Planning a tour to Australia? Well, if you plan your tour right, it will surely be a great one. Australia is home to a fantastic culture, amazing beaches, laid back localities, some cute lazy koalas and strict laws too!! To have a seamless and amazing trip to Australia, do remember these tips before you travel to Australia- the land down under.
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Top tips for Australia trip
Source: eTA Visa
1. Requirements of the visa
You need a valid visa to enter Australia. Even if Australia is just a stopover, you need a visa. To apply for an Australian Visa, you can find more information here, to get a valid visa to enter Australia. There are various kinds of visas like work- visa, student- visa available in various forms like evisitor visa, electronic travel authority visa, visitor visa. It is essential to determine and apply for the right kind of visa with minimum passport validity. Hence, it is best to ensure complete visa processing is complete before you travel to Australia.
2. Australia has strict quarantine laws
Australia is a very beautiful island which has unique landscapes and fantastic beaches. It is free from pests and disease. To maintain it that way, the Australian Government imbibes very strict quarantine laws in the country. When you land in Australia, you need to declare all animal products, plant materials and food items that you are carrying with you. These include feathers, leathers, skins, fruits and anything made out of wood. You would be provided with an ‘Incoming Passenger Card’ on the flight which you need to fill to declare all goods you are carrying with you. If the food items are deemed to be low-risk then you may be permitted to take them into the country; otherwise, they are withheld. If you travel with any prohibited goods and do not declare them, you will be charged a hefty fine. Hence, it is best to familiarise yourself with quarantine laws before you pack your bags.
3. Be well prepared for the unpredictable weather
Melbourne is known to experience four seasons in a year, it can be sunny, then it can become windy, then one can expect rain and then storms and some sunshine again. You can expect all these within a span of 24 hours. Hence, be well-prepared and do research about the weather forecasts for the regions in Australia that you would be visiting. In fact, the summer in Australia is harsh. It can rise above 40 degrees. So be well-equipped with a sunscreen of 50SPF, a pair of goggles and some hats to protect you from the harsh sun rays. And the winters are chilling and temperature may fall below 0 degrees. It snows in some parts of Australia like Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales, and Tasmania. Hence, be prepared with all the wintry garments.
Source: Upgraded Points
4. Australia is the big place – so plan it accordingly
If you are thinking of flying into Sydney, roam around Melbourne and look into the Great Ocean Road and then check into Uluru the next day, then think again. Australia is a huge territory, in fact, it is the sixth-largest country in the world and roughly the same size as that of the United States of America. So you need to be prepared to travel long distances to see all places and plan your trip carefully keeping ample time in hand to explore the huge country well. A short amount of time will surely make you miss great things in Australia, you need to discover. Hence, if you want to see all the cities and the best tourist spots where you need to go on a long trip.
5. Understand the transport options you have in Australia
When you step off the airplane, airport transfers are the best and easiest convenience you can take to travel to your hotel. Each state in Australia has its own public transportation system. Melbourne has buses, trains, and trams. You can purchase the Myki card to travel in these public transportation systems. In Sydney, you can avail the buses, trains, and ferries to get around the city using the Opel Card. The Brisbane state has the go card to travel on the public transport system. Each state has its own card to travel on public transport within it. Hence, it is best to research on all kinds of public transportation available in different states and avail the cards for easy commutation.
6. Be prepared to be offline when you are in Australia
The internet in Australia will not be a companion with you at all times. The internet can be quite expensive and slow at times. If you want to remain connected to the internet at all times when you in Australia then it is the cheapest and best option to connect to the hotspot. The portable hotspot available in Australia can be used as a portable charger for your mobile phone too.
Source: Tourism Australia
7. Boozing and coffee drinking is like ‘religion’ in Australia
Australia is known as one of the major producers of wine and beer of the best quality. Hence, it is easy to understand why the Aussies love their boozing so much the local brewed beers like Victoria Bitter, are indeed hard to resist. If you are a coffee lover then too Australia has the best cup of coffee to serve you. In Australia, make it a point to either booze or drink the delectable coffee or even better indulge in both. Drinking and coffee addicts are truly the culture of Australia and thus, you should definitely plan to give it a try.
