I still have a vivid memory of my first trip to Australia many years ago. I was hitchhiking in Tasmania and ran into two girls fromSydney. We spend the day exploring the rainforest and then spend the night in a small town in the middle of nowhere. The only bar was one where the locals have their corner, and when we walked in they went silent and looked suspicious.
The standoff lasted about an hour before one of them picked up on my accent and yelled at me.transmitter. It was the beginning of a beautiful, if brief, friendship, during which the merits of Geoffrey Boycott's style and the position of the royal family in Australia were discussed. I remember thinking through the night about the strange but fascinating situation in which I had found myself. I was as far from England as could be, in a strangely remote world of wombats and giant conifers, and yet I felt as if I had walked into a Yorkshire pub.
And I think that's what makes Australia so interesting to British travellers: the striking contrast it offers between the exotic and the familiar. Familiarity is everywhere: place names, rugby stands on football pitches, Victorian terraces in Sydney and colorful beach huts.melbourne. And the exotic? Where do we start? Australia is vast, about the size of Europe, with landscapes ranging from the lush rainforests of Queensland to the vast red deserts of the inland, from Bondi Bikini Beach to the empty stretches of sand that surround most of its 21,000 miles of coastline. her.
With so much on offer, travelers can struggle to know where to start and when to book. What's the best way to get to know this vast country and its friendly yet competitive people? You may be drawn to the vibrant food culture of Sydney and Melbourne. Perhaps the attractive beaches of the Gold Coast or snorkellingCoral reef. Maybe you like wine or whale watching. Or maybe you just want to make the most of the opportunity to visit friends and family. Whatever your taste, here are 10 different approaches to make your trip as memorable as possible.
10 amazing reasons to visit Australia
1. To see friends and family
The pandemic has heralded a fundamental change in our attitudes towards travel, with many now prioritizing trips to visit friends and family. And there's certainly no shortage of must-visit Brits who bid farewell to their home shores in search of sunnier weather.
Sure, Australia is sometimes looked down upon by serious travelers for being a British outpost. the destination isn't quite different enough to warrant such a long journey, but now more than ever, Australia's charm is as much in the people as the place.
Although the country has been open for over a year, it took a while to fly again. In early May, Emirates flights to Sydney finally returned to pre-pandemic levels, with services to Melbourne and Brisbane starting later this month. For travellers, this will hopefully mean more reasonable fares will be available.
How to do it
Emirates (0344 800 2777;emirates.com) is offering flights from London to Sydney via Dubai from £699 in September. Fly with national airline Qantas (0800 964432;qantas.com), you can get from London to Sydney for £882 return this autumn. Other options include a return ticket with Singapore Airlines (020 8961 6993) for £1,067.singapurair.com), which will be available by early next year.
The best time to go
Time, Schmeather. No sun is as warm as the embrace of a loved one - you win the season you book.
2. Experience the interior
The Outback has long captured the imagination of would-be visitors, and nowhere more so than Uluru, the fiery heart, geographically and spiritually, of Australia. Estimated to be more than 550 million years old, the sandstone monolith glows in a spectrum of fiery colors at sunrise and sunset. But its sacred position makes this place so special. Connect with the world's oldest living civilization as you listen to Dreamtime stories that explain the formation of this magical landscape. Meanwhile, adventurers can get a first-hand feel for their surroundings by taking a dip in the watering holes, hiking through Olga's ocher domes, or hiking the sheer falls of Kings Canyon. It's also the perfect place to admire the pollution-free night sky and, by day, fly a helicopter over the fiery red landscape.
How to do it
Designed to give tourists a greater respect and understanding of First Nations cultures, Intrepid Travel's (0808 274 5111;intrepidtravel.comThe six-day Red Center Explorer tour includes traditional Anangu welcome ceremonies and bush and medicine tours. From £1,396 per person. excluding flights. Alternatively, you can combine a visit to admire some of the country's strikingly contrasting landscapes on a 15-day tailor-made tour of Sydney, Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef with Wexas Travel (020 7838 5892.wexas.com). From £3,860 per person. including flights.
