Backpacking Overseas? Travel Tips for Backpackers

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Backpacking overseas - Advice for the independent traveller

You have renewed your passport, picked up your tickets and packed your bags. So are you ready to head off overseas? Not quite. Whether you're a young traveller or a retiree, there are a few more things you should do to make your trip as enjoyable and hassle-free as possible.

Be a smart traveller: research your destination

Before you depart, it's a good idea to do some research on your destination and make sure you have the necessary documentation and items you need.

Read the travel advice. Our travel advisories provide information on the safety and security situation of more than 150 overseas destinations and cover a range of practical issues like visa requirements, health and medical issues, local laws and cultural differences. You can even subscribe to receive free, automatic email notification each time the travel advice for your destination is updated.

Get an up-to-date guidebook and check out websites like www.lonelyplanet.com.au, www.roughguides.com and www.travelbug.gov.au which have practical tips and detail other travellers' experiences. Use your search engine to find other useful sites or to locate your destination's tourist office in Australia.

Not-for-profit organisations such as YHA also offer regular Traveller Information Nights throughout Australia. For dates and locations, check newspaper travel sections.

Red tape: Sort it out early

efore you depart, it's a good idea to contact the embassy, consulate or diplomatic mission of the countries you intend to visit to obtain information on issues such as visas, travelling with medicines and working overseas. Contact details for embassies can be found in the white pages or online.

Visas

Find out early what visas you need by contacting the relevant embassy, high commission or consulate of the countries you intend to visit. Remember to also check the visa requirements of countries you might be transiting through.

Some countries may deny you entry if your passport has less than six months' validity, so be sure to ask about this too.

Working holidays

If you are planning to work overseas, prior preparation is essential. You should find out what rules and regulations apply before you depart by contacting the country's embassy, high commission or consulate.

Australia has reciprocal arrangements with a number of countries which allow Australians to work while on holiday there. See a full list of countries Australia has agreements with.

The not-for-profit organisation International Exchange Programs (IEP) specialises in international exchange programs for young Australians who want to work overseas. Further information can be found on their website.

Logistics: think ahead

Accommodation

It's a good idea to book your accommodation in advance, especially if you are due to arrive at your destination late at night or are travelling alone. Booking ahead will ensure you have more time to enjoy your destination without wasting time looking for a bed. Last minute accommodation, provided you can get it, can be very expensive.

You may find youth hostels to be a cheaper accommodation option. Organisations such as YHA have comprehensive and cheap accommodation networks. Visit their website for more details.

Luggage

You can find general information on luggage security and safety from the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority's website.

As a sensible precaution against tampering or theft, it is a good idea to ensure that all of your luggage is lockable and that you keep the keys on your person at all times.

If you are travelling to the United States, make sure you familiarise yourself with their specific airline baggage lock requirements. Information is available from the United States Department of Homeland Security's website.

Transport

When organising how to get around overseas, check out the local travel section in our travel advisories. Our local travel sections provide important information on the safety standards of local air, road and sea travel options, to help you decide which form of transport is right for you.

If you are planning on travelling on motorbikes, scooters or mopeds overseas, make sure this activity is covered by your travel insurance provider. Also, don't let local rental agencies convince you