For many people around the world, winter is a time of cold, dreary and cloudy days. After a few weeks of this, we all need to get some Vitamin D and experience warm weather. At Luggage Forward, we see a huge trend in shipping luggage to and traveling to Australia in winter. Why? Because in Australia, this is the best time to visit the popular cities of Sydney and Melbourne.
Below we have provided a few tips and things you should know when traveling to Australia. It ranges from what time of year to visit and what to pack to the rules of the road and how to be prepared. Here are a few things you need to know when traveling to Australia:
- Australia is enormous and each region can vary in temperature and weather so depending on what time of year you are going, different areas will be more popular. For example, December through February is the most popular time to travel to Sydney and Melbourne. However, this is also high season, so it will be more crowded and more expensive. Consider going in October, November, March or April to avoid some of the crowds and save a little money but still enjoy warm temperatures.
- In the northern part of Australia, our winter time of year is extremely hot and humid and it is the wet season there. If you’re planning a trip to the northern region of Queensland, it may be better to visit in their winter months of June, July or August. During this time you should also visit desert regions.
- The weather in one day can change dramatically in the city of Melbourne. Within a span of an hour it can be sunny, rainy and back to sunny again. Pack sweaters and rain jackets so you are prepared for all types of weather.
- If you want to blend in with tourists in Melbourne, wear black.
- If you are renting a car, there are a few rules you should know. First, don’t use your horn when driving, it is frowned upon. Second, obey the speed limit. You can get fined for going even 5 km over. We have heard horror stories about getting home and receiving a ticket for $180. Lastly, Australians drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car.
- Wear plenty of sunscreen, even if you aren’t on the beach! The sun is much stronger there and you don’t want to look like a lobster or be uncomfortable throughout your trip.
- If you are planning on packing a hair dryer, gadgets or electronics, Australia’s electrical current is 220-240v, AC 50 Hz.
- When eating at a restaurant, “Mains” are the Entrees” and “Entrees” are really the appetizers. I know this seems silly, but you don’t want to order an entree as a meal and be surprised when it is an extremely small portion.