of the largest living structures on the planet. In 1975 the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was created to protect this fragile ecosystem that includes more than 3,000 coral reefs, 600 continental islands, 300 coral cays, and much more. That is why it is one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World.

Typical Australian gastronomy to try

Australian cuisine is influenced by British, Asian, and Mediterranean influences. This includes tropical fruits, exotic animal meat, and a super strong current of organic and hipster food.

Barbecue is a typical Australian food and an institution in the country. Everyone has one in the garden or on the terrace, and there are public BBQs on practically every beach and campsite, as well as in some parks and rest areas of the country.

Besides being the most typical Australian cuisine, the BBQ is also important because it is considered a social event. So, of course, there is no Aussie event without one. Groups of friends and families gather around a barbecue to celebrate birthdays, weddings, and all kinds of parties.

Vaccine information for Australia

Some vaccinations are suggested for visiting Australia. It is recommended to be vaccinated against typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), meningitis, Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis), and influenza.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease found in the country. Therefore, the use of mosquito repellents is recommended.

Fun facts about Australia

Among some of the country's curiosities are the following:

• It is estimated that Aboriginal Australians have lived there for more than 40,000 years.

• The first Europeans to live in Australia were British prisoners.

• Australians call the British “pommies”, as POME were the initials on the convicts' uniforms. This acronym stood for Prisoners of Mother England.

• One-third of Australia is desert. That is why 90% of Australians live on the coast.

• Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world.