The best time to go
Temperatures drop in the autumn and winter months (May-September) to 20C-30C, making for more pleasant hiking. Aim for May if you want to avoid the crowds and price hikes.
3. Go on an epic journey
Adventures don't get more epic than in Australia, a country so large it could be considered its own continent. If you're a train buff, there are two iconic train routes to choose from: the 2,700-mile east-west Indian Pacific between Sydney andirregularthrough the legendary Nullarbor Plain and the Blue Mountains, and 1,850 miles north-south of the Ghan between Darwin and Adelaide through the country's dramatic red heart with a stop in Alice Springs. Routes are popular with travelers of a certain age, especially Australians who want to learn more about their country, who are looking for comfort and good company.
Prefer freedom on the go? Units don't get more graphic than this.great ocean roadstretching between Torquay and Allansford in Victoria. Pick up a motorbike in Melbourne and head south-west for spectacular seascapes, sandstone cliffs, rainforests and the moving story of how the road was built. It can be done in one crazy day from Melbourne to the Twelve Apostles and back. but it's much better to enjoy it slowly and make it part of a longer trip to Adelaide, South Australia.
How to do it
Travel and beyond (00 61 8 8213 4401;travelbeyond.com.au) offers tours toAfterfrom £1235 per person iIndian Pacificfrom i £1,252 per person in a Gold Twin Sleeper Cab. excluding flights. Pathfinders (020 7084 6500;Trailfinders.com) offers a 10-day Great Ocean Road package from £943 per person. including two nights in Melbourne, one night in Adelaide and eight days in a motorhome. Excludes flights.
The best time to go
The Indian Pacific flows throughout the year, but is best in spring (September-October). Ghan is a must visit on both sides of summer (December-January). The Great Ocean Road is beautiful at any time, but in the winter (June-August) it can be a bit chilly if you're staying in an RV.
4. To see the Great Barrier Reef
A water world with living corals, strange creatures and remote islandsthe largest reef system in the worldit stretches for 2,600 km along the Queensland coast. From bare thumb-sized branches adorned with colorful candies to super pods of humpback whales whose wailing songs echo beneath the waves, the variety of life found here is astounding. The possibilities for discovery are equally vast: while divers can explore iconic sites on the outer reefs, resorts like Lizard Island and Lady Elliot have plenty of space to entertain divers closer to shore. And you can see it all without even getting wet: last year Lady Musgrove opened a float with impressive tents and an underwater observatory.
How to do it
Focusing on the north, Dive Worldwide's (01962 302087;www.diveworldwide.com) Queensland's 12-day diving adventure includes a live excursion along the Great Barrier Reef and Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea. Cod and shark fishing with up to 40m visibility and spotted trevally and barracuda at Lizard Island. From £3,845 per person. including flights. If you're looking for something more offshore, try Trailfinders (020 7084 6500;Trailfinders.com) A 14-day adventure along the Queensland coast and Lady Elliot Island. From £2,525 per person. excluding flights.
The best time to go
In the southern part of the reef, visibility is best in autumn (April-June), although July is good for humpback whales. If traveling north, aim for May to November.
5. Relax on some of the best beaches in the world and immerse yourself in Sydney culture
For 20 years, Aquabumps photographer and surfer Eugene Tan has been shooting Bondi Beach daily, presenting an urban cocktail of sun, sea and city life that fuels the desire to travel the world. Few places offer the chance to drink barista-quality coffee in the morning, visit an art gallery for lunch, and soak up the sun for the rest of the afternoon. Discover the coastline on the new Bondi to Manly Walking Trail, then head into town to admire the city's architectural icons: be inspired by Danish architect Jørn Utzon on a new tour of the Sydney Opera House or climb to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge for a fresh look at the city through the eyes of a local storytelling guide.
