If you are planning a trip to the Land Down Under, there are a few things you need to consider to ensure you make the most of this trip of a lifetime. With such a diverse range of attractions and so much ground to cover you need to ensure you are ready for an adventure. In this article we will unpick some of the key things you should consider and offer tips on how to ensure your vacation goes well.
Making the most of your trip
Australia alone is a vast country with many unmissable places to explore. However, many of its most interesting attractions are so spread out it can be hard to fit everything in a week or two week vacation. Therefore, we recommend that you create a plan for your trip, including plenty of time for traveling. Some prefer to get help from the services of an agency to create tailormade holidays to ensure they can see everything these beautiful countries have to offer. Another great option is to organize a railway tour of Australia to reduce the time you spend driving or on a coach. If you want to see New Zealand too, you need to be even more time conscious. But luckily this far smaller country is quicker to cross. We recommend you rent a car and take a road trip across the country but there are also bus and train transport options.
When to travel
Best time to travel to New Zealand and Australia depends on your preferences and plans for your vacation.
From September to November, New Zealand is in Spring so you can expect cooler temperatures of 18 °C, beautiful alpine flowers, baby lambs and the first swims of the year on the north coast. In Australia, temperatures are around 22°C and this is a highl time for tourism.
From December to February, in New Zealand you can expect warmer weather of around 23 °C, long days with plenty of sunshine, and more tourists than any other time of year.
From March to May there are milder temperatures of around 19°C, fewer tourists and beautiful autumnal colors in New Zealand. In Australia, these months are preferred by tourists and have temperatures ranging from 23°C to 32°C depending on what part of the country you are visiting.
From June to August is the coldest time of the year in New Zealand with temperatures around 14 °C, perfect for heading to the mountains for skiing, which can be busy with other tourists hitting the slopes.
Taking precautions
Australia and New Zealand are safe countries compared to many. But there are some potentially nasty surprises for underprepared visitors. Firstly, this part of the world lies beneath a hole in the ozone layer. This means the sun is stronger than anywhere and more likely to cause sunburn and other lasting damage. So make sure you use sunscreen or avoid the sunshine during the hottest parts of the day.
There is some really amazing nature to enjoy in both these countries but hiking is not without its risks. From deadly snakes and wildcats to hard-to-navigate terrain, there is a lot that can go wrong. We therefore recommend you hire a guide or take some friendly locals with you when hiking. For more info on safety precautions consult New Zealand’s government guidelines.
These three tips are a good place to start. However, with so much to offer visitors, anyone planning a trip to Australia/New Zealand should do their research. To continue learning about the amazing activities you could be doing on your next trip we recommend you take a look at our article on exciting things to do in Australia and continue your research on New Zealand with some of these articles.