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Australia Passport and Visa entry requirements
Travel tips for your trip to Australia Hotel Maps Famous Places in Australia helps you to make your trip to Australia in the holiday a Splendid One
Passports:
To enter Australia, a valid passport is required by the nationals referred to in chart above.
Entry requirements for Americans: US nationals must have a valid passport for intended period of stay. Visa required, except for those with Electronic Travel Authority (ETA).
Entry requirements for UK nationals: UK nationals must have a passport valid for intended period of stay. Visa required, except for those with Electronic Travel Authority (ETA).
Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadian nationals require a passport valid for intended period of stay. Visa required, except for those with Electronic Travel Authority (ETA).
Entry requirements for South Africans: South African nationals must have a passport valid for the duration of the stay. A visa is required.
Entry requirements for New Zealanders: New Zealanders require a valid passport on entry to Australia. A Special Category Visa (SCV) is issued on arrival after completing a passenger card.
Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish nationals must have a passport valid for the intended period of stay. Visa required, except for those with Electronic Travel Authority (ETA).
Passport/Visa Note: An ETA is an electronically issued and verified visa, not visible in a passport. ETAs are issued to passengers travelling for tourist or business purposes. Tourist ETAs are valid for three months. ETAs are obtainable online at: www.eta.immi.gov.au or through most travel agents.
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Things To Do On An Australian Luxury Holiday
Travel tips for your trip to Australia Hotel Maps Famous Places in Australia helps you to make your trip to Australia in the holiday a Splendid One
Surely, Australia is the smallest continent and can be described by many other superlatives. It is known as the flattest continent as well as the driest inhabited continent. To counter these implausible descriptions, this country and continent is the home of the world’s largest coral reef, that is, the Great Barrier Reef. It is also where Mount Augustus can be found, which is known to be the world’s largest monolith.
Together with this country’s rich history is their rich natural resources. When Australia is mentioned, we immediately think of cute marsupials such as koalas and kangaroos. But more than that, its alpine heaths, tropical rainforests, and marine life boast of a large biodiversity. In fact, it has the largest number of reptiles of any country, with 755 species.
It is indeed a shame if you visit the country and not experience its natural wonders. Here are just few of the things that you can do to experience Australia’s mega biodiversity:
1. Be in the company of the ever lovable koalas. As a child, you surely have a favorite teddy bear. You choose to keep it even though it is already old and dirty. Why not live again those sweet childhood memories by being in the company of live teddy bears, which are, the koalas. You can go to Kangaroo Island to meet these cute creatures. In this place, you will also meet other lovable animals such as sea lions, wallabies, platypus, and bandicoots.
2. Swim with the world’s biggest fish. Many people are scared at the mere mention of the word whale shark, which is known as the world’s biggest fish. If you are one of these people, shake off your fear as whale sharks are actually gentle underwater giants. You can do this by swimming with them on Ningaloo Reef.
3. Visit at least one national park. A nature trip in the land down under will not be complete if you do not visit at least one of its natural parks. One good example is the Kakadu National Park where you can have a first-hand experience of the beauty of the country’s rainforest. This place is also the right place to go if you want to have a first-hand look at the Aboriginal cultural artifacts.
4. Experience the underwater spectacle of the Great Barrier Reef. Australia’s natural wonder will not be the same without the famous Great Barrier Reef, and you just cannot afford to miss and experience the spectacle it brings, especially if you are a lover of marine life.
If you are a person who just loves to travel, there are indeed lots of reasons why you should get yourself an Australian tourist visa. Besides its natural wonders, Australia also boasts of vibrant and classy capital cities, which include:
1. Sydney, NSW. This city is a combination of urban lifestyle and natural wonder. It is where the world renowned Opera House is located and it is filled with world-class shopping centers. In Sydney, you can also go kayaking under the Harbor Bridge.
2. Melbourne, Victoria. The city prides of known shopping precincts, sophisticated restaurants, and a flourishing art scene.
3. Brisbane, Queensland. It is a melting pot of the old and new. In this city, you will find gardens, sandstone cathedrals, and skyscrapers all together. Some of the activities that you can do include riding a bike through the City Botanic Gardens and exploring urban villages.
4. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. The capital city of Australia, Canberra is the place where you can find more about the country’s sport heroes by going to the National Institute of Sport and Science, or explore its political history at Old Parliament House.
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Vacation and Holidays in Australia
Travel tips for your trip to Australia Hotel Maps Famous Places in Australia helps you to make your trip to Australia in the holiday a Splendid One
Australia stuns all into silence with its enormity and beauty! It is truly a magnificent tourist destination that is replete with staggering attractions and charms. The natural beauty of this place is just superb with all the free flowing rivers, wonderful mountains, pristine beaches, vast deserts and verdant forests!
Tourism in Australia is huge with millions booking flights to Australia each year. On its part, tourism authorities in Australia put in their best efforts to make your vacation in the country an absolutely memorable one! With so much on offer, it is not surprising to know that flights to Australia are filled with leisure travellers, and cheap flight tickets to Australia is something worth revering.
Hospitality in Australia
Australian hospitality is known all over the world for its warmth and generosity. The hotels in Australia have incorporated both these traits and offer a wonderful experience to the tourists in the country. One can find accommodation options in each and every corner of the country. Diversity is another trait that makes Australian hotels so popular among vacationers. For budget travellers, there are heaps of cheap hotels that are much affordable for tourists on budget vacations. On the other end of the spectrum are the lavish resorts and hotels that cater to a select few. Plush hotel properties are also available in plenty in Australia.
Popular Australian Attractions
What makes these accommodation alternatives in Australia so popular? Which are the attractions that are responsible for making cheap flight tickets to Australia so sought after? Take a look at some of country's most popular tourist delights to know the answer!
Great Barrier Reef
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Great Barrier Reef is an enchanting reason to start looking for airlines that offer cheap airfares on flights to Australia. It is the world's largest coral reef system and attracts underwater explorers, scuba divers and all those who seek some underwater thrill! The Great Barrier Reef is home to nearly 1,500 species of fish.
Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House is one of the most renowned landmarks around the world. It is an architectural masterpiece that is considered a sort of benchmark in modern architectural designs and styles. Apart from being a popular iconic structure, Sydney Opera House is one of the busiest performing arts centres all across the world. It stages around 2,500 performances and events each year, with nearly 4 million visitors annually.
National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia is located in Australia's capital city of Canberra and offers wonderful opportunity to the tourist to get acquainted with the region's original art works. It boasts of an enormous compilation of 100,000 artefacts that pertain to Australian art, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander art, Asian art and International art including European, American and Pacific art.
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Free Guide of Sydney City
Travel tips for your trip to Australia Hotel Maps Famous Places in Australia helps you to make your trip to Australia in the holiday a Splendid One
Melbourne is the capital city of the state of Victoria. It is situated on a vast strip of coastal plain and occupies both banks of the river Yara, at the point where the river flows into Port Phillip. The second largest city in Australia, Melbourne, reknown for its parks and green open spaces, is referred to as the "Garden City".
Flashbooking provides backpackers, students and families with a list of budget selected and independent accommodations worldwide -mostly run by locals- in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and different societies. Flashbooking accommodation database is easily available online and comes completed with all relevant information about Cheap hostel Melbourne location, description, contacts, prices, instant real availability, customer ratings, facilities and pictures.
Recently put at travellers’ disposal is another useful tool: the Free Pocket City Guide of Melbourne. This free travel guide of Melbourne contains, in just 9 printable pages, all the essential information and very good suggestions about the Melbourne flea markets, Museums and Art Galleries, budget restaurants and cheap lodgings, classic itineraries you can’t miss, transports and a lot more. The Melbourne Travel Pocket Guide comes with colour pictures and it is free and downloadable for anyone who wish to book and go!
As an online booker service Flashboking guarantees instantly confirmed and secure reservations thanks to a secure server, certified SSL provided by Thawte (the global certificate authority). This system encrypts all the processed data and guarantees that this will not be read, used or modified by other parties. Online bookings mean that your holiday is just a click away.
With the monthly newsletter, Flashbooking puts at travellers, students, volunteers free disposal some useful pocket travel guides of major European cities: the Amsterdam City guide, the London City guide, the Prague City guide, the Paris City guide, the Rome City guide, the Florence City guide, and the freshly issued Barcelona City guide!! For the Barcelona travel guide Flashbooking staff efforts concentrate on making it simple to read dividing the Barcelona centre in different districts with their relevant amenities.
