Reefs, red desert and easygoing coastal cities.
Australia is a continent-sized country with a relaxed lifestyle, outdoor cities and very varied nature. It suits travellers who enjoy beaches, wildlife, road trips and good food. It is known for Sydney Harbour, the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru and unique animals such as kangaroos and koalas. Distances are long, so plan flights between regions.
Tap a card or a pin. Add a place to a day of your trip, or look for tours.
The Opera House is a UNESCO-listed performing arts centre on Sydney Harbour. The harbour also has the Harbour Bridge, ferries and waterfront walks.
The reef is the world's largest coral reef system, stretching along the Queensland coast. Day boats run from Cairns, Port Douglas and the Whitsundays for snorkelling and diving.
Uluru is a giant sandstone monolith sacred to the Anangu people in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Walks, sunrise and sunset viewing are the main activities.
This coastal drive in Victoria passes surf beaches, rainforest and limestone stacks. The Twelve Apostles are the best-known stop.
Melbourne is known for laneway cafés, galleries, sport and food. Free trams cover the central city zone.
The Daintree is an ancient tropical rainforest that meets the reef at Cape Tribulation. Boardwalks and river cruises reveal crocodiles and birds.
The Whitsundays are a group of islands on the reef with very white sand at Whitehaven Beach. Sailing trips are the classic way to visit.
The Blue Mountains are sandstone plateaus and valleys west of Sydney. The Three Sisters lookout and bushwalks are the main draws.
Kakadu is a vast park of wetlands, escarpments and rock art sites. It is jointly managed with its Aboriginal Traditional Owners.
K'gari, formerly Fraser Island, is the largest sand island in the world. It has freshwater lakes and long beach drives.
Cradle Mountain is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness, with lakes and alpine trails. Dove Lake circuit is a classic walk.
This cliff-top walk links Sydney's eastern beaches past rock pools. It takes a few hours at an easy pace.
Ningaloo is a fringing reef you can snorkel straight from the beach. Seasonal whale shark swims are a big draw.
Kangaroo Island has wild coast, sea lions and native animals. Remarkable Rocks is a famous granite formation.
The Barossa is one of Australia's oldest wine regions, known for Shiraz. Cellar doors line its small towns.
Everything above is open to read. A Hodolog account lets you build the trip around it: pick cities, add places to days, see the weather for your dates.
Each city with a guide opens its own page: map, where to stay, what to eat.
Harbour city and main gateway.
cities, beaches · Open the city guideFood, culture and the Great Ocean Road.
food, culture · Open the city guideBase for the reef and rainforest.
nature, gateway · Open the city guideResort town for Uluru.
nature · Guide comingRiverside city between beaches.
cities · Open the city guideSurf beaches and theme parks.
beaches, family · Open the city guideWestern gateway with beaches.
beaches · Open the city guideWine regions and Kangaroo Island.
wine, food · Open the city guideTasmania's art and harbour city.
culture, nature · Open the city guideOutback base for the red centre.
outback, culture · Open the city guideGateway to the Top End and Kakadu.
gateway, culture · Guide comingA departure base for Whitsunday boat trips.
islands · Guide comingSydney and coast with mountains inland.
Sydney Harbour, Blue Mountains, Byron Bay
Tropical coast, reef and rainforest.
Great Barrier Reef, Daintree, Whitsundays
Cool cities and dramatic coast.
Melbourne, Great Ocean Road, Yarra Valley
Desert, rock art and wetlands.
Uluru, Kings Canyon, Kakadu
Huge, empty and coastal.
Perth, Ningaloo, Margaret River
Wild island with walks and food.
Cradle Mountain, Hobart, Freycinet
Choose how long you have, then add the whole route to a trip as places and nights.
Best: September to November and March to May. Spring and autumn are mild in the south and drier in the north.
The tropical north has a wet season from about November to April with heat and stinger season, while the south is best in summer; the Red Centre is pleasant in winter.
January. Busy season. Higher prices, bigger crowds.
78°F daily high, 73°F average, 3.3 in
Average of past years from NASA POWER, worked out at each city's position. A place far from these cities can be quite different.
US State Department Level 1 (exercise normal precautions); the main risks are sun, surf and wildlife.
Domestic flights and good roads make travel easy, though distances are huge.
Accommodation, food and tours are expensive.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Members see the rules for their own passport here.
Passport and visa rules change often and without notice. Always check the official pages before you book and again before you travel.
| Entry | Check current visa and entry rules on the Department of Home Affairs Electronic Travel Authority page (immi.homeaffairs.gov.au), and your own government's travel advice, before you book, as rules change. |
| Plugs | Type I; 240 V, 50 Hz |
| Tap water | safe |
| Tipping | Tipping is not expected, but 10 percent for good restaurant service is welcome. |
| Payments | Cards and contactless payment are used almost everywhere. |
| Emergency | 000 general |
| Etiquette | Australians are informal and use first names quickly. Swim between the flags on patrolled beaches and respect Aboriginal sacred sites. |
| What to wear | Wear suitable layers outdoors and follow any requested dress standards at places of worship. |
| Driving | On the left |
| Between cities | Domestic flights link the state capitals and resort towns, and most visitors fly at least twice. Road trips work well on the east coast and in Victoria and Tasmania; trains are limited outside cities. |
| Main airports | SYD, MEL, BNE, PER, CNS, AYQ |
| Ride apps | Uber |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived here for at least 65,000 years and form one of the oldest living cultures. British colonisation began with a penal settlement at Sydney in 1788. The colonies federated into the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. Today it is a multicultural democracy, and many sites are now jointly managed with Traditional Owners.
Researched 2026-10-13. Check official sources and recent changes before you go.