Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cancel? If
you
cancel? How late can
you cancel if you are unable to go?
When do you pay in full?
Note:
If
you choose an escorted tour, think
strongly about purchasing trip-cancel-
lation insurance, especially if the tour
operator asks you to pay up front. See
the section on “Travel Insurance,” ear-
lier in this chapter.
You'll also want to get a complete
schedule
of the trip to find out how
much sightseeing is planned each day
and whether enough time has been
allotted for relaxing or wandering solo.
The
size
of the group is also impor-
tant to know up front. Generally, the
smaller the group, the more flexible
the itinerary, and the less time you'll
spend waiting for people to get on and
off the bus. Find out the
demograph-
ics
of the group as well. What is the
age range? What is the gender break-
down? Is this mostly a trip for couples
or singles?
Discuss what is included in the
price.
You may have to pay for trans-
portation to and from the airport. A
box lunch may be included in an
excursion, but drinks might cost extra.
Tips may not be included. Find out if
you will be charged if you decide to
opt out of certain activities or meals.
Finally, if you plan to travel alone,
you'll need to know if a
single sup-
plement
will be charged and if the
company can match you up with a
roommate.
14 The Active Traveler
Australia's wide-open spaces and great
weather cry out to even the most ded-
icated lazybones. Most operators and
outfitters listed below specialize in
adventure vacations for small groups.
Meals, accommodations, equipment
rental, and guides are usually included
in their packages, though interna-
tional airfares are not. Where you end
up spending the night varies depend-
ing on the package you select—on a
sea-kayaking trip you almost always
camp on the beach; on a hiking expe-
dition you may stay at a wilderness
lodge, and on a biking trip you often
stop over at B&B-style lodgings. More
information on the outdoor activities
discussed below is contained in the
relevant regional chapters.
Tip:
Before
you hit the outdoors, review the safety
tips in the “Insurance, Health &
Safety” section earlier in this chapter.
SCUBA DIVING
Diving Down Under is one of the best
travel experiences in the world. There
are good dive sites all around the
coastline, not just on the Great Barrier
Reef. A second barrier reef in Ninga-
loo Reef Marine Park stretches 260km
(161 miles) off the coast of Western
Australia. (See chapter 9 or Exmouth
Diving Centre's website at www.
exmouthdiving.com.au for a good
description of dive sites there.) Not all
the good sites are on coral. In Tasma-
nia, for instance, you can dive kelp
beds popular with seals, and in South
Australia you can cage-dive with great
white sharks. For a rundown on the
country's outstanding dive areas, see
“The Best Diving & Snorkeling
Sites,” in chapter 1.
Wherever you find coral in Aus-
tralia, you'll find dive companies offer-
ing learn-to-dive courses, day trips,
and, in some cases, extended journeys
on live-aboard vessels. Most interna-
tional dive certificates, including
PADI, NAUI, SSI, and BSAC, are rec-
ognized. It's easy to rent gear and wet
suits wherever you go, or you can
bring your own.
Beginners' courses are known as
“open-water certification” and usually
require 2 days of theory in a pool at
the dive company's premises, followed
by 2 or 3 days on a live-aboard boat
where you make between four and
