Tastes of Culture

So you are trying to plan the perfect holiday to Australia.

Australia is amazing. It has plenty of sunshine, amazing beaches, an outback landscape that is stunning and of course some great cities and the Great Barrier Reef.

Australian holidays can be anything you want them to be. But make sure you do some careful planning. Don’t underestimate the size of Australia which makes getting around difficult if you rely solely on a car or campervan. You will need to combine it with some air travel.

Take some advice from a local who has been there, seen it and done it! Plan your trip in sync with the Australian Weather. The good news is that it doesn’t matter when you travel, there is always somewhere in Australia that is hot (or cold!)

The majority of Australia is hot from late October through to late March. So this would be the best time to visit the East Coast of Australia or the West Coast of Australia around Perth or up towards Broome.

If you draw a line from Cairns to Broome, anything along this line and above is best visited between May and October. Outside of this season, it is the wet season when there is lots of rain, flooding the roads which means access just isn’t always possible. That said, you shouldn’t miss going to the Great Barrier Reef (access point is Cairns) if you intend to be here in Australia’s traditional summer – but just expect the crossing out to the reef to be a little rough and for there to be some rain.

These areas, particularly the top end around Darwin offer real outback experiences and are much less touristy than the East Coast. If you have the time, Id strongly recommend taking a few weeks to explore Darwin and the national parks of Kakadu and Litchfield. Its the place for you if you want to experience some aboriginal Australia.

In my opinion, perfect Australia vacations should be at least 3 weeks. If you are planning a big trip of a few months then you really can explore all of Australia.

However long you have, try to incorporate an outback experience, at least one city and some beach/coast. That way, you will get a real feel for what Australia is all about.

Certainly if this is your first time in Australia, there are a few must see places – even if they are a bit touristy:

Sydney for its harbour, restaurants, beaches and iconic buildings like the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Operal House. Melbourne for its fashion, shopping and cafe culture. Ayers Rock for a truly aboriginal and spiritual experience.Kangaroo Island a brilliant way to see Australian animals in their natural habitat.Jervis Bay a 3 hour drive from Sydney offering stunning beaches. You’ll feel like your on an ad for a Bounty chocolate bar!The Great Barrier Reef for its stunning marine life. Its like discovering a whole new world. Australia is also a great place to learn to dive ” the waters are generally warm and the marine life is just fantastic. So what are you waiting for!