While planning my trip to South East Asia trip, I have been thinking about making a stopover in Australia, but the cost of traveling in Australia seemed daunting and figured other readers may feel the same. Our Australia expert, Alex Pejak, wrote a guest post for AdriftAnywhere to show us how affordable traveling through the land down under could be just by planning ahead.
The rising Aussie dollar is no reason not to travel to Australia. You can still have the dream vacation if you know a few tricks on how to travel cheaply in Australia. These are a few basic tips and tricks that will go a long way in saving you money, and make the most out of your budget. Below are some of the ways you can save money on your travels.
Book a Cheap Flight to Australia
Before booking a flight to any of the major Australian cities, do your research and compare rates for different airlines. You would be surprised at how much you can save by simply doing a little research. You may have to skimp on comfort especially when flying between cities but you will get where you need to be and cheaply. You are also more likely to get cheaper flights during certain days. Sunday mornings, Saturday afternoons, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best days to travel as air fare tends to be cheaper on these days.
Plan Your Trip Strategically
Australia is near impossible to explore in its entirety owing to its size. It is better to restrict your trip to a few regions that catch your fancy and explore these thoroughly. This strategy will save you time and much needed money. It is also a more relaxing way to travel without over-stretching your resources.
Cruises also tend to be cheap especially because of the recent economic downturn that has forced cruise organizers to lower their prices and give great discounts.
Visit Free Places in Australia
It is often said that the best things in life are free, and the same applies to your trip to Australia. There are many free museums, galleries, parks and wildlife experiences that you can get free of charge. You don’t have to pay through the nose to get the real Aussie experience. All these are available in the major Australian cities.
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney is a favorite for tourists, which is free.
You can also sight kangaroos at the Bennetts Ridge campground which is only half an hour from downtown Sydney where you will only need to pay a nominal vehicle fee. A little research on what to do for free in Australia will give you some great results that will save you plenty of money on your trip.
Look Out for the Exchange Rate
It is advisable to pay for all your tour packages, accommodation and air fare in advance, and in US dollars. This will protect you from any last minute fluctuation in the currency which would otherwise bring up your budget considerably. You also tend to get better rates when withdrawing from an ATM or using your credit card for purchases. Exchange bureaus should be your last resort as these are up to 5% more expensive than simply using your credit card to withdraw money or pay for purchases.
Get Travel Insurance Coverage
Medical care in Australia is expensive more so for tourists; which is why you need to think about getting an insurance cover before traveling. Search for cheap travel insurance which should save you a ton of money in case of illness or injury. Should you need medical care while on your trip, you can expect to pay exorbitant fees especially in private hospitals. With a good insurance cover, you shouldn’t have to worry about spending extra money that you probably don’t have in the first place.
Save on Communication
Global roaming charges can considerably increase the cost of your trip, so you need to think about getting a local SIM for your phone. There are plenty of service providers to choose from but the smaller companies are known to have better rates. You may want to think about the network coverage of your service provider especially if you expect to travel to rural areas.
Think Outside the Box
One great way to save money and still road-trip across Australia is by campervanning. Relocation rental is an especially great way to do this, where the relocation company will assign you a vehicle (usually a motor home), a time frame, a route and often a fuel allowance. This is a great way to see the country with friends and pay next to nothing for your trip. Some of these cost as little as a dollar a day.
It is also possible to make extra savings by shopping for your food supplies in advance. Food prices in the outback rise dramatically and could affect your budget.
With a few simple tips, you can visit and explore Australia on a shoestring budget. Getting the vacation of your dreams doesn’t have to be expensive. You only need to have a few money saving tricks up your sleeve and expect to have the time of your life.
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