Guide to Australia
Australia is a huge country about 20 hours flight from the UK and if you can put up with that (and maybe stop over in Singapore, Bangkok or KL on the way over you have a great holiday in store.
Welcome to Australia
Australia is a favourite destination in any gap year as there is so much to as the country is sooooo vast. And how beautiful Australia is.
Getting about in Australia
Australia is vast so your best bet is to stick to a couple of cities. You'll need at least 3/4 weeks just to do Sydney and Melbourne and the surrounding countryside.
The prices are the same as in the UK but the exchange rate is about 2.5/1 to it's 2.5 time cheaper than the UK !.
Why not stop off in Singapore or Hong Kong on the way over to break up your journey ?
Sight-seeing in Australia
There are many places to see, here are a few of our favourites:
- Sydney - The place everyone goes to. Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This takes three hours and you see everything. Take the monorail around the city. Go to Bondi or Manley beach via jet-foil. Tour the botanical gardens. Sip a beer on the waterfront.
- Melbourne - A much more laid back place than Sydney and a climate similar to the southern UK. This city has hundreds of open air cafes and bars and a wonderful bar area running along the river Yarra. Further afield you must explore Yarra Valley vinyards. Here you can taste all the great wine that Victoria has to offer.
- Victoria and beyond - Take a tip along the coast road from Melbourne and head west. You'll see the famous 12 apostles, many wild life sancturies (Healsville is one of the best) and wonderful countryside.
Weather in Australia
As Australia is in the southern hemisphere it has opposite seasons to the UK. That means in winter is it there summer. It can get really hot on the beach in December and January so make sure you take plenty of suncream.
The northern parts of Australia are tropical and are generally warm all year and quite humid.
Australia in Pictures
There is so much to do and see down under and here are a few photographs to whet your appetite. If you have additional photos or experiences you wish to share then please drop us an email by using our contact page.
Travel Guides
We have travelled to many places at 118student and have produced travel guides of our experiences to help you including this Australian guide - have a look at others from the menu on the left.