Cooler than cool cities like Sydney and Melbourne, sublime surfing beaches, the Great Barrier Reef, the Red Centre and the Outback – Australia’s diverse charms make for a trip like no other

Australia has considerable urban energy and an increasingly great food and drink scene, but where it excels is the happy go lucky outdoor lifestyle. It’s a place for public barbecues by the beach and watching surfers ride the waves.

It’s also a country that embraces nature, with extensive reef systems, coastal reserves and a vast network of forested national parks. Kangaroos hang out in campgrounds, koalas sleep in trees along walking trails and dolphins frolic in the bays.

Australia also excels in epic. Endless blue skies stretch over rumpled outback scenes – and hugely rewarding road trips lace through seemingly untouched landscapes.

Current travel restrictions and entry requirements

Visitors to Australia need a visa. For the vast majority of people coming from the UK, this will be the sub-class 651 eVisitor, which is free and can be completed online.

Most Covid restrictions have been ditched. There is no need to test or show proof of vaccination before entry. However, masks on inbound flights are still mandatory, and you will still have to isolate if you test positive for Covid while in Australia. The rules in each state are slightly different.

Best time to go

Weather-wise, the best time to visit varies massively by geography. Aim for May to October in the tropical north, and the opposite in the south. Spring (September to November) is a sweet spot with less rain than autumn. Prices and crowds ramp up in January, the main school holiday period. It can also be excruciatingly hot at this time.

New Year’s Eve in Sydney is popular and truly memorable but violently expensive for accommodation. Other events to throw yourself into include the Melbourne Cup horse race (in early November), Adelaide Festival (March) and Anzac Day (25 April).

Top cities and regions

Sydney

Indisputably one of the greatest cities on earth, Sydney offers natural beauty around the harbour, a legion of envy-inducing beaches along the coast, plus hip urban energy in inner suburbs such as Surry Hills and Chippendale. It genuinely works as a beach holiday destination and a city break, with big ticket activities such as climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge offset by cost-free days in oceanside rock pools. The Blue Mountains and Hunter Valley wine region are within day-trip distance.

Melbourne

With an emphasis on culture rather than looks, Melbourne crams in the galleries, museums and arts venues. But the real joy comes from the laneway culture, where specialist bars and globe-spanning restaurants cram together in small alleys, surrounded by world class street art. The Victorian capital is also the launchpad for the coastal scenery-packed Great Ocean Road and penguin-watching on Phillip Island.

Cairns

One of several gateways for snorkelling and diving cruises to the Great Barrier Reef’s aquatic wonderland, Cairns has the bonus of being surrounded by World Heritage-listed rainforest. Reef trips can be mixed in with tasting tropical produce in the Atherton Tableland, Aboriginal-guided tours in the Daintree Rainforest and a panoply of adrenalin activities.

The Red Centre

The 6.2 mile walk around Uluru, with its strange bulges, caves and Indigenous cultural sites, is the quintessential outback experience. What most visitors don’t realise, however, is that there’s a wealth of other experiences on the Red Centre menu. Dot painting workshops, dune-top dinners, helicopter flights and camel rides are among the options at Uluru – and that’s before you factor in side trips to the smoothed rock domes of Kata Tjuta and the craggy gorge-side hikes at Kings Canyon.

Perth and the South West

The South West is a perfect Australia for beginners. Perth offers Indian Ocean beaches, a buzzy bar and restaurant scene, plus cutesy encounters with inquisitive quokkas on Rottnest Island.

A short road trip around the southwestern corner from the western Australian capital, meanwhile, brings premium quality wine-tasting in Margaret River, glorious surf beaches, whale-watching cruises from Dunsborough, tall forests and easily explorable caves.

Best under the radar destinations

The Ningaloo Reef
On the remote, outback-flanked west coast, the Ningaloo is best known for its whale shark swims. Watching the biggest fish on earth swim past is genuinely exhilarating. At different times of the year, there’s also the chance to swim with humpback whales and manta rays.

