Before travelling to Australia, we all realise the huge distance between Spain and Australia , but perhaps fewer people understand the dimensions of this country . The distances are huge, so planning an itinerary requires good organisation. It is impossible to see everything important in Australia in one trip and it is always better to focus on a specific part of the country. Many people dream of living in Australia for a while , as salaries are very high in any sector and you can save money in a short time to then take a nice trip around the country. Here is our mini guide to travelling to Australia with lots of information and many useful tips.
How to travel around Australia
Australia is like a continent . Apart from the huge distance between Spain and Australia (it takes at least 24 hours to get there), you will also have to consider the distances within the country itself . We recommend choosing just a few places to visit during your trip to Australia, otherwise you will spend all your time on the road and all your money on petrol.
Most people travel along the coast of Australia where there are plenty of things to do, but if the country’s interior, the famous “Outback”, calls to you, you need to be well prepared. In the Outback, distances between places are huge , mobile coverage is scarce and you may soon find yourself in a place far from civilization. You will need to bring plenty of water (and gasoline) and if possible, inform someone of your itinerary, because if your car breaks down, you may find yourself without help.
Requirements for traveling to Australia
For Spanish citizens (and those from the European Union) there is no visa requirement for travelling to Australia if the purpose of the trip is tourism. You will simply have to go to the Australian consulate’s website, enter your details in the appropriate eVisitor form and you will normally receive approval within a few minutes. If you are unlucky, like Gábor at the time, they will ask you for more information. Apart from that, you will only need to have a valid passport and you will be able to enter the country.
The documentation is simple, but there are other requirements to consider if you want to travel to Australia . This country protects itself from diseases in the world, so you cannot enter with fruit, vegetables, meat and other products of this type . They carry out quite serious controls at customs and if you get caught, you will have problems, so it is better to declare everything.
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Requirements to live and work in Australia
It is the dream of many to go and live in this country , since salaries in Australia are really high . However, it is very difficult to get a work visa if you do not have a profession that is in demand in the country. You can find out about the possibilities on the Australian immigration page .
For those under 30 years of age, there is the option of obtaining a Working Holiday Visa and the good news is that just recently (in July 2017) the number of places for Spaniards has been increased from 600 to 1500. This visa allows a 1-year stay in Australia, of which you can spend 6 months working. From 1 January 2017, it is possible to request an extension of the visa for another year.
The best time to travel to Australia
As we have already mentioned before, Australia is like a continent with very different climates in different parts of the country . Therefore, there is no best time to travel to Australia in general . We traveled in August during the southern winter and although we were cold in some specific places, in the Northeast of the country at this time the climate is much milder and drier.
Therefore, for us, the European summer is a better time to travel to Australia than the high season (December to February) , since in the high season not only will everything be more expensive, but it also rains a lot in the north and even the roads can flood. The European summer is the holiday season, but considering the huge distances between Spain and Australia, in this country it is unlikely that you will feel surrounded by Spaniards or other Europeans no matter what time of year you travel to Australia.
Security
Australia is one of the safest countries in the world . The quality of life that most people have means that crime is very low in Australia. We lost a mobile phone in the car park of a shopping centre and when we returned a few hours later, we got it back because someone found it and left it at the reception desk. Every traveller comes back with stories like this.
However, travelling around Australia will not make you feel as safe, not because you are afraid of the Aussies, but because of other elements of nature such as the hostile climate of the interior that we have already mentioned and all the dangerous animals that are there, so you have to do things with caution.
For example, driving at night on Australian roads can be very dangerous , as kangaroos suddenly appear in front of you and a crash is guaranteed. In fact, many insurance companies do not cover these types of accidents after dark.
If you want to enjoy Australia’s best beaches or swim in a lake or river, you’ll need to do your research before you do so. The small irukandji jellyfish are very dangerous , so if you see a sign on the beach that says “stingers”, you’d better swim somewhere else. Then there are crocodiles and sharks , whose attacks are also quite frequent, and some of the most poisonous snakes and spiders in the world are hidden in the sea . However, there’s no need to panic, just have a little common sense.
Just by considering all these natural dangers, you will understand why good travel insurance is essential when travelling in Australia.
How much does it cost to travel to Australia?
If you want to travel to Australia, unless you find a very special offer, you will have to spend a lot of money on the plane ticket , since the distance between Spain and Australia is huge. The country itself is also expensive, but you can do a lot to reduce your expenses.
In the big cities you can use Couchsurfing or another tool of this type to host other travelers, while traveling around the country you can rent a van, which is the cheapest option . This way you will not only be able to experience Australia in a more authentic way (visiting towns and other places where public transportation does not reach), but you will also save a lot on accommodation and food by cooking.
Where and what to eat in Australia
We didn’t really enjoy the typical food in Australia, as it is a rather expensive country and we travelled in a van that allowed us to cook our own food . However, in Sydney we were able to enjoy Asian food for very little money (there are many Asian immigrants in Sydney). The only typical Australian food we tried was kangaroo meat, which we bought several times.
Where to sleep in Australia
In Australia’s larger cities, there are plenty of hostels and hotels to suit any budget, although prices are quite high . The best way to save on accommodation while travelling around Australia is to rent a van. This way you won’t have to pay for accommodation, as there are plenty of places where you can stay with your van overnight.