Australia on a Budget - Visit Down Under For Less
We’ve put together a small but useful pocket guide on how you can save money on a trip to Australia, with information about budgeting on flights, accommodation and much more.
A holiday to Australia seems like a very pricey project. This beautiful country is situated on the other side of the world, so to get there itself costs a bomb. Also, you wouldn’t travel so far for just a week as you need time to recover from jet lag, so spending money will turn out sky high too, especially considering Australia is an expensive country. Therefore a trip to Australia seems pretty impossible in terms of finances. However, it doesn’t have to be financially overwhelming... Below is a little guide on saving money in Australia and how you can budget whilst still enjoying a fulfilling trip.
Flights - Timing is Everything
The largest expense of an Australia holiday is of course the flights, and we have a few insider tips that may help cut your ticket costs down. Firstly, timing really is everything. If you book your flights well in advance, then you’re bound to find a cheaper deal as a lot of airlines introduce early bird deals up to 12 months before travel. Also, the time of year you visit will have a huge impact on your airfare; the most expensive time to visit Australia is in the country’s peak summer season between Dec-Feb. However, if you look at visiting in spring (Sept-Nov) or autumn (March-May) the fares are likely to be much lower, and the weather is still pleasant. We also recommend flying on certain days/times, for example avoiding weekends and booking early/late flights. Brightsun are partnered with many airlines, and can help you find the cheapest flights to Australia.
Limit Your Travel Destinations
Something you might want to take into consideration when planning a trip to Australia is that it’s a very large country; you won’t be able to see everything that it offers in just a few weeks, and a lot of cities are situated quite far from one another, so it’s best to focus your trip on one if not two destinations and explore at your own pace. This means less rushing around and more time to relax, take in the sights and fully enjoy the destination/s you’re in. Most importantly, this method of planning will save you a lot of money; transportation in Australia can be really expensive, especially domestic flights. If you are on a budget, make sure you do your research on Australia’s best travel destinations and think about choosing your favourite couple of cities/regions, instead of using up your time travelling and blowing your spending money on travel costs.
Getting Around by Public Transport - Research is Key
If you are planning to use public transport around Australia, taking a bus or coach is a cost effective and convenient travel method. Greyhound Australia is one of the country’s major coach service operations, often offering cheap discounts on long-distance coach journeys. Greyhound Australia coaches offer free Wi-Fi and reclining leather seats, so journeys are comfortable. Alternatively, you can take the train to explore – this makes for a relaxing and extremely scenic journey, and it’s cheaper than getting cabs or hiring a car. Rail Australia is worth looking into, which offers discounted rail passes that you can use whilst travelling around the country. Furthermore, if you do your research, you’ll find that there are many ways to travel around Australia for free. Many cities have free public transportation routes, for example Sydney offers free shuttle services, Brisbane has many free bus routes within the city centre and Melbourne offers a free city tram service.
Food Budgeting - Go For Cheaper Dining Options
There are tons of touristy restaurants in Australia which have dramatic tourist prices, so eating out can work out very expensive. We recommend that you avoid dining at large chain restaurants and head to the smaller local ones - Australia has many coastal towns with little restaurants and cafes nestled in alleys, and they offer great value, authentic cuisines. Another cost effective way of dining is to get food to take away; there are many takeaway food stores in Australia, and the best can be found in Melbourne’s Chinatown and Sydney’s Chinatown which offer cheap, flavoursome dishes in good servings. The cheapest way to dine in Australia is by purchasing fresh groceries or street food at local markets and then enjoying a picnic in one of the country’s many lush green public spaces. Also, look out for free BBQS on the beaches – they are open to the public so you can bring your own ingredients to cook and fully immerse yourself into Australian culture.
Accommodation - Consider Thinking Outside the Box
Australia is a very sophisticated country, therefore the hotels here are very expensive. However, you’ll be spending most of your time exploring, so why blow most of your travel budget on a hotel? Hostels are a popular, cost effective accommodation choice – and not just for backpackers. The accommodation itself will be quite basic, but some hostels offer comfortable private bedrooms and bathrooms. Airbnb is another, perhaps cosier accommodation option, with similar prices to a hostel but generally more space. Australia also has many picturesque campgrounds and caravan parks with free or cheap entry for campers. Camping dramatically reduces accommodation costs and also adds to your overall travel experience (you can buy cheap camp gear on eBay). If you do want to experience a nice hotel and your budget can stretch for one night or two, you’re welcome to explore our Australia hotel deals. And again, timing is everything. If you stay mid-week instead of a weekend, you’ll probably save a lot of money.
Making the Most Out of Freebie Experiences
Exploring what this amazing and beautiful country has to offer is cheaper than you might think. Australia’s major cities have plenty of popular tourist attractions such as museums, galleries, large public gardens and national parks that offer free entry. Australia is also home to over 10,000 stunning beaches, so you can spend the day at one with a picnic and hardly spend a penny - this is how the locals do it too so it’s very culturally enriching. There are also some beautiful coastal walks to embark on in Australia which have out-of-this-world vistas, and these are the best kind of experiences. Finally, you have to encounter Aussie wildlife whilst in the country, and fortunately there are ways in which you can do this without spending silly money on zoo tickets; at St Kilda pier there is a colony of little penguins to spot, Pebbly Beach in New South Wales is home to wild kangaroos and koalas are often spotted on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.
