BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN AUSTRALIA – TRAVEL GUIDE

 Kica Sipert - Great South is really great, of course, Australia is 6thth The largest country on earth! Covering it all up, where do you start exploring the land beneath you? As an Australian born and raised Australian and world traveler, I am here to help you prioritize the best places to visit in Australia.

When I travel (and live) around the world I am often asked what are the must-see places in Australia and it is not an easy question to answer. In fact, my first response was "What are you interested in?" Because it is so important when narrowing a wide selection.

Some people have specific ideas and others just want to see what Australia is - so I combined my local knowledge and international perspective with this quick introduction guide to help you put a map pin on some of the great places to go. Travel to Australia.

How big is Australia?

There are a lot of misconceptions about the size of Australia so we will increase the size of Australia for a moment. This will give you an idea of ​​what you are trying to cover during your trip. Australia is about 7.69 million kilometers (2.97 million miles) and is approximately the same size as the United States or twice as large as Europe. Yes, it's big!

Because Australia's population is concentrated, this list is largely focused on the east coast, so it offers a wide range of cultural experiences. However, even with one beach, the distance between cities and attractions is still great (eg it takes about 26 hours of continuous driving by road from Sydney to Cairns). If you are an international guest planning to rent a car in Australia, this is a helpful guide to familiarize yourself with local road regulations, etiquette and licensing requirements.

Best places to visit in Australia

Sydney and surrounding areas

After thinking about this for a long time, it is clear that Sydney is the only one-stop shop in Australia (if any). Although Sydney is not the capital of Australia (the title belongs to Canberra) - it may be so. From an international visitor's perspective, Sydney has it all: world-famous landmarks, great beaches, temperate climate, national parks, great dining options and historic views. If you manage to get bored anyway, there are plenty of day trips and night trips that will take you to the sights around New South Wales and Canberra. If you have time to visit one Australian destination, Sydney is the best place. For more on what to see in and around Sydney, see Best Tourist Things to Do in Sydney, Australia

Advantages: Provides a wide range of experiences.

Cons: Heavy traffic; Expensive.

Tours: Throughout the year.

Avoid: The highest rainfall is usually from February to April.

Good:

Active adventurers

Cultural hawks

Fast travelers

Food and drink

Lovers of nature

Shopping

Sports fans

Surfers

Sydney Skyline

Melbourne et al

Melbourne is the last lifestyle city in Australia. What it lacks in landmarks like Sydney's Harbor Bridge, it provides for amazing food, coffee and culture. Even during Melbourne's cold winter, whether it's a sporting event, a world-class theater concert, a museum show or a festival, Melbourneites love to go out and get involved and it's contagious! Day trips and night tours from Melbourne will take you to the wine regions, scenic coastal cities, Surf Beach and the Twelve Apostles. A little further on is Tasmania. If none of this appeals to you, Melbourne also has some of the best shopping in Australia.

Advantages: Sports and cultural events; Crazy good cooking and coffee.

Cons: Unexpected weather; Insane Australian law football fans; Expensive.

Tours: Summer and autumn.

Avoid: Winters, especially August, are cold and humid.

Good:

Cultural hawks

Fast travelers

Food and drink

Shopping

Sports fans

Melbourne Skyline from St. Kildare Pier

Brisbane and beyond

Brisbane is the capital city of the state of Queensland and is another lifestyle city with a mild, extremely casual vibe. The temperate climate of Brisbane attracts people who like to spend time outdoors all year round. The city is more affordable than Melbourne or Sydney but has less to offer from a cultural and historical perspective. Although you can cover a list of must-see places in Brisbane in a few days, the city is a gateway to many attractions such as day trips and short nights. You can drive for hours on CBD to all of the best beaches in the country on the Gold and Sunshine coast, great mountaineering and attractions such as Steve Irwin's Australian Zoo. See the article What to do in Brisbane for more information.

Advantages: Great weather; Frequent outdoor activities; Cheaper than Sydney and Melbourne.

Cons: Cultural experience is scarce.

Tours: Great for winter anytime, but compared to other cities

Avoid: Unless you enjoy a subtropical climate, Brisbane avoids December / January as summers are hot and humid.

Good:

Active adventurers

Food and drink

Lovers of nature

Outdoor enthusiasts

Slow tourists

Surfers

Popular Brisbane views, Kangaroo Point Mountains

Keynes and northern Queensland

Cairns is the gateway to two World Heritage Sites: the Dantrie Cape Tribulation Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. If you love nature, this is the place where you can base yourself on both land and sea adventures.

Advantages: Amazing rainforests and reef ecosystems.

Cons: Cultural experience is scarce.

Tours: Winter.

Avoid: Summer and Australian school holidays.

Good:

Active adventurers

Fast travelers

Lovers of nature

Outdoor enthusiasts

Great barrier

Darwin and the Red Center

There is nothing but a desert in the middle of Australia, a huge sandstone isolation called Uluri. A few days' journey back from the East Coast to the heart of Australia, home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is a natural phenomenon as well as a place of worship for the indigenous people of Australia. You can travel north from Adelaide or south from Darwin, however, it will be a worthwhile trip. If you choose the Southern Route, enjoy the wine areas around Adelaide, and go through the opal mines of southern Australia. The North Road will give you access to Catherine Gorge and World Heritage List Kakadu National Park.

