All The Reasons You Need To Visit Australia And Say 'G'day!' To Its Many Wonders

If you’re still looking for excuses to visit Australia, Travel+Leisure India & South Asia has you covered. Here are some of the top reasons to hop on a flight and say G’day to the Land Down Under! 

There’s a lot to love about Australia — from diverse wildlife and lush rainforests to the azure blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. Add to this skyrocketing urban structures and intriguing Aborginal cultures, and you’ve got a seamless blend of the ancient and modern waiting to be explored. While native languages are  honoured, English is widely spoken to eliminate language barriers.

With many compelling reasons to add the vast land to one’s itinerary, Travel+Leisure India & South Asia has picked five to get you started.

Visit Australia for…

legendary architecture.

There’s no doubt that the iconic Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge are the nation’s most prized landmarks. At the former, a multi-venue performing arts centre, admire the  midden-inspired architecture by walking around its base. Dine at the surrounding alfresco restaurants which promises front-row seats to the iconic building and bridge, both. Visit during sunset to catch Badu Gili, a six-minute projection of Aboriginal art on the Opera House’s eastern Bennelong sails.

The more adventurous folks can head straight to Sydney Harbour Bridge. This steel through arch bridge boasts of staircases and lifts on either side that lead to a footpath on the eastern side. The western side, on the other hand, is reserved for bicycles. For a true adventure, get higher! Scale the southeastern pylon and visit the Pylon Lookout for a bird’s eye view of the city. Or try the popular guided BridgeClimb for an insightful climb dotted with historical and cultural anecdotes along the way.

unique wildlife. 

Home to abundant natural landscapes and protected enclosures, there’s no dearth of thriving wildlife in Australia. In fact, statistics reveal that there are twice the number of kangaroos — roughly 50 million — than humans in the country! While the powerful animals can be found all over, they particularly enjoy hopping around Western Australia’s Lucky Bay, Pebbly Beach located to the south of Sydney, and wine regions such as Margaret River, Hunter Valley, Barossa Valley, and Canberra’s vineyards.

Look out for fragrant eucalyptus trees to spot cuddly koalas. Some of the hotspots include Flinders Chase National Park in Kangaroo Island near Adelaide, Kennett River and Cape Otway along the Great Ocean Road near Melbourne, and Tidbinbilla in Canberra. To see quokkas — widely nicknamed the world’s happiest animal, courtesy of their infectiously photogenic smiles — head to Rottnest Island, located a 25-minute ferry ride from Fremantle near Perth.

Tasmanian devils roam freely at the Tasmanian Devil Unzoo near Hobart, while emus — the largest flightless bird in Australia — can be found in Victoria, particularly in Wilsons Promontory National Park in Gippsland, Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve, and Wartook in the Grampians. Although nocturnal and reclusive, wombats make rare appearances at Mount Buffalo National Park in the High Country, Melbourne Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary.

water wonderlands. 

Spread across 2,300 kilometres of coastline with more than 9,000 known species of reef, the Great Barrier Reef attracts more than 1.5 million visitors annually. Cairns, the gateway to this World Heritage-listed area, offers many experiences to make the most of these visits. Explore the reef’s diverse ecosystem by diving, snorkelling, or sailing. With this, travellers can meet the Great Eight residents, including Maori wrasse in Moore Reef, whitetip reef sharks in Osprey Reef, and turtles in Hamilton Island. Venture further to The Museum of Underwater Art, which promotes reef conservation with sculptures off the coast of Townsville. Or flip things around and soak in an aerial view by taking a helicopter ride to Vlasoff Cay, an underwater scooter adventure to Green Island, where you can swim with minke whales in Ribbon Reef.

Getting to Australia

Visa

Indian nationals heading to Australia can apply for a visa stress-free. The online procedure has done away with biometrics and personal interviews, in turn accelarating the visa turnaround time.

Flights

Hop aboard Singapore Airlines for a comfortable journey. The airlines offer daily flights from multiple Indian cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad to Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne with only one layover in Singapore’s Changi Airport. Choose from five cabin classes: Economy, Premium Economy, Business Class, First Class, or Suites, and arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and well-rested.

Related: 72 Hours In Melbourne — A Traveller’s Tale Of Exploring Cricket And The Coast In Australia

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