But the Ningaloo’s understated glory is in how close it runs to the shore. A short swim from white sand beaches such as Osprey Bay brings you among the waving coral and colourful fish shoals. At Turquoise Bay, you can drift snorkel, letting the current take you across the reef from one end of the beach to the other.

The Top End
The severely underrated Northern Territory capital, Darwin, offers a curious mix of outback outpost attitude, Asian culture and bohemian quirk. It’s the hub for exploring the Top End’s majestic national parks. Litchfield National Park brings giant termite mounds, picture-perfect waterfalls and natural swimming holes. Nitmiluk hosts cruises and kayak trips through the soaring sandstone walls of Katherine Gorge. Meanwhile, the biggest of them all, Kakadu National Park, brings crocodile-watching cruises, ancient Aboriginal rock art and epic views over sweeping green floodplains.

McLaren Vale
In truth, there’s a fabulously indulgent time to be had in any of the wine regions near Adelaide. The Barossa Valley, Clare Valley and Adelaide Hills are world class wine-tasting and dining destinations.

But the McLaren Vale, aside from being arguably the best place in Australia for those big, beefy Australian Shirazes, has the advantage of being next to the hugely undersold, dune-backed beaches of the Fleurieu Peninsula. Some of these, such as the highly photogenic Sellicks Beach, are so big you can drive a 4WD vehicle along them.

Then, a short ferry hop from Cape Jervis at the end of the peninsula, there’s koala, echidna and sea lion-dotted Kangaroo Island, one of Australia’s great wildlife havens.

Best things to do

Wine tasting
It’s a bold claim, but Australia does wine-tasting better than anywhere else in the world. Many winery cellar doors offer free tastings, several have excellent restaurants, and staff are usually happy to switch between easy-going sipping sessions and nerdy note-taking, depending on guests’ preferences.

Most regions have operators offering full or half-day wine tours, often with visits to cheese and chocolate factories thrown in. Convenient regions include the Hunter Valley near Sydney, Barossa Valley near Adelaide, Mornington Peninsula near Melbourne and Swan Valley near Perth.

Marine encounters
Australia’s massive array of aquatic experiences goes well beyond the Great Barrier Reef. Dozens of places offer dolphin-watching cruises with some, such as those in Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne or Bunbury near Perth, allowing guests to swim with the wild dolphins.

Whale-watching is big around the country, too, with Hervey Bay in Queensland and Eden in New South Wales notable hotspots.

You can also snorkel with weedy sea dragons in Port Phillip Bay, kayak with dolphins in Byron Bay, NSW, and swim with sea lions in Baird Bay, South Australia.

Aboriginal cultural experiences
Indigenous cultural tours explaining the local Aboriginal perspective on the local landscape, history and wildlife are growing in both number and quality. Tourism Australia has collated 185 top Aboriginal experiences around the country, including guided walks, art workshops and bush food tastings.

Getting around

Distances between the big cities are huge, and most travel between them on (relatively cheap) domestic flights.

Self-driving is an attractive, freedom-boosting way to see the country. Distances are longer, but fuel is cheaper than in the UK. Highways are well-maintained and traffic stress-reducing low outside of the big cities.

Long distance train services run by NSW Trainlink and Queensland Rail Travel are perfunctory, fairly slow and miss out the most appealing coastal towns. Coach services such as Greyhound tend to have better stops and handy multi-destination passes, but you need to plan around the timetables.

How to get there

Quickest: The only direct flight to Australia is Qantas’ service from Heathrow to Perth. This takes 16 hours and 45 minutes.

Cheapest: Otherwise, expect to change planes somewhere. The likes of Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways offer regional departures from outside London, and no single airline is reliably cheapest. Much depends on which airline has a promotional offer at the time. Minimum one-stop flight times are 19 hours and 20 minutes with Qatar Airways to Perth, and 22 hours and 30 minutes with Singapore Airlines to Sydney.

Money saving tip

Australia’s best things – wildlife encounters and beaches – are usually free. Budget-friendly cabin accommodation in coastal holiday parks often combines both. Generally aimed at Aussie families travelling by caravan, these parks usually provide a few relatively spacious, kitchen-equipped, multi-bedroom units, occasionally with kangaroos hopping outside.

