Australia travel guide

Getting there

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth are the main international gateways, with further international flights into Adelaide, Cairns, Darwin and the Gold Coast. Cruise ships also call at major ports.

Best time to visit: Sep–Nov and Mar–May – mild weather in most regions.

Tougher months: No bad time – just avoid the tropical north's wet season (roughly November-April) if you want easy road access, and the Outback in mid-summer heat.

Weather by month in Sydney

• 26°J●
• 26°F●●
• 25°M●●
• 23°A●
• 20°M●
• 18°J●●
• 17°J●
• 18°A●
• 20°S●
• 22°O●
• 24°N●
• 25°D●

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Antarctica/Macquarie, Asia/Tokyo, Australia/Adelaide, Australia/Brisbane. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 1 of 198 other passports can enter Australia without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 196 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 1 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of Australia (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions (U.S. Department of State, updated 2026-08-18). Read the advisory.

Source and more: Australia travel facts on RoamSun

Stay

Most trips to Australia are based around Sydney, Melbourne or Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$70–100 for a backpacker and US$180–300 mid-range, per person.

Source: RoamSun Australia page · Browse hotel guides

Connect

Plug types: I. Voltage: 230 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +61.

Mobile data: read the travel eSIM setup guide before you fly so the plan is installed and ready on landing.

Source: Advinne eSIM guide · RoamSun

Do

• Sydney (New South Wales · harbour city): The Opera House, Harbour Bridge and dozens of beaches make it one of the world's most beautiful cities.
• Melbourne (Victoria · culture & food): Australia's cultural capital is famed for coffee, galleries, sport and a lively food scene.
• Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Northern Territory · Red Centre): The spiritual heart of the Outback, sacred to the Anangu people and unforgettable at dawn.
• Great Barrier Reef & Cairns (Queensland · reef & rainforest): Base yourself in Cairns or Port Douglas for reef trips and the Daintree rainforest.
• The Whitsundays (Queensland · islands): Sail turquoise waters to Whitehaven Beach, famed for its dazzling silica sand.
• Tasmania (Island state · wilderness): Rugged national parks, convict history at Port Arthur and the quirky MONA museum in Hobart.
• Kakadu National Park (Northern Territory · Top End): Huge wetlands, waterfalls and some of the most important Aboriginal rock art sites in the country.
• Perth & Margaret River (Western Australia · coast & wine): A sunny, relaxed city near Rottnest Island's quokkas, with surf and vineyards to the south.

Things to do

• Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef. Float above coral gardens, turtles and reef fish on the world's largest coral reef system.
• Watch Uluru change colour. See the great red monolith glow at sunrise and sunset and learn its stories on a ranger- or Anangu-led walk.
• Do the Bondi to Coogee walk. Follow Sydney's cliff-top coastal path past ocean pools, surf beaches and sandstone headlands.
• Drive the Great Ocean Road. Wind along Victoria's wild coast to the towering limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles.
• Hunt for Melbourne's laneways. Dive into hidden cafés, street art and bars tucked down the city's narrow lanes.
• Hike Cradle Mountain. Walk past glacial lakes and button-grass plains in Tasmania's wilderness, watching for wombats.
• Explore the Daintree Rainforest. Wander through ancient tropical rainforest where it meets the reef at Cape Tribulation.
• See rock art in Kakadu. Visit Aboriginal rock art galleries and billabongs full of birdlife and crocodiles in the Top End.

Source: full Australia guide on RoamSun

Eat and drink

• Meat pie – pastry filled with minced beef and gravy
• Barramundi – popular local fish
• Pavlova – meringue dessert with fruit
• Vegemite on toast – salty yeast spread

Source: RoamSun Australia guide

Money and safety

Currency: Australian dollar (AUD). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: Not expected; 10% for great service.

Emergency numbers: 000 police, fire & ambulance.

• Cards and contactless payments are accepted almost everywhere, even for small purchases.
• ATMs are widespread in towns, but carry some cash for remote areas and markets.
• Swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches; rip currents are a serious hazard.
• In the tropical north, obey crocodile warning signs and avoid swimming in rivers and estuaries, and watch for seasonal stingers in the sea.

Source: RoamSun Australia facts