A special promotion allow travellers to earn money and credits of 1,5 euros by inviting other friends to subscribe and receive the monthly newsletter, rich of information about hostel and hotel deals. For each friend that sings up, our travellers get 1,50 euros: it is possible to earn up to 40 euros!
In particular Flashbooking provides a large selection of cheap accommodation offers in Melbourne where there are plenty of low cost solutions for backpackers in budget Bed and breakfast Melbourne, cheap hotels and guesthouses.
Moreover, for anyone that owns a personal website or a travel blog, the travel guides (London, Rome, Amsterdam, Florence, Prague, Barcelona and more coming on soon!) come for free and can be used as an extra travel resource for theirs users.
In Flashbooking website there is also a section dedicated to the world cities events where you can also get a quite exhaustive list of main festivals, exhibitions, concerts and cool things to do and see in other top European cities.
The customer service is always available to suggest you the perfect accommodation for your trip. A Skype account has been recently added in order to give more assistance to our travellers and backpackers needs. In just a sentence here the flashbooking motto:
Those who love travelling light, those with a sense for adventure, those who love flexibility in their trip, those who like meeting locals and travelling slow and low... THOSE ARE OUR TRAVELLERS!
So mates, we are looking forward to finding the best accommodation for you on your next trip!
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Money Exchange for Australia -Services - Money
Travel tips for your trip to Australia Hotel Maps Famous Places in Australia helps you to make your trip to Australia in the holiday a Splendid One
Currency information:
Australian Dollar (AUD; symbol A$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of A$100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of A$2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents.
Credit cards:
Major credit cards are accepted. Use may be restricted in small towns and outback areas, as is ATM availability.
ATM:
Use may be restricted in small towns and outback areas, as is ATM availability.
Travellers cheques:
Widely accepted in major currencies at banks or large hotels. However, some banks may charge a fee for cashing traveller's cheques. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in a major currency.
Banking hours:
Mon-Thurs 0930-1600, Fri 0930-1700. These hours may vary slightly throughout the country.
Currency restriction:
The import and export of local and foreign currency is unrestricted. Amounts over €10,000 or equivalent must be declared.
Currency exchange:
Exchange facilities are available for all incoming and outgoing flights at all international airports in Australia. International-class hotels will exchange major currencies for guests. It is recommended that visitors change money at the airport or at city banks.
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Health and Medical Information for Australia
Travel tips for your trip to Australia Hotel Maps Famous Places in Australia helps you to make your trip to Australia in the holiday a Splendid One
There is a reciprocal health agreement with the UK, in emergencies only, which allows residents from the UK free hospital treatment. Prescribed medicines, ambulances and treatment at some doctors' surgeries must be paid for. Personal insurance for illness and accidents is highly recommended for all visitors, including UK nationals.
Food and drink:
Standards of hygiene in food preparation are very high. Milk is pasteurised and meat and vegetables are considered safe to eat. Care should be taken, however, when sampling 'bush tucker' in outback areas as some insects and fauna are highly poisonous unless properly cooked.
Other risks:
Outbreaks of dengue fever occur in northern Queensland, especially during the wet season (Oct-Mar), and Ross River fever virus is widespread in Australia. There have been reports of Murray Valley encephalitis in northern Australia and in the northwest of Western Australia. Corals, jellyfish and fresh water crocodiles may prove a hazard to the bather, and heat exhaustion is a hazard in most parts of the country. Insectivorous and fruit-eating bats have been found to harbour a virus related to the rabies virus and should be avoided. Venomous snakes and spiders exist throughout Australia and can be extremely dangerous. Medical assistance should be sought immediately if bitten.
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Short History Of Australia and Culture
Travel tips for your trip to Australia Hotel Maps Famous Places in Australia helps you to make your trip to Australia in the holiday a Splendid One
Captain Cook stumbled onto Australian shores in 1770 to find an Aboriginal way of life that went back some 40,000 years. By 1868, Britain had sent more than 160,000 convicts to Australia.
