how to travel australia on a budget
Budget!
Can I Travel Australia On A Budget?
Coming to Australia to travel can certainly be on the more expensive side compared to other places such as South East Asia and Central and South America. However, with some good forward planning it’s definitely possible to travel Australia on a budget - it all depends on your style of travel!
If you’re one who doesn’t mind making the small sacrifices in order to stretch out your funds for longer, then hostels are a good place to start for accommodation - shared dorms being the cheapest ones to go for. Staying in hostels is a great way of meeting new people and finding those who share the same love for travelling and adventure.
Prices in hostels vary depending on season and location. They can be as low as $20 a night for a shared dorm but increase based on room type (private rooms) and location (cities are usually more expensive). With some hostels, if you’re planning on staying there for a longer period of time it is sometimes possible to get discounts for a longer stay.
There are a range of money-conscious methods you can stick by to ensure you’re budgeting well such as cooking your own meals, walking and using public transport through cities to get around instead of taxis (around $2 for a trip in comparison to $20-$30 for a taxi). Not all petrol stations share the same prices in fuel so keeping an eye out to refuel at the cheapest ones will save you a lot of money in the long run.
Booking things in advance such as flights, accommodation and activities, all contribute to helping you spend less. Booking accommodation so far in advance can be difficult for some travellers with no set plan. Some last minute booking sites for accommodation can have good deals when booking a day or two prior to your stay - although this doesn’t work for everyone, it’s something to keep in mind!
The great thing about visiting Australia is that there are some breathtaking landscapes and spots to visit, all of which are free, getting outdoors is the ultimate way to see the country. There are plenty of activities which don’t add to your costs such as museums, galleries and historical walking tours within major cities. However, if you do want to book on some of the popular paid activities, such as the Whitsundays Tours, Fraser Island, Skydiving over Airlie Beach, or Great Barrier Reef Tours, it is advised to book well in advance as they can fill up due to their high demand and become more expensive closer to the date. Despite having to plan ahead with these bigger activities there are many which are flexible and can be booked closer to or on the day such as surf lessons.
