It’s official: after two long years, the Great Southern Land is open for tourists again! As much as it is a sigh of relief for Aussie tour operators, it’s also an opportunity to explore one of the world’s most exotic and varied tourist destinations.
From the Daintree Rainforest to the Simpson Desert and the outback, the Great Barrier Reef to the Blue Mountains, and all the fine dining and tourist destinations that you can handle, Australia literally has something for everyone. If you’re prepared to venture Down Under, here’s how to make sure your next trip to Australia is a great one.
Funding Your Trip Properly
Unlike hopping over the border to the States or into another province, most ways into Australia costs a lot of money. Due to it being a long haul from practically everywhere (except perhaps New Zealand), it can cost thousands. Australia is almost at parity with the Canadian Dollar ($0.94CAD to $1AUD) and if you want to make sure you can fund your trip, you may want to investigate personal loan interest rates.
Using a personal loan to fund a trip is common and can save you a lot of money compared to putting purchases on credit cards or using up rainy day funds. Credit cards attract a lot of interest and can accumulate if you don’t pay off the balance each month. Each monthly repayment on a personal loan helps whittle the balance to zero.
Pre-Departure Covid Protocol
Australia is allowing all air travelers who are vaccinated against COVID-19 into the country. You will need to complete a Digital Passenger Declaration at least 72 hours before departure. You will need to declare your vaccination status and a negative COVID-19 test result. You should also check for any quarantine requirements as set by states or territories.
Jetsetting Or Road Tripping?
The capital cities are far between in Australia – it’s about 800km from Sydney to Melbourne, for example. You could jetset between capitals if you’re looking to explore tourist traps like Bondi Beach or the Gold Coast, or you could plan a road trip and see so much of Australia’s natural wonders. Australia.com has its own dedicated road trip planner that can prepare you for every road trip Australia has to offer. Remember: they drive on the other side of the road there too!
Floods And Natural Disasters
You may have heard of Australia’s recent flooding in New South Wales and Queensland – Australia is a big country and prone to bushfires, tropical cyclones (hurricanes), and floods. These can affect tourist areas on occasion; but for the most part you will be safe. You can donate to appeals and if you are caught in a disaster, Australians will be grateful if you volunteered to help others.
