Everything You Need to Know before Traveling to Australia
Australia is a land of vast and varied landscapes, unique wildlife, and white-sand beaches. Read on for everything to plan and expect if you are visiting Australia.
Four of the most popular cities in Australia include Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth & Sydney. Brisbane is a modern city that sits on the Brisbane River, with many things to do for nature lovers, architecture enthusiasts, and foodies. Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia and is known as Australia’s culture and style capital. Melbourne is a great place for families and shoppers. Perth is the sunniest Australian city. Here you will find many outdoor activities and plenty of beaches. Lastly, Sydney is the most famous and well-known Australian city. It is home to the iconic Sydney Opera House. Here you will find many family activities, sunny beaches, and adventure activities.
Brisbane
The Collective Market is one of the best Australian experiences in Brisbane. The market is held on Friday evenings as well as weekends, in Stanley Street Plaza. Here you will find live music, and goods for sale which include handmade jewelry and vintage clothing.
The South Bank is another area that cannot be missed in Brisbane. Here you’ll find parks, restaurants, bars, shops, museums, and art galleries. You’ll also find Streets Beach, a man-made beach right in the city center (pictured above).
You won’t want to leave Brisbane without climbing Brisbane’s Story Bridge. You will find an amazing view of the city at the top of the iconic Story Bridge. You can climb at sunrise, sunset, or any time of day and into the night.
For those interested in the art scene in Brisbane, you should check out GoMA and the Queensland Art Gallery. GoMA is Australia’s largest gallery of modern and contemporary art. Both GoMA and the Queensland Art Gallery are architectural wonders themselves, and inside you will find Australian and international art.
Roma Street Parkland is the world’s largest subtropical garden within a city. Hike one of the many forest paths or marvel at the beautiful lake.
Melbourne
Can’t-miss sites in Melbourne include the Royal Botanic Gardens. Here you will find One of the world’s finest gardens located right in the heart of Melbourne. The area has many walking trails, amazing views, and activities like outdoor movie screenings in the summertime.
The Eureka Skydeck is a great place to catch an amazing view from the 88th floor. This is the highest viewing platform in the southern hemisphere.
Werribee Open Range Zoo is located just 30 minutes from Melbourne’s city center. Sign up for the special safari tour which takes you on a safari-style bus ride through the habitats of rhinos, giraffes, zebras, hippos, and more.
The Melbourne Museum is surrounded by beautiful gardens and greenspace. Many famous artworks can be found inside. They also have a children’s gallery for kids. The Royal Exhibition Building is adjacent to the museum. Regular tours of the stunning build are available.
Lastly, do not visit Melbourne without hanging out at the Southbank Promenade. The Southbank Promenade (pictured above) sits on the Yarra River and is full of indoor/outdoor restaurants, live entertainment, an arts and crafts market, and many festivals. Many theatres are located here.
Perth
First-time visitors to Perth must see Kings Park & the Perth Botanic Garden(pictured above). This is one of the biggest city parks in the world with amazing views of the Swan and Canning Rivers and the city skyline.
The Seaside Port of Fremantle is located just 30 minutes from Perth’s city center. This is home to the Maritime Museum and Shipwreck Galleries.
Heirisson Island is located right at the main part of the city and in the middle of the Swan River. It is a quiet and relaxing island with lots of bird watching and its own population of kangaroos.
Sydney
Lastly, Sydney is one of the most well-known cities in Australia. Bondi Beach is one of the world’s largest beaches and is located in Sydney.. It is a great place to watch surfers and to learn how to surf yourself.
Sydney Harbour Bridge is a huge structure (pictured above) that can be seen from almost anywhere in Australia. The best way to experience it is on foot; climb the stairs up the bridge which leads to a footpath and a bike path.
One of Australia’s most famous landmarks is located in Sydney. The Sydney Opera House is a World Heritage-listed building. The complex is huge and beautiful from the outside and on the inside it houses five performance spaces for dance, opera, theatre, and concerts. The best way to experience it is to attend a performance, but they also offer guided tours.
Lastly, The Royal National Park is home to great surfing beaches (11 total beaches), family-friendly restaurants and activities, bush and biking trails, and serene swimming holes.
Weather & Climate in Australia
The seasons in Australia are opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere:
- Spring is September – November
- Summer is December – February
- Fall is March – May
- Winter is June – August
Australia does not see too many extremes in temperatures, but you should be aware of the distinctions between seasons here and down under. There are two broad climate zones in Australia: about 40% is in the Tropical Zone (north); the remaining 60% lie in the Temperate Zone. This includes Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, & Perth.
Passport & Visa Requirements
You will need a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after the completion of your trip to enter Australia. You will also need a pre-arranged entry authority known as an ‘ETA’ (Electronic Travel Authority). An ETA is equivalent to a visa, but there is no stamp or label in your passport.
