Things to do in Australia
Top 10 lists for backpackers: big adventures, unusual trips and good value days out, made from the best-reviewed tours on Viator and refreshed every hour. Price counts, so a cheap and brilliant trip beats a pricey one. Where a Matey partner runs something similar, you'll see them first.
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Aboriginal-led experiences
Led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander guides and businesses, checked operator by operator.
Backpacker favourites
Top 10 backpacker adventures in AustraliaThe big ones: tandem skydives, Tully River rafting, K'gari 4WD tag-alongs, sandboarding, surf lessons and Blue Mountains canyoning. Best-reviewed on Viator, with value counted.Unusual Australia: 10 things you can only do hereJumping crocodiles, glow worm caves, camels on Cable Beach, whale sharks at Ningaloo and a wombat or two. One of each, picked from the best-reviewed on Viator.Best things to do under A$100Well-reviewed tours and activities from under A$100 across the big backpacker stops. Prices are Viator's from-prices and can change.Almost free: 10 good things under A$40Nothing on Viator is free, but these well-reviewed walks, crime tours, river cruises and wildlife stops start under A$40.Best for meeting people: group trips and pub crawlsTrips that come with a crew: pub crawls, overnight sailing in the Whitsundays, K'gari tag-alongs and small group tours. Picked from the best-reviewed on Viator.After your 88 days: treat yourselfFarm work done? These cost more than anything else on Matey's lists, and they're the big once-in-a-trip splurges: balloon flights, scenic flights over Heart Reef, whale sharks and multi-day sails.
This month
By place
SydneyMelbourneBrisbaneGold CoastByron BayNoosa and Sunshine CoastK'gari and Hervey BayAirlie Beach and WhitsundaysCairns and Tropical NorthDarwinUluruPerthAdelaideHobart
Best day trips from SydneyDay trips out of Sydney that backpackers rate, ranked by rating, reviews and price on Viator. Small group tours get a nudge up.Best day trips from MelbourneDay trips out of Melbourne that backpackers rate, ranked by rating, reviews and price on Viator. Small group tours get a nudge up.Best day trips from BrisbaneDay trips out of Brisbane that backpackers rate, ranked by rating, reviews and price on Viator. Small group tours get a nudge up.Best day trips from CairnsDay trips out of Cairns that backpackers rate, ranked by rating, reviews and price on Viator. Small group tours get a nudge up.Rainy day in Sydney: things to do indoorsWet day in Sydney? Museums, tastings, food tours and classes, mostly under a roof. Best-reviewed on Viator, ranked with price counted.Rainy day in Melbourne: things to do indoorsWet day in Melbourne? Museums, tastings, food tours and classes, mostly under a roof. Best-reviewed on Viator, ranked with price counted.
By month
Matey's seasonal picks, from well-known patterns like whale season and the tropical dry season.
By vibe
Best reef and island trips in QueenslandGreat Barrier Reef snorkel days from Cairns and Port Douglas, Whitsundays sails to Whitehaven Beach and K'gari island trips, ranked for value as well as reviews.Surf and beach: lessons, kayaks and dolphinsLearn to surf in Byron, Noosa, Bondi or on the Great Ocean Road, or paddle out with the Byron dolphins in a sea kayak. Ranked by rating, reviews and price.Wildlife you can't see at homeKoalas, kangaroos, wombats, Tasmanian devils, crocodiles and the Phillip Island penguins. One trip per animal, picked from the best-reviewed on Viator.Sunset and night: after-dark AustraliaSunset sails, glow worms, rainforest night walks, stargazing and ghost and crime tours. Picked from the best-reviewed on Viator, with value counted.Best food and wine tours on a budgetWinery days, food walks and tastings from Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Hobart and Margaret River, ranked by rating, reviews and price.
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