Enhance Your Australian Vacation with the Help of Travel Guides
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Loading ...This is a guest post by Anna K.
It doesn’t hurt to know a bit about a destination 
before you actually step off the plane, particularly one as diverse as Australia. Online travel guides can take you on an electronic journey from Sydney’s iconic harbour in the east to Perth on the shores of lightly populated Western Australia. Get your first glimpse of Ayers Rock, the fire-red mountain that rises out of the surrounding desert, or find the best place to get up close and personal with a cuddly koala.
History buffs can learn about the arrival of Captain James Cook in 1770, and his naming of Botany Bay, now the site of a national park in Sydney. This scenic capital is home to the Sydney Opera House, the 1,650 foot long Sydney Harbour Bridge and a ferry system that got its start in the late 1700s. Visit the Sydney Aquarium and take a walk through tunnels that go under the display tanks. Watch the sharks watching you as they swim over and around you. Find out about the Sydney Tower Skywalk, where you get a birds-eye view of the city from a glass platform 853 feet up.
Online travel guides can fill you in on the hotel chains and other types of accommodations, not only in Sydney, but in cities and towns across the country. Wouldn’t it be nice to know if your chosen hotel would arrange a flower delivery to surprise your special someone, or if room service was an option? If you are planning on visiting Cairns in Queensland, you might want to find a hotel near the Great Barrier Reef, or a romantic restaurant offering dinner with an ocean view.
Are you the type of traveller that likes to explore on your own, or prefers a tour group? If you’re going to Alice Springs, in the heart of the Australian Outback, guided tours can take you into opal mines or to find hidden, ancient Aboriginal artwork. Guided tours mean that you don’t have to do the driving. Don’t forget, in Australia cars drive on the left side of the roadway, just like in England.
If you don’t mind driving, travel guides can let you know what types of cars are available, and where. Find out why some people use a campervan, the Australian reference to an RV, to explore and do a bit of camping, sometimes at a lovely beach. Railroad buffs might want to take the Indian Pacific route across the barren middle of the continent known as the Nullarbor Plain. Find out approximate costs and roughly how long each train trip takes. Flying is also an option, as the country offers a number of regional airlines. In some parts of Australia, such as the outback, flying is the only option.
Using a travel guide, online or otherwise, to learn about a country doesn’t ruin the surprise. It enhances the experience, while providing useful tips and suggestions on what to see and do. Think of it as that little bird on your shoulder, gently nudging you to make the most of your Australian vacation.
This guest post was written by Anna K , freelance writer and blogger from Australia.
(Image by Gnangarra (Own work)[see page for license], via Wikimedia Commons)
Filed Under: Travel advice • Travel Guides