How to do it
Get the best of both worlds at Audley Travel (01993 838810;audleytravel.com) 16-day self-guided tour of New South Wales. Take some time to explore Sydney before visiting the beaches of Jervis Bay and Byron Bay. Stop in Port Stephens to see 160 bottlenose dolphins, then continue your wine tasting in the Hunter Valley. From £5,480 per person. including flights, hotels and car rentals.
The best time to go
High and low season alternate, visits in spring (September-November) or autumn (March-May). The spectacular Vivid Sydney visual arts festival runs from 27 May to 18 June.
6. Back to nature
Its cities may be less than a few hundred years old, but Australia's wild wonders are some of the oldest on the planet and can be found at both ends of the continent's vast archipelago. A tangle of emerald vines and ferns, the Daintree Rainforest in North Queensland has been home to many quirky species such as the platypus and the warlike southern cassowary for 180 million years. It was recently returned to the indigenous owners of eastern Kuku Yalanji. Bird watchers can spot a variety of rare endemics and thrill seekers can climb the canopy or search for crocodiles by boat.
For the climatic contrast, the untamed, windswept landscape of an island nationTasmaniait provides another window into the original world. Hike along glacial lakes and peaks, descend canyons in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, explore Waterfall Gorge and spot wildlife at Narawntapu.
How to do it
For serious birdwatchers Naturetrek (01962 733051;Naturetrek.es) The 13-day Birding In Queensland tour focuses on both winged wonders and nocturnal mammals in the Daintree, Cairns and Atherton Plateau. From £6,695. including flights. Tasmania is best explored on a self-drive holiday. Discover the World (01737 214 250;descubre-el-mundo.com) The 13-night Tasmanian Discovery Circular Tour departs from Hobart and visits several national parks. From £2,090 per person. excluding flights; including car hire.
The best time to go
For the Daintree, aim for the cool, dry months surrounding winter (May-September). The weather in Tasmania is extremely unpredictable, although summer (December-February) is the mildest period.
7. Taste a world-famous wine
Despite its laid-back charm and array of great dining options, as a city in its own right, Adelaide can't compete with Sydney or Melbourne, which is why it's so unpopular. When it comes to good vintages, this is good. While Sydney may be close to the Hunter Valley and Melbourne close to the Yarra Valley and the wine regions of the Mornington Peninsula, Adelaide has more options. To the north lies the Clare Valley and the famous Barossa Valley. Meanwhile, if you head less than an hour south along the coast, through the rolling, burnt yellow landscape of South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula, you'll find some of Australia's oldest, largest and most flooded in the world.
Grape lovers will especially love McLaren Vale, home to more than 80 vineyards, excellent restaurants and wineries. best known for its powerful Shiraz, but also specializes in ultra-premium Grenache and Cabernet. You can get lost for weeks in these valleys, but be sure to reserve at least one day for a tour with a local guide.
How to do it
Costa & Co (00 61 4 39794500;costaandco.com.au) Offersfour day private air safarifrom Melbourne, which includes McLaren Vale and the Fleurieu Peninsula; from £3,201 per person (based on six passengers, excluding international flights); Day trips likeMcLaren Vale Ultimate Wine Tourare also available; from £784 for two people. Both include a trip to the area's modern landmark, the d'Arenberg Cube, an innovative restaurant, wine tasting gallery and exhibition space, and the pristine Silver Sands Beach.
The best time to go
Travel in summer (December-February) for warmer temperatures or autumn (March-May) for Adelaide's festivals and harvest festivals.
8. Get a taste of Melbourne's coffee culture and sporting greatness
It whispers softly to Sydneysiders, but the best sporting action Australia has to offer - and there's plenty in this sports-mad country -melbournethis is the place to go. It all kicks off every January with the Australian Open (celebrated this year by teenager Ash Barty's success in the women's final) and includes a range of world-class events from Grand Prix (March) to Australian Rules Football (Grand End in September). ), the Melbourne Cup horse race (November) and the Boxing Day Test Match, particularly popular with locals when it comes to pom pom smashing.