The tourist ETA is valid for multiple entries into Australia (each entry to a maximum of three months) over a period of one year. A business ETA is available, which allows multiple entries into Australia for the life of your passport. Restrictions apply. You should obtain your ETA at least ten days prior to your trip.
Direct Flights between New Zealand & Australia
New Zealand has five international airports: Auckland (AKL), Wellington (WLG), Christchurch (CHC), Queenstown (ZQN) and Dunedin (DUD). All of which operate flights direct between Australia. Flying direct not only tends to be the most inexpensive way to travel between New Zealand and Australia, but it is a huge time-saver too.
As the largest international airport in New Zealand, Auckland has frequent flights to all of the destinations mentioned above. Wellington has frequent direct flights to/from Sydney and Melbourne and less-frequent flights to/from Gold Coast, Canberra and Brisbane. Christchurch is the 2nd largest international airport in New Zealand w/ regular flights operating to/from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane & the Gold Coast. Flights to Perth operate 2x/week. Lastly, a number of airlines fly between Queenstown and Australia every day, mostly to Sydney and Melbourne.
Call us today at 402-281-3022 to plan your own trip to Australia or to learn more about traveling to this gorgeous country!
Who is ready to say goodbye to 2022 and ring in the New Year?! We have an even better idea: kick-off 2023 with a unique and unforgettable vacation! We’ve rounded up some of the most iconic destinations to ring in the New Year around the world. From the Caribbean to Europe and everywhere in between – you’re sure to start the new year off right in one of these epic locations.
Unique Destinations to Ring in the New Year
Sydney, Australia
Sydney, Australia is known for its stunning fireworks display, exclusive island parties and harbor cruises, and swanky rooftop bars with stunning views and live music. It may be the most exciting place in the world to ring in the new year!
The New Year’s Eve celebration in Sydney is one of the biggest parties of the year. There are tons of free places to watch the fireworks, including Observatory Hill at Millers Point or Blues Point Reserve at McMahons Point on the other side of the harbor. You can also splurge on an upscale rooftop bar for the show or even an exclusive Sydney Harbour island.
Aruba
The New Year’s Eve celebration in Aruba starts early on December 28 each year. Of course, you can expect amazing fireworks displays across the island. There are also lively street parties and a fantastic party atmosphere. Aruba’s climate is an added bonus as you celebrate the new year. Aruba weather is reliably dry and warm and there is much less rain compared to other Caribbean islands.
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Rio De Janeiro is home to amazing fireworks shows, extravagant parties, and other New Year’s Eve events. In addition, Rio has several spiritual and superstitious rituals which makes it a unique place to visit at this time of year.
While you’ll find incredible parties and people dancing the night away at the city’s best nightclubs and bars, the best party of the year is at Copacabana beach. Over two million party-goers flock to the sandy shores each year to watch the biggest fireworks in the city.
Berlin, Germany
Berlin’s main attraction for the New Year celebration is their “Silvester Party“. This shindig is one of Europe’s largest open-air parties. It takes place at Brandenburg Gate and draws nearly one million partiers each year. The party boasts live performances by German and international artists, light shows, DJ sets, and much more. Don’t leave before midnight or you’ll miss the spectacular fireworks show! The party does not even end there – it doesn’t officially end until 3 am!
Havana, Cuba
Cubans go all out in their NYE celebrations taking place throughout the island. Havana is the wildest place to party on the island. If you choose to celebrate New Year’s Even in Havana, Cuba, you can expect bustling lines to buy food and drink throughout the day. Come evening time, the whole city congregates in the bars and restaurants on the main street.
The firework display may be the visual focus of the night, but the warmth and hospitality of Cuban culture is the true highlight of any holiday in Cuba.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavik, Iceland offers a unique New Year’s Eve celebration with traditional bonfires. Icelanders take the New Year very seriously, and you’ll find several large bonfire parties throughout the city for the big night. Bonfires signify the “burning out” of the new year.
In the past, locals even burned their unwanted belongings on the night of the New Year. While most people no longer adhere to this tradition, they do use bonfires as a symbol to bring people together and light the way into the next year.
The Bahamas
The Bahamas offers a diverse selection of activities for your New Year’s Eve celebrations. You can spend your New Year’s relaxing on one of the island’s many unspoiled beaches, or, alternately, enjoy one of the most exciting and colorful New Year’s parades in the world – Junkanoo. Junkanoo is at its best in Nassau.
Junkanoo is similar to Mardi Gras celebrations but with the distinct local flavor of the Bahamas. The parade is completed with outrageous costumes, fireworks, and music that starts at around midnight and lasts into the morning.
Enchanted Honeymoons Travel | Destination Travel | New Year Celebrations Around The World
Call us today to speak to one of our Travel Specialists. You can reach us at 402-390-9291 or get started here. In addition, you can email us at info@enchantedhoneymoons.com.