Coming to Australia is a favorite holiday destination for people around the world. When planning your first holiday to Australia, you may be a little unsure of what to bring with you. Here are a few tips that will help you know what to bring along.

The Essentials

Guidebook – Australia is a huge country spanning more than 3000 km from Perth on the West Coast to Sydney on the East Coast. A guide book with a map of the country will give you a good idea of the layout. It is easier to cover large distances each day. For example, it is reasonable to drive from Sydney to Melbourne in 1 day covering about 900km over 12 hours.

Sunscreen – is an important particularly for fair skinned people. The UV rays are much stronger in Australia and you’ll easily get burnt from a few hours in the sun.

Sun shade – many people comment that the sunlight is also much brighter in Australia than in Europe or North America. Don’t forget your sunglasses and bring a wide rim hat.

Mosquito Repellant – is generally required in Northern Queensland. Most of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia are not considered mosquito country.

Dressing Up

Taking along the right clothing for your holiday is the basic point of your preparation. To a large degree, your choice of clothing options depends greatly on the activities you plan on enjoying during your holiday. If your destination is Sydney or Melbourne, you will assuredly need formal wear that will take you to the many theatres and other cultural events that are found in both of these beautiful cities. Men will find that taking along a basic tuxedo with traditional accessories will work well in formal settings with no problem. A simple suit that can be dressed up or down with the proper accessories will also work well for less formal dinners and evenings out. In like manner, women will want to bring along at least a couple of formal outfits, along with some flattering tea length dresses for less formal occasions that still require something other than casual clothing.

Going Casual

Along with formal clothing, it is a good idea to pack casual outfits that are appropriate for both warmer and cooler environments. If the idea is to spend time by the ocean as well as in more rugged areas, there will be a need for swimsuits, short sleeved shirts, jeans, comfortable shoes, and a few sweaters as part of the basic wardrobe.

Some pubs and golf clubs in coastal and city areas wont let you enter if you are wearing thongs and a singlet. These venues often require covered shoes and a shirt with a collar.

Casual clothing is acceptable in number of settings, such as amusement parks, on the beach, while backpacking, and enjoying an afternoon of shopping.

Taking Care of Medical Matters

Making sure you have made arrangements for any medications that you require in advance is an important aspect. If at all possible, contact a local physician before your trip, to ensure that copies of your records can be sent ahead, and arrangements with a local chemist put in place to allow you to obtain refills on medicines that you are required to take daily. If it is not possible to make these arrangements in advance, take along your medical records, so that a healthcare professional can consult them quickly in the event of an accident or medical emergency.

While there is very good public and emergency health care available, a first aid kit is worth taking on holiday to Australia.

Fun Things

You’ll definitely need a good book and a pack of playing cards to keep yourself entertained while traveling. A music player is also a great idea.

Communications

You’ll find public phones right across Australia which accept coins or calling cards. An affordable alternative is to rent a mobile phone or to bring your own mobile phone and change the SIM card with a local card on a prepay service.

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Most Sydney youth hostels organize well-attended social events such as BBQs and pool tournaments for their residents. Go along! Treat it like the first day of school and introduce yourself. You will find one introduction leads to five more and a ready-made group of friends. The big hostels, including Wake Up! and Sydney Backpackers have great locations and reputations to match, but are probably better suited to those traveling with a companion. Slightly smaller hostels just outside the center like Glebe Point YHA, Glebe Village Backpackers, and Sydney Beach House YHA are perhaps better tailored to the needs of the solo traveler.


How to get around:

Sydney is practically a synonym for accessibility. Buy a Sydney transport pass ($165) and you’ll get seven days of unlimited access to buses, trains, and ferries. The pass will pay for itself within the first few days, and extensions to areas outside the pass’s zone can be bought separately. For those with time on their hands, the most enjoyable way to see the real Sydney is, of course, to walk. Put a map in your back pocket and see where your legs take you, you’ll almost certainly discover more about the city than a guidebook could ever teach you.


How to Fill your Time:

The Big Sights: During the day you can take in big attractions like the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and Darling Harbour in a day or two. After that you can always head for the Sydney Aquarium and Taronga Zoo. Both detours are wonderful experiences but can eat up the cash a little. Natural Attractions: The Blue Mountains are incredible and truly not to be missed. Major sites such as the Three Sisters, the Giant Staircase, the Jenolan Caves and numerous cliff walks are not too far from the city, and can be touched upon in a day.


If you don’t want to swap your sandals for hiking boots, the ‘Blue Mountain Trolley Tours’ provides a hop on hop off bus-route to the major sites. Easy optional walks on well-maintained nature paths provide alternate routes and beautiful scenery between stops. The more adventurous can enjoy guided bush walks, hikes, and activities from abseiling to horseback riding. Beaches: Both Manly Beach and Bondi Beach are just a short journey from the city. Generally, Manly is a more appealing option than the better known Bondi. Both are surrounded by lively neighborhoods, and have several excellent hostels in which to spend the night if you want to sit on the sand and watch the sun setting on the ocean.


Shopping: Those looking for a bargain should visit Paddy’s Markets or Glebe Markets (Saturdays only). The much-visited Rocks Market, whilst quaint, is a bit on the pricey side. Those not too strapped for cash will feel at home in the shops in the Queen Victoria Building and the nearby Strand Arcade. If your finances are tighter, the shops of Piccadilly can be richer bargain hunting grounds.


Nightlife: Sydney’s packed with enticing options when it comes to things to do after dark. Kings Cross contains a host of enjoyably sleazy clubs and bars, whilst each neighborhood comes equipped with its own sources of entertainment. Whichever Sydney hostel you choose, the staff will almost certainly have a range of recommendations for popular nearby bars and restaurants. If you’re lucky, they may even give you a list of happy hours, too!


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