Perhaps less obviously, Melbourne claims to be the coffee capital of the world. Colder weather and a post-war influx of Italians, Greeks and Turks gave way to what has now become a thriving culture of advanced sourcing, roasting and brewing techniques. It's a city full of distinctive local coffee shops that offer single-origin coffees, highly imaginative blends, exquisite Rosetta Latte art and exquisite croissants.
How to do it
Spectate luxury sports travel specialists (01244 435 873;spectatetravel.es) are offering an eight-day tour package to see the Melbourne Cup Carnival (29 October - 5 November) from £4,315 per person. Including flights, accommodation and Derby Day and Melbourne Cup tickets.The 3-hour Melbourne Café and Culture Walking Tour takes you down lesser-known streets to award-winning cafes. from £61 per person including coffee, lunch and tram ride (020 3318 0421,viator.com).
The best time to go
Although Melbourne is arguably at its most beautiful in summer (December-February), it can get quite hot. Instead, opt for milder temperatures, fewer crowds and more reasonable fares during the high seasons (March-May, September-November).
9. Go crazy on a luxury break from life
If you've saved up for now, good wines, good food and good hotels will make it easy to spend big on a fun vacation Down Under. But the real luxury is being able to stay in the wildest parts of the earth. Discreetly tucked among the dunes with unobstructed views of Uluru, Longitude 131° is a luxury camp that offers a cultural exchange between visitors and indigenous artists. If you'd rather be on the country's stunning coastline, head to remote Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. Here you can walk under the mountains and collect firewood from the beaches. Plan your dates accordingly and you can also enjoy unique experiences with extra bragging rights, such as swimming with a minke whale on a Ribbon Reef cruise.
How to do it
Stay at the country's most exclusive lodges and sites on a 19-day bespoke tour from Hayes & Jarvis (020 8106 2403;hayesandjarvis.es), including luxury accommodation from Sydney to Lord Howe, Uluru, Cairns and Lizard Island. The tour includes a private drive through the Blue Mountains through the Valley of the Falls, discovering hidden caves and discovering swimming holes. From £18,800 per person. including flights.
If you fancy swimming with whales in ultimate luxury, Pelorus (020 3848 5424;pelorusx.com) offers a six-day charter on the exploration yacht Beluga whose owner, captain and crew have ties to the Queensland-based Minke Whale Project. From £66,724 for up to 10 people. excluding flights.
The best time to go
Uluru and the red center are best in winter when temperatures are cooler (May-September). To see minke whales, travel in June and July.
10. Visit Western Australia
Centered on the state capitalirregular– easily the most underrated of Australia's cities – WA makes up almost a third of the entire continent. Anyone with a passion for adventure will love the Wild West coast, which stretches 1,000 miles along the Indian Ocean, from the Margaret River wine region in the south to Ningaloo Reef and the world-famous whale sharks near Exmouth in the north. There is world-class scenery along the route (Peaks Desert with strange limestone formations). wildlife hot spots (Monkey Mia and her bottlenose dolphins); as well as many national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, bays and beaches.
How to do it
Travel Manager (01273 823 700;odpowiedzialnytravel.com) offers a 16-day self-drive holiday that takes you from Perth to Rottnest Island (with its famous quokka), Nambung National Park, Kalbarri National Park, Monkey Mia and Ningaloo Reef before returning to Perth. from £48,750 per person, including flights to the UK. For more inspiration on where to stay, read our Telegraph Travel guidethe best hotels in australia.
The best time to go
The west coast is best in spring (September-November). At this time of year, you can expect an average temperature of around 23ºC, little rain and the blooming of world-famous wildflowers.
Starring Adrian Bridge, Annabel Fenwick Elliott, Richard Madden, Sarah Marshall and Sarah Rodrigues
FAQs
What is a good reason to go to Australia? ›
Its Nature and Wildlife
Most of Australia is still untouched and in its natural state. As already mentioned, Australia is the perfect place to sunbathe at stunning beaches, go diving at the Great Barrier Reef (more on that below), bask in wide-open spaces, and camp surrounded by wildlife.