Experiencing the culture of Australia's indigenous population is one of the great highlights of a visit. Many tensions still exist between mainstream Australia and its Aboriginal people. The first European settlers treated the Aboriginal population with appalling brutality, which gave way to racist and cruel policies from subsequent administrations. However, the slow march towards reconciliation was given a boost in 2008 when Prime Minister Kevin Rudd issued a formal apology to the indigenous population for the suffering of the past.
In November 2007 elections, after almost 12 years of conservative rule, the public voted out the Liberal Party coalition and gave the Australian Labor Party (ALP) a decisive win. This has meant some significant changes in the direction of the country. Prime Minister Rudd swiftly set about signing the Kyoto Protocol, investing more in alternate energy sources.
The Labor government's stimulus package and strong trading links with China have resulted in Australia riding out the 2008/2009 global financial crisis relatively unscathed. The government withdrew its troops from Iraq in early 2008, yet retains 1,500 troops in the Uruzgan province of Afghanistan.
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Accommodation in Melbourne , Canberra , Sydney
Travel tips for your trip to Australia Hotel Maps Famous Places in Australia helps you to make your trip to Australia in the holiday a Splendid One
Accommodation in Melbourne
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia situated atop Port Phillip Bay. Melbourne being a popular tourist destination offers numerous accommodation options. People traveling to Melbourne have the option of staying in luxurious as well as economic accommodations.
Melbourne offers numerous world class hotels and resorts with great amenities. If you are not a budget traveler and would like to spend your holiday in style, then you could book one of these fantastic hotel rooms. These hotel rooms offer world class views of the city as well as also offer fantastic room amenities, great restaurants, outdoor pools, whirlpool spas, fitness centers and tennis courts.
Budget travelers need not worry while traveling to the Melbourne. There are a number of bed and breakfast hotels. These hotels offer basic room amenities such as TV, telephone and attached bathroom and have lesser number of rooms. Breakfast is served every morning to the guests and room charges are inclusive of breakfast in most hotels.
Backpacker/hostel accommodations are available in plenty in Melbourne. These hostels are mainly frequented by students and the low budget traveler, looking to have a great holiday at Melbourne. These hostels offer dormitories where you need not book a room for yourself. All you need to do is book a single bed for each person. There are about 10 or more people residing in a dormitory.
Accommodation in Sydney
Located on the south east coast of Australia, Sydney is the most populous city in the country. Sydney is the capital of New South Wales and one of the largest financial centers as well as a popular tourist destination of Australia. Sydney is one of the most attractive cities in the country;
from spectacular natural beauty to dazzling nightlife, you will all find it here. Being one of the most traveled cities in Australia, Sydney attracts large number of visitors from all over the world. But then, despite the heavy rush of tourists as well as business travelers, accommodation is never a major issue in the city. There are countless lodging options in Sydney; you can find here world class resorts, five star hotels, bed and breakfast hotels, apartments and villas.
There is no shortage of luxury resorts and hotels in the city offering you all the world class facilities and amenities that you need to make your vacation memorable, luxurious and comfortable. Some of the major deluxe resorts and hotels in Sydney are Sofitel Wentworth, The Westin, Rydges Jamison Hotel, Meriton World Tower,
Sheraton on the Park Hotel, Radisson Plaza Hotel and many more. All these hotels boast of world class features and amenities like swimming pool, health center including fully equipped gymnasium, spa, and recreation room along with games facilities. Besides these, most of these hotels also offer business facilities that include fully equipped business centers along with all the facilities that you need to host business meetings and conferences. The rooms in these hotels are equally grand; most of the rooms are well maintained, well appointed and individually designed with decors that will fulfill your aesthetic desire. The rooms in these hotels are fully furnished and feature latest and modern amenities like cable ready color television, internet access, in room movies, hairdryer and many other facilities.
Sydney is also home to countless cheap and budget hotels. Here you can choose from many bed and breakfast hotels and budget hotels. These hotels will not be able to provide you with deluxe lodging and world class amenities, but then you can expect all the basic amenities and services from these hotels. Some of the cheap and budget hotels of Sydney are Vulcan Hotel, Hotel 59 & Café, De Vere Hotel, Capitol Square Hotel, Aarons Hotel and many more.
In Sydney you can also opt for alternative lodging options that will further enhance your stay in city. You can live in apartments, villas and condominiums, all of which are easily available in the city.
