5 Reasons to Travel to Australia
Australia is a gigantic area, both a continent and a country. The vast interior is mostly desert, and the coastal area has bustling cities, enormous coral reefs and stretches of tropical regions, and fertile plains. There are more than one hundred reasons to travel to Australia, but here are five.
1. Australia Has Awesome Biodiversity
The country is known for its biodiversity with thousands of endemic plants, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammal species and primarily known for marsupials, including kangaroos and koalas.
2. Australia has amazing landscapes
In all parts of Australia, there are picturesque and stunning landscapes, from the outer-worldly interior to the wild coasts with shipwrecks.
3. Australia has one of the most famous buildings in the world: the Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is undisputedly an architectural masterpiece, expertly designed for the harbor it sits in.
4. Australia is the home of Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Uluru is a sacred site of the First Nations of Australia and an iconic granite mound known throughout the world.
5. Australia Welcomes Everyone
Australia has something for everyone, and the country wants to share it with you. Australia’s institutions and most traditions are Anglo-Saxon in nature, but society has substantial immigrant influences, especially from Asia, Oceania, and Southern and Eastern Europe. Importantly Australia incorporates the pre-European cultures of the Aboriginal people of Australia and the Torres Strait Islanders. This dynamic mix of people makes it vibrant and exciting to visit.
Why We Travelled to Australia
In September and October 2019, my wife Khadija, and our friends Peter and Caitlin, traveled the Pacific region, spending the most time in Australia. We started in Vanuatu, then came to Australia. Later we went to the Solomon Islands and Fiji.
For all of us, this was the first time in Australia. Khadija and I now have been to six continents, only Antarctica to go. We wanted to find out how similar this new country was to the U.S. Do they have a different accent? Or is the culture noticeably different based on its history and geography?
Travel in Australia is easy because it is a developed country with efficient transportation. Still, few people can see the immense expanse in one fell swoop because of time and money restraints.
Travel Itinerary for Australia and Sydney
We had 18 days to see what we could in Australia, but it is so big, this wasn’t nearly enough time. We decided to go to some of the eastern parts of the country (Sydney for four days, Melbourne for three days and the Great Ocean Road for four days), plus the central Red Centre for four days, where the country’s most famous natural feature, Uluru, is located. Three days were for transit, including an overnight in Brisbane.
We needed to get to the Red Centre as soon as possible before it became unbearably hot. We came from Vanuatu and flew non-stop to Sydney. Since we were in the country’s most populated city, it was practical to visit here, then go to the Red Centre as it was late September and not yet mid-October when the Red Centre is a frying pan. From the Red Centre, we flew to Melbourne, the country’s cultural center, then drove to the Great Ocean Road, which has scenic views and hiking. We then drove back to Melbourne and flew to Brisbane, where our non-stop flight to the Solomon Islands departed.
Is Australia Safe?
Australia is very safe. I never worried about exposing my camera when I walked around. There, as everywhere, I used standard caution, as I didn’t know the area.
How Expensive is Traveling in Australia?
There is every level of accommodations in Australia, from campsites and hostels to luxury hotels and resorts. We stayed in moderately priced apartments found on Booking.com. The exception was where we had no choice but to an expensive room in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Even for those, we could have reduced our costs by booking several months before our arrival. We flew between the destinations, used public transportation in the cities, and rented vehicles for the Red Centre and the Great Ocean Road. Khadija and I spent about $300 / day, including domestic flights, but excluding flying to Australia and returning.
Detailed Itineraries for Australia
Click here for Sydney.
Click here for the Red Centre.
Click here for Melbourne.
Click here for the Great Ocean Road.
