10 Reasons to Visit Australia

Australia is one of the most remote countries in the world and, ironically, one of the most popular places to visit — especially among backpackers.

Because of its distance from the United States, not many Americans tend to visit Australia. The flights are long and expensive, and when you only have a few weeks of travel per year, why go to Australia? Wasting a few days flying doesn’t make sense to a lot of people.

Yet millions visit each year — and for good reason. I think it’s an amazing place to backpack as Australia offers something for every type of traveler. Beach bums, party animals, hikers, road trippers, foodies — there’s something here for everyone.

To entice you to save up your vacation days and make the journey Down Under, here are 10 reasons to visit Australia:

 

 

1. The Great Barrier Reef

One of the most famous reef systems in the world, the Great Barrier Reef is world-renowned for its abundance of marine life and world-class diving opportunities. When I was there, I saw turtles, sharks, vibrant coral, and beautiful fish. It was everything it was cracked up to be.

You can spend one day or a few diving (or snorkeling) this reef. Though everyone leaves from Cairns, leaving from Port Douglas (like on this snorkeling cruise)will get you to less crowded spots.

Read more about diving the Great Barrier Reef and how you can do it on your trip!
 

2. Sydney

Known for its famed opera house and harbor, Sydney also boasts an incredible bridge, great parks, delicious food, lots of free stuff to do, and amazing surfing and whale watching.

Whether you go to Manly Beach or hang out with everyone else at Bondi, Sydney’s a place to relax in the sun and enjoy the water. Darling Harbor has a number of good restaurants and great entertainment venues, and the Chinese Garden is quite relaxing. For a night out on the town with colorful locals, there’s nothing like King’s Cross.

For more information about Sydney, check out these helpful posts:

• My Favorite Things to Do in Sydney
• 13 Ways to See Sydney on a Budget
• Sydney Travel Guide

 

3. Uluru

You wouldn’t think that a giant round rock covering eight kilometers of land would be breathtaking, but it is. Formerly known as Ayers Rock, the wind-blown cuts throughout the rock make it look like a wave of sand climbing over the desert. The iron in the rock produces amazing shades of red and orange during sunrise and sunset. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site too.

You can take tours here from nearby Alice Springs, which is what most travelers do. You can also road trip here (though prepared for it to take a while!).
 

4. Barbecue

Aussies do a lot of things well, and one of the best is throwing a barbecue. The Aussie barbecue is a serious tradition, and most parks and public areas have barbecue pits so you can cook up some food while enjoying the outdoors. In fact, I don’t know what Australia would be without a barbecue. There’s nothing better than a beautiful warm night, a few good beers, and some fresh barbecue. Barbecuing is a great budget-friendly option too!

 

5. The Wine

Australia has some great wine regions, which include Margaret River near Perth, the Barossa Valley near Adelaide, and the Hunter Valley near Sydney. (Full day tours are around 150-200 AUD.) There’s a lot of good wine to be tried while in Australia, especially shiraz and pinot noir. You can take day trips to any of the wine areas from the nearby major cities or simply take a trip to the wine store and get drunk in the park…while having a barbecue.

 

6. Western Australia

This is my favorite part of Australia. It’s truly beautiful, with its large expanses of outback and white sand beaches that stretch for miles without a soul in sight. It’s the perfect place for a road trip. I’m glad a lot of people don’t visit Western Australia; otherwise, it could end up like the East Coast — crowded and overbuilt.

Karijini National Park puts Kakadu and Litchfield to shame, and Coral Bay and the Ningaloo Reef are even better than Cairns or the Great Barrier Reef. I love it here.

If you have time (and the budget) make sure to get out to Western Australia. You won’t be disappointed!

Tip: Use Discover Cars for the best deals on rental cars.
 

7. Perth

Sydney and Melbourne get all the attention, but Perth can hold its own against these two heavyweights. There are great beaches, one of the world’s largest city parks, surfing, quokkas on Rottnest Island (a car-free island just off the coast) and nearby Fremantle, where you can have Australia’s best beer (Little Creatures).

Perth is a city filled with young people and has the vibe of a city in motion. Don’t miss it. And don’t forget Sunday drinking sessions at the famous Cottesloe Hotel.
 

8. Lush Jungles

One day I’ll settle down, and when I do, it’ll be in some lush, tropical place. Maybe Queensland will be that place. Here you’ll find one of the oldest continuous tropical rainforests in the world (it dates back to the age of the dinosaurs!). There are great places to go hiking, tons of wildlife and birds (watch out for crocodiles, though), and some really nice rivers and swimming holes to cool off in. If you really want to get away from it all, head far north to Cape Tribulation, where it’s just you, the jungle, and some ocean.

For the best jungle trips, head to Cairns. From here you can take day trips to Kuranda, the oldest tropical rainforest in the world!
 

9. Surfing

Australia may not have invented surfing, but it might as well have, given how ingrained it is in Australian culture. The best surfing is on the East Coast, and there are a million places where you can catch a good wave. You can head to Sydney and places like Bondi Beach, but I find the best surfing is up in Queensland. I personally think Noosa is one of the best places to surf because there are waves for both professionals and beginners. Surf lessons cost around 80 AUD for a two-hour group class.
 

10. Beautiful Beaches

With over 50,000 kilometers (31,000 miles) of coastline, there’s no way this country could exist without beautiful beaches. The ones on the East Coast are far busier than the deserted beaches on Australia’s western coastline. But with so much to choose from, you’ll always find a spot to relax by yourself.

My favorites include:

• Coral Bay
• Cable Beach
• Noosa
• Manly
• And any beach in Perth

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Traveling Australia has way more to offer than just these 10 things. I could probably think of 365 reasons why you should visit Australia (Vegemite not being one of them! Sorry!).

But we get drawn to countries for certain reasons, and these are what draw me back again and again to the wonderful land down under.