Advantages: Spectacular natural landscapes.

Cons: Large distance to cover.

Tours: Late autumn and winter.

Avoid: Summer.

Good:

Active adventurers

Lovers of nature

Offroaders

Outdoor enthusiasts

Slow tourists

Western Australia

If you take it to the most western part of Australia, congratulations, you beat me! It's a good 6 hour flight from Sydney to Perth via Great Southern Land and I have not climbed the mountain yet. When I think of Western Australia (province) I think of Margaret River wine, dolphin feeding on Monkey Mia, big waves (actually watching), swimming with whales along the Ningaloo Reef, pink waterways like Hillier and Spencer Lakes, cute rooks On the island, huge wildflowers bloom in the desert and ancient water pearl farms beyond Broom.

Advantages: Spectacular natural landscapes.

Cons: Distant locations contribute to longer travel time and higher costs.

Tours: Western Australia is a very large country with a very variable climate. Access Perth and South in late winter through spring. Visit the interior and exterior areas in late fall and winter. Broom is best from autumn to spring.

Good:

Active adventurers

Lovers of nature

Offroaders

Outdoor enthusiasts

Slow tourists

Sunset camel ride on Broom Beach

If this guide to the best places to visit in Australia still blinds you, feel free to ask me in the comments below.

Peace, love and refreshing travel,

Where to Visit in Japan for the First Time Family Vacation

 Kica Sipert - Japan is filled with incredible scenery and memorable attractions across the length and breadth of its many islands to travel.

That being said, narrowing down where to go in the country on a first trip can often be impossible. Fortunately, we have a little expertise in this area and can help you understand it easily.

In this article, we will share with you the most important tips and best places to visit in Japan for your first family vacation in this wonderful country.

Things you need to know before you go:

tip: After figuring out what type of Japanese visa you might need for your trip, we strongly recommend that you create yourself a Japan itinerary so that you can find one of the must-sees for first-time travel. Don't miss the destination either.

In our option, this is an essential part of planning your trip, especially if you are only visiting Japan for a week or 10 days.

4 Must-Visit Japan Destinations for First Time Travelers

If you're only planning on visiting Japan for a few days or a couple of weeks, it's highly unlikely that you'll be able to visit the entire country in one go (unless you take the high-speed Shinkansen trains and the expense Don't do) too long in big cities, at least).

While the northernmost island of Hokkaido is well worth a visit, especially in winter, as well as the tropical islands of Okinawa, we recommend first-time visitors to the areas around Tokyo and other major Japanese cities in the region. Huh.

There is more than enough to see in Tokyo itself to fill a short itinerary, and if you live in the capital, you can do several exciting side-trips in one day. These include short stays to the historic city of Osaka and even to Mount Fuji, perhaps Japan's most revered international symbol.

For more information on how to prepare for a first trip to the country, the best way to travel in Japan and what to pack for your stay, take a look at our guide to traveling to Japan for the first time .

1. Tokyo, the capital of Japan

Most of the first-timers to Japan make the country's capital their primary destination, and with good reason.

A visit to the bustling metropolis is a unique experience and offers travelers a wealth of iconic attractions to visit in Tokyo, as well as a plethora of fun activities to keep the kids entertained when visiting as a family.

Some of the places to visit in Tokyo include:

• Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree - the city's tallest and second-tallest buildings are ideal vantage points where you can take stunning pictures of the capital's skyline.
• Senso-ji - the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan and the most visited spiritual site in the world.
• Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan - You could easily spend an entire day at each of these vibrant theme parks near Tokyo, and your kids will probably love you forever, no matter which one you choose to visit.

Of course, you don't need to face long queues at the busiest tourist attractions to enjoy your time in Tokyo.

Walking around the city and experiencing the adorable array of world-class restaurants and unique shopping areas is enough for many first-timers. We would especially recommend visiting Shinjuku district.

If you're looking for ideas on where to stay in Japan's capital when you're traveling with kids, check out our guide to the best family hotels in Tokyo.

2. Historic Osaka

If you're staying in Tokyo and you feel like your capital city is full, we highly recommend a day trip to Osaka.

The first attraction to cross off your itinerary for the city is Osaka Castle, a historic structure that has survived countless fires, wars, and natural disasters.

Nevertheless, it has since been fully restored to its original glory. The extensive palace gardens are also a great place to visit during cherry blossom season, possibly the best time to visit Japan.

3. Arashiyama Bamboo Grove in Kyoto

While we would ideally recommend a few days in Kyoto to experience everything the city has to offer, you can easily do a tour in one day. However, we advise you to give preference to some attractions, especially Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, a magical natural place that is truly supernatural.

If you have time, we would highly recommend visiting the nearby Tenry-ji Temple, as well as the Fushimi Inari Shrine and its famous Red Tori Gate.

4. Hiroshima and Miyajima

If you are planning a 10-day Japan itinerary, you may want to consider getting a Japan Rail Pass and traveling a bit further. The city of Hiroshima and its famous Peace Memorial Park are a worthy destination in the south of the country.

If you have the time, we'd really recommend visiting nearby Miyajima Island, which is home to the floating Itsukushima Shrine. This ancient religious site is one of the most photographed places in Japan and you will know why if you visit the magical monument at sunset.