Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
16
Australia
Growing up, I had always viewed Australia as a cheap destination, but once I traveled there, I found
it to be more expensive than Europe. Could you do Australia on $50 USD? Yes. Is it likely? Probably
not. You can come close if you limit many of your activities. But Australia is made for people who want to get
outside, and all those wonderful activities like camping in the outback, sailing the Whitsunday Islands, and
diving the Great Barrier Reef eat into people's budgets very quickly. Moreover, Australia's strong economy
and the large amount of mining money flowing through the country only contribute to the high cost of living
there. Even Australians complain about costs!
But despite the costs, Australia remains one of the best places for travelers in the world. The country has
a robust transportation system, a lot of hostels, lots of available jobs for travelers, and plenty of ways to see
the country on a budget. It's an easy country to travel around. Add in friendly, helpful people eager to show
visitors their country and a diverse and beautiful landscape, and you'll see why everyone who comes here
leaves wanting more.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Hostels
Hostels in Australia are typically really nice. They are usually in very modern buildings, and many have
pools, bars that serve food, extensive kitchens, comfortable beds, Internet, BBQ pits, common rooms, and a
tour desk. However, most hostels in Australia do not serve breakfast.
Hostels cost $20-30 USD per night for a dorm room. Private rooms with a double bed with a shared bath-
room range between $65 USD and $100 USD per night.
Hostels in the major cities on the east coast (that is, the popular backpacker trail) tend to be more expens-
ive than out west due to higher demand.
It's slightly more expensive in Sydney and Melbourne and less expensive in Brisbane and Cairns. The
majority of Perth's hostels fall into the $20-30 USD range.
As mentioned in Part One, Australian hostels accept a wide variety of discount cards, such as ISIC, VIP,
and the Nomad MAD card. You can get a 10 percent savings off the price of a hostel.
While hostels in Australia are very expensive by any measure, they offer a wonderful community atmo-
sphere, and many go out of their way to host events and dinners so travelers can meet each other. Australia
has a real travel culture (almost every Australian goes backpacking at some point!), and they really bring that
to the hostels they run. Although the costs are high, hostels are worth the price for travelers looking to meet
other people or break out of their shell.