Explore the transformative power of solo travel through practical tips for a successful journey. Learn to navigate new environments independently, creating enriching experiences that foster self-discovery and growth.

While travelling with family surely provides priceless experiences, have you ever considered the numerous benefits of travelling alone? Solo travel has grown in popularity in recent years, providing individuals with a unique and life-changing experience. It gives visitors the freedom to be completely self-sufficient, participate in unplanned adventures, and become completely immersed in the present. As a result, if you’ve ever wanted to experience the world on your terms and create unique memories, solo travel may be the best option for you. This article delves into the world of solo travel and provides crucial guidance for a voyage that promises excitement, profound self-discovery, and personal growth.

Solo travel teaches essential skills in getting comfortable in one’s own company, dining alone, and making independent decisions free of extraneous influences. As a result, there is less need for compromise and a greater proclivity for innovative thinking. It compels one to reflect, understanding the value of their time and cherishing these times with genuine regard.

Stepping Out of Comfort Zone

Travelling alone forces us out of our comfort zones and into unfamiliar environments. It allows us to experience new adventures, introduces us to different cultures, and challenges us to face unknown situations. Hence, adaptability and confidence are fostered by welcoming the new.

Expect the Unexpected

Travelling alone has revealed a deep sense of self-discovery: a willingness to seize every chance. It introduces you to new things and reignites your excitement for the unknown. When one is alone, boundaries and inhibitions fall away, making it possible to welcome the unexpected without reservation.

New Connections

Solo travel might seem like a journey into loneliness, but it’s a quest to discover boundless connections in the most surprising places. It’s about encountering new people, engaging in conversations with locals, and joining group activities with newly met companions. These interactions sparkle like stars in the vast sky of solitude, illuminating the journey with shared experiences and unexpected friendships.

Reflect on Your Life

Each step on your journey of self-discovery marks a lasting imprint in the sands of time, providing a moment to pause and contemplate your adventures. It’s a chance to delve into introspection, examining your values, goals, and deep-seated aspirations. In this reflective space, you can reawaken dormant dreams and envision the paths to turning them into reality.

Embrace Independence

Solo adventures, in essence, are the furnace in which self-sufficiency and independence are created. People are forced to be resourceful in this setting. They discover the priceless pearls of self-reliance as they don the hats of navigator, decision-maker, and problem-solver, increasing their confidence and unleashing the innate sparks of creativity.

Confront Fears

In the realm of solitary experiences, individuals are summoned to confront the shadowy figures of their fears. These apprehensions, whether they stem from a dread of the unknown, the potential for failure, or the spectre of isolation, resemble mythological dragons that stand guard before a treasure — that of profound self-discovery. Overcoming these fears sparks a transformative process, an alchemy that forges newfound resilience and inner strength.

Problem-Solving

Through this epic self-discovery quest, people learn problem-solving, patience, flexibility, and invention. They learn to think quickly, to be calm, to think critically, and to act quickly, moulding their future with brilliance and mastery of new challenges.

Unearthing the Flames of Passion

Solo adventures allow individuals to explore their passions and hobbies, such as photography, surfing, yoga, or other activities, rekindling their deepest desires and serving as a self-discovery symphony, ensuring personal fulfilment without the burden of group choice.

Cultural Odyssey

A solo journey provides a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in a cultural voyage, tasting local delicacies and listening to traditional rhythms, connecting with the people who live in these locations, and learning more about their tales and customs.

Solo travel is thus a transformational furnace, creating self-awareness and unwavering confidence. They invite us to explore the unknown, seek refuge in isolation, and face life’s challenges. Each step unravels the tapestry of our personalities, luring us to embark on an astonishing journey to self-realization.

