5 Gap Year Destinations in Australia [Sponsored Post]

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Australia is one of the most popular gap year destinations in the world and a haven for younger travellers. It has world class beaches, thriving exciting cities and incredible attractions. It’s one of the best places for adventurous activities and outdoor excursions. There’s so much to do throughout the country that many people decide to spend a year or more exploring this vast country. If you’re thinking about planning a gap year break to Australia we thought we’d look at some of the highlights and what you can get up to when you’re there.

The Cities

The highlight of a trip to Australia will probably be the scenery but the cities are simply incredible and a brilliant place to start a trip. Sydney is everyone’s first port of call and offers incredible architecture, stunning culture and a night life and atmosphere that will make you instantly fall in love with the country. There’s Sydney harbour and the Opera house to explore, Sydeny tower and amazing night clubs and bars throughout the city so you won’t be bored for a second. From here you can head to Perth with its parks, concert halls, museums and theatres. Perth has a much more laid back atmosphere and is beautiful in every way possible. Finally Adelaide is a must stop destination with its vineyards and its location surrounded by national parks, nature reserves and, to the west, an incredible coastline with fantastic beaches and quiet seaside outskirts.

The Outback

The Outback is vast and words can barely do justice to the scale and beauty of Australia’s countryside. You can travel by bus through the regions or rent a car to see some of the most incredible natural sites in the world. Start by taking the great ocean drive to see some of the best scenery. Stop off at wave rock near Hayden and watch the sea breaking futilely against the stone. See Ayers rock the largest single rock in Australia and absolutely incredible. You’ll want to spend as much time as possible exploring the outback as it really is one of the most exciting, incredible and breath-takingly beautiful places in the world. Just don’t step on a snake!

The Beaches and the Great Barrier Reef

While the outback and the cities are fantastic there’s one thing that really brings in the crowds; the beaches. Australia’s beaches are what dreams are made of with warm white sands, warm waters and the best surf in the world. The atmosphere along the beach towns, the parties, the surf and the shores are the ultimate summer holiday destination. You can stay in waterfront hostels and enjoy the beautiful beaches for months on end. There are outdoor activities galore from surfing and windsurfing to skydiving, bungee jumping and rock climbing. Then, of course, there’s the Great Barrier Reef which is one of the natural wonders of the world and absolutely stunning. The sheer density and diversity of sea life on offer here makes this a wonderful destination and you’ll want to explore this as much as possible on your holiday.

Other Gap Year essentials

While these are undoubtedly some of the highlights of any trip to Australia there’s plenty of other activities and things you could do on your holiday. One thing we’d really recommend is trying to take part in a gap year project of some kind. Throughout the outback and on the Great Barrier Reef you can find hundreds of conservation projects and it’s a great chance to really get to understand the area and immerse yourself in its beauty. You can also try to get jobs on tour boats or in hotels if you just want to make a little extra spending money between trips to the beach. Whatever you choose to do Australia is an incredible gap year destination.

Visit Columbus Direct for great deals on gap year travel insurance in and around Australia.

Photo credits in order of appearance: Lake McKenzi, A Bush Turkey? And Nearly Set… By Will Ellis