Accommodation in Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia and is also one of the most traveled cities in Australia. It receives a heavy influx of visitors from all over world and other parts of the country. But then, despite the heavy rush, accommodation is never an issue in the city.
There are countless lodging options in Canberra; you can find here world class resorts, five star hotels, bed and breakfast hotels, condominiums, apartments and villas.
There is no shortage of luxury resorts and hotels in the city offering you all the top class facilities and amenities that you need to make your vacation memorable, luxurious and comfortable. Some of the major deluxe resorts and hotels in Canberra are Rydges Capital Hill Canberra, Hyatt Hotel Canberra, Drake and Cavendish Hotel, Rydges Lakeside Hotel and many more. All these hotels boast of world class features and amenities like swimming pool, health center including fully equipped gymnasium, spa, and recreation room along with games facilities. Besides these, most of the deluxe hotels and resorts also offer business facilities that include fully equipped business center along with facilities to host business meetings and conferences. The rooms in these hotels are equally grand; most of the rooms are individually designed with decors that will fulfill your aesthetic desire. The rooms in these hotels are fully furnished and feature amenities like cable ready color television, internet access, in room movies, hairdryer and many other facilities.
But then besides luxury hotels, Canberra also houses countless cheap and budget hotels. Here you can choose from many bed and breakfast hotels and budget hotels. These hotels will not be able to provide you with deluxe lodging and world class amenities, but then you can expect all the basic amenities and services from these hotels. Some of the cheap and budget hotels of Canberra are Parkway Motel, Surveyors Hill Bed and Breakfast, Comfort Inn Downtown, Motel Monaro, Ainslie and many more. In Canberra you can also opt for alternative lodging options that will further enhance your stay in city. You can live in apartments, villas and condominiums, all of which are easily available in the city.
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Useful Tips For Traveling To Australia
Travel tips for your trip to Australia Hotel Maps Famous Places in Australia helps you to make your trip to Australia in the holiday a Splendid One
Australia is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. There's a wide expanse of land that allows for plenty of land travel, it has some of the world's most amazing landmarks and if you're looking for adventure, the continent will never lack for something to offer. But in case you're traveling to Australia at the last minute, here are some useful tips you might want to consider:
Make a plan.
As explained before, Australia is a big continent and it has plenty to offer. When you're booking a last minute flight, at least have a few good ideas on what you want to do when you get there. Surfing? Rock climbing? Diving? Or just enjoying the natural beauty of the Outback
Make a list of what you where you want to go and the kind of things you want to experience. If you're making last minute travel plans to Australia, you might have to compromise on some things. At least, while you're there, you get to experience as much as you can.
It might not be cheap.
If you're coming from North America, be prepared to spend a bit on travel tickets. Even the cheap fares going there aren't that cheap, so be ready with your cash or credit card. Tourists generally flock to the continent beginning October and on till February, which means last minute tickets might be tough to get. If you're traveling last minute to Australia, there may be flights where you can get a good discount but you will have to make a few adjustments in case you want to take advantage of the low deals.
For cheap, last minute flights to Australia, learn to be flexible because you might not always have a choice in terms of seating, time, destination airport or even flight class. If you're up for an adventure, though, then booking a last minute travel flight to Australia is only the beginning.
Know yourself with your destination.
Last minute travel plans to Australia shouldn't include you getting lost. Contact the local tourism office or book accommodations with local agencies. If you need a car to drive you to and from the airport, have this ready as well. Most travel agencies will be happy to make these arrangements for you.
Ask for extra information prior to the trip or go online and look for travel guides to the areas you plan to visit.
Familiarize yourself with the country.
There are certain things about Australia that might surprise you if you aren't familiar with it and we're not talking about the local dialect. Cars are left-hand drives and summertime in the U.S. is wintertime in the continent, which means you're more likely to get a heat stroke in December. If you're coming in from the cold, be prepared to shed your clothes.
You might also want to be extra careful about visiting. Just because you're going on a last minute travel to Australia doesn't mean you should remain ignorant about any dangers there. The country, for example, is home to majority of the most poisonous snakes in the world. Even if you're making last minute travel plans, don't forget to bring a sturdy, thick pair of boots.
It will also help if you bring travel accessories and a basic survival kit. There are simply areas in the continent where you need to be extra careful.
