Where should you visit?
Australia is a vast country with many amazing towns and cities, all worthy of a visit. So where to go? Well, heading down under requires a lengthy trip, so we recommend making the most of your journey and spoiling yourself by visiting as many highlights and hidden gems as you can. If that sounds like a lot of planning, don’t panic! Just book on to an Australia group tour, where all the hard work is done for you.
When should you go?
Well, it all depends on whether you prefer to travel in warmer weather, or are keen to keep a little cooler. As Australia is located in the southern hemisphere, their summer time covers December to February. Cities in the south during these months are perfect for anyone looking to avoid the UK’s wet and windy winters. Although, for this reason, you should expect it to be busier, too. If you want to avoid the crowds, then planning a trip for October/November or March/April, could work perfectly as it’s slightly quieter and slightly cooler. In the north of the country, November to April is wet season but temperatures will still remain very high – expect a tropical climate. Whereas May to October is traditionally the dry season, with sunny days and cool nights.
Do you need a visa?
Australia visa requirements demand all visitors hold a visa, even if you are only visiting for a holiday. Visas to Australia are easily attained if you’re a British citizen, provided you adhere to their entry requirements. You can apply for an eVisitor visa directly from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, which is free. Alternatively, Distant Journeys may provide an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA,) at a feen of £25 per person. If you’re still unsure about finding the right Australia tourist visa for you, then you can always use the visa finder service.
Can it go through customs?
When it comes to custom restrictions in Australia, they’re quite thorough. The obvious weapons, firearms, drugs and protected wildlife are all prohibited, even if you have licences they will still need to be declared. Most foods will probably be disposed of at customs particularly anything fresh like fruit, meat and vegetables. Now, if you are on any prescription medication, be ready to declare it. Australia customs claim you only need to declare your medication if it could be abused or cause dependence. However, we recommend being prepared with a doctor’s letter detailing your medication and the medical condition. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Do you need vaccines?
If you’re not a fan of needles then you’re in luck, because you don’t actually need any vaccines when traveling to Australia. However if you have stayed in a country infected by yellow fever six days prior to your visit, then you’ll need to show evidence of your yellow fever vaccination. Hopefully you should already have this, but if you’re unsure more information can be found here.
Oh wait! Please don’t forget your insurance…
When planning a trip abroad, it’s easy to leave travel insurance to the last minute. But remember, you never know what’s around the corner and (touch wood) if you get ill, lose your passport or have an accident, your trip of a lifetime could become a pricey nightmare. Travel insurance Australia is easy enough to find on any comparison website, so please don’t take the risk.
Image by Lenny K Photography via Flickr