Varied landscapes
As well as the beautiful beaches, Australia is also home to snowy mountains, incredible national parks, rainforests and desert. The landscape truly differs from state to state, which is why this country is so fun to explore.
What Australia is well known for? Australia is globally famous for its natural wonders, wide-open spaces, beaches, deserts, "The Bush", and "The Outback". Australia is one of the world's most highly urbanised countries; it's well known for its attractive mega cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth.
What is your reason to stay in Australia? ›Living in Australia means encountering many opportunities; it is a young, multicultural and open country with an ever-growing economy. Australia's quality of life and unrivalled natural beauty make it the ideal destination for you if you have ever dreamed about improving your future.
What are three great things about Australia? ›- Australia is the driest of any continent on earth other than Antarctica.
- The Great Barrier Reef is regarded as the world's largest living organism, and is often listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World.
- Australia is the only continent covered by a single country.
Australia is famous globally for many things – the Outback, venomous creatures, liveable cities, Aboriginal culture, the cliché of men in cork hats and natural icons such as Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef.
What are 2 interesting things about Australia? ›- Australia has the world's longest golf course measuring more than 850 miles long.
- Australia is home to 21 of the world's 25 most venomous snakes.
- Perth is the only city in the world which can have aircraft land in its CBD.
Australia is a stable, democratic and culturally diverse nation with a highly skilled workforce and one of the strongest performing economies in the world. With spectacular landscapes and a rich ancient culture, Australia is a land like no other.
What is Australia's nickname? ›Australia is colloquially known as "the Land Down Under" (or just "Down Under"), which derives from the country's position in the Southern Hemisphere, at the antipodes of the United Kingdom.
What is the quality of life in Australia? ›Australia performs well in many dimensions of well-being relative to other countries in the Better Life Index. Australia outperforms the average in income, jobs, education, health, environmental quality, social connections, civic engagement and life satisfaction.
What are 5 things that Australia is famous? ›
Australia is known for many things, including swathes of tropical beaches, marine reserves, Aboriginal culture, cute koalas, rolling wine country, and lush rainforests.
Is Australia an amazing place to live? ›Pros Of Living in Australia. Australia has been regarded in many instances as one of the best places to live in the world. According to the World Population Review 2022, it was ranked the 8th best country in the world for quality of life. So let us explore deeper what will attract you to this country.
What do you like best about Australia? ›- We love our never-ending summer. ...
- We love Christmas at the beach. ...
- And going to the beach in winter. ...
- But we love snow and red dirt too. ...
- We love local music. ...
- We love our cute, weird wildlife. ...
- We love going for a bushwalk. ...
- We really really love coffee.
Australian values based on freedom, respect, fairness and equality of opportunity are central to our community remaining a secure, prosperous and peaceful place to live. Our values define and shape our country and they are a reason why so many people want to become Australian citizens.
What is one thing unique or different about Australia? ›Australia is the only country in the world that covers an entire continent. It is one of the largest countries on Earth. Although it is rich in natural resources and has a lot of fertile land, more than one-third of Australia is desert.
How do Australians say thank you? ›Ta. 'Ta' means 'thank you'.
What do Australians call Mcdonalds? ›Here in Australia, however, McDonald's most prevalent nickname is “Macca's”.
What is the main meal in Australia? ›Roast lamb has been declared Australia's national dish in a major poll that shows we're still a country of meat eaters at heart.
What do Australians eat for lunch? ›Lunch – eaten around 12 – 2 pm is usually a light meal such as a sandwich, or salad. However, with the vast array of choices available now Australians are just as likely to have curry, noodles, sushi or pizza for lunch.
What is the main culture of Australia? ›The culture of Australia is primarily a Western culture, originally derived from Britain but also influenced by the unique geography of Australia and the cultural input of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and other Australian people.
What is a few sentences about Australia? ›
Australia, the smallest continent and one of the largest countries on Earth, lying between the Pacific and Indian oceans in the Southern Hemisphere. Australia's capital is Canberra, located in the southeast between the larger and more important economic and cultural centres of Sydney and Melbourne.
What are the 7 countries in Australia? ›...