Contrary to popular belief, solo travel offers a unique opportunity to connect with a diverse range of people, share experiences, and build friendships that can last a lifetime

Sometimes, our friends with whom we make travel plans also ditch us at the last moment. Because of this reason, many people prefer travelling solo as one has all the freedom to do things as they like. But let’s admit it: though travelling solo might sound like a good idea, loneliness often kicks in. Because of this, we end up feeling sad and alone, which nobody wants to go through. After all, travel is supposed to be a joyful experience, full of fun and adventure. However, with the right approach, you can make many new friends while travelling solo, which is one of the best aspects of travelling solo. So, to help you have a great time, here are a couple of tips to make friends on a solo trip.

1. Stay In A Hostel

If you’ve ever tried staying in a hostel, you’ll know that people come in as strangers and leave as friends. Some hostels also have a common dining and recreational activities area where one can socialise with others and decide who they want to be friends with. In addition to being a cost-effective option, travellers choose to stay at hostels because of the social factor involved.

2. Start A Conversation

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that to make friends, you have to be friendly and approachable. Nobody would want to be your friend if you don’t care about socialising with others and only care about yourself. In contrast, maintaining a friendly aura would make you much more approachable to other people. Now, if you’re an introvert, then the advice “fake it until you make it” actually works here.

3. Try A Small Group Tour

Group tours are small tours primarily catered for solo travellers, often limited to six or eight people. These tours are a great opportunity to connect with others. You’ll have a guide leading you and other like-minded individuals who enjoy a planned group tour.

4. Try Learning Local Phrases

You will understand a culture better by immersing yourself in learning a couple of phrases of the local language. This is because culture and language are inseparable. Learning a language will help you engage with the locals and also help in forming friendships with them. Though it’s obvious you won’t become fluent in this short span of time, the locals will really appreciate your efforts in trying to understand their language.

5. Online Backpacker Groups

If you’re looking to get the latest updates online, backpacker groups offer a hub of information. The best part about these online groups is that not only the members of these groups are active, but they are also looking to make new friends at a new place. Reddit and Facebook are two great social networking sites that gain better insight and interact with people residing in a particular area.

It might be complicated travelling with your pet, but leaving your best friend behind is worse.

It’s becoming more common to pack your bags and your dogs in the car to head out on an adventure. These tips and tricks should make travelling with your dog a little easier.

Before the trip

1. Ensure your pet’s vaccinations are up to date: You don’t want your dog picking up a preventable disease while travelling, so ensure he’s had all his relevant vaccinations.
2. Address health concerns: Research the area you’re travelling to and inform yourself of potential health risks to your dog. For example, if you are heading to the berg, consider a tick prevention method
3. Research pet-friendly accommodations: Make sure your accommodation clearly states that it is pet-friendly, and notify the host that you are bringing your furry friend along.
4. ID and/or microchip: You can microchip your dog, add an identification tag to her collar, or do both in the (hopefully) unlikely event that she gets lost.
5. Pack all the essentials: Don’t forget bowls, medications, a leash, waste bags, grooming supplies, toys, and a familiar blanket. It’s also helpful to pack extra food.

During your Drive

1. Keep the car cool: With all their fur, dogs overheat a lot quicker than humans. Ensure the car is at a cool temperature to prevent your dog from overheating.
2. Stay hydrated: Have enough water and water bowl accessible, and regularly offer your pup water to keep them hydrated.
3. Regular Stops: It’s advised to stop every two to three hours to allow your dog to walk around, stretch their legs, and relieve themselves. Plan out your stops so that you don’t drive for too long.

At Your Destination

1. Pet-Proof your accommodation: Before letting your pup run free, look around for any potential hazards, like sharp objects or electric cords, and remove them from your dog’s reach.
2. Research pet-friendly facilities: Look into places in the area where you can take your dog. Check out pet-friendly restaurants and local parks; if it’s unclear, you can always call the facility to find out.
3. Stick to your pet’s routine: When you’re on holiday, routine tends to go out the window, but try to keep some things in place. Stick to their regular feeding and sleeping times, and exercise daily to keep your puppy happy. Having familiar items like their bed or toys is also helpful to keep them comfortable.
4. Explore: Allow your pup to explore the area to get used to their new environment.
5. Be prepared: Look up the location of the nearest vet and save the number in case you need it during your holiday (hopefully, it won’t be necessary).