Countries comprising Australia as a continent
- Australia.
- Fiji.
- Kiribati.
- The Marshall Islands.
- Micronesia.
- Nauru.
- New Zealand.
- Palau.
After Dutch navigators charted the northern, western and southern coasts of Australia during the 17th Century this newly found continent became known as 'New Holland'. It was the English explorer Matthew Flinders who suggested the name we use today.
Do Australians use a lot of slang? ›“Strine” slang has always been an important part of Australian life, prized for its informality and irreverence, at times vulgar, at times poetic, employing metaphors (“don't come the raw prawn with me”), similes (“as mad as a cut snake”), as well as rhyming slang (“dog's eye with dead horse”—obviously a meat pie with ...
Why is Australia called Oz? ›When Aus or Aussie, the short form for an Australian, is pronounced for fun with a hissing sound at the end, it sounds as though the word being pronounced has the spelling Oz. Hence Australia in informal language is referred to as Oz.
What do Australians call money? ›Currency and banking in Australia
You'll use Australian dollars (AUD or AU$) while you're here. One dollar equals 100 cents. Australian dollars come in $100, $50, $20, $10, and $5 banknotes.
Then when July finally rolls around, this is when Australians celebrate Christmas in the traditional sense since it's colder. Although we know it as Christmas in July, Australians call this second celebration Yuletide or Yulefest.
What is the most eaten meal in Australia? ›- BARBECUED SHRIMP.
- LAMINGTON.
- BURGERS.
- SAUSAGE ROLLS.
- STEAK.
- DIM SUM.
- POTATO CAKES.
- FISH AND CHIPS.
Australia is both the smallest and oldest continent in the world, and it is the only country that is also a continent.
How is Australia different than the US? ›The first major difference is the fact that Australia is a continent and a country. With a land size of 7,682,300 sq km, Australia is only slightly smaller than the United States. It is the smallest continent on our planet and the 6th largest country.
What makes Australia beautiful? ›
From the red sands of Uluru to the clear blue waters of the Great Barrier Reef and the flora- and fauna-rich rainforests, Australia is blessed with some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the world – so it comes as no surprise that Australians love to be outdoors.
What is only found in Australia? ›More than 80% of our plants, mammals, reptiles and frogs are unique to Australia and are found nowhere else in the world. Some of our Australian animals are very well known like kangaroos, dingos, wallabies and wombats and of course the koala, platypus and echidna.
What is Australian culture known for? ›Aussie's are known for being open-hearted and open-minded and think that everyone has the right to get a fair go. This can be seen in universal support of publicly funded health care and education systems.
What makes Australia better than America? ›Australia has some of the highest living standards globally, and the living expenses and tuition fees in Australia are lower than in the United States. Moreover, when it comes to safety, the crime rate is much lower in Australia than in the USA.
What is Australia ranked in quality of life? ›Source: Australian Energy Update 2022. Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Australia ranks 7th on the OECD Better Life Index, based on living conditions and quality of life.
What are the strongest values in Australian culture? ›Australian values based on freedom, respect, fairness and equality of opportunity are central to our community remaining a secure, prosperous and peaceful place to live. Our values define and shape our country and they are a reason why so many people want to become Australian citizens.
Is Australia better than USA to live? ›Australia has a much better quality of life. Sydney is considered the most beautiful and one of the most livable cities in the world. 4 of the States capital cities: Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide are all in the top 10 most livable cities in the world. Whilst no cities of America are on that list.
Why is Australia so important to America? ›Australia is a vital ally, partner, and friend of the United States. Our two countries maintain a robust relationship underpinned by shared democratic values, common interests, and cultural affinities. Economic, academic, and people-to-people ties are vibrant and strong.
Why did you choose Australia over USA? ›...
Enter Prathiba:
| Australia | USA |
|---|---|
| Less distance from India | More distance for India |
| Positive work culture and lifestyle | Very demanding work culture and lifestyle |
| Most livable cities in the world (Melbourne #1, Sydney #10) | None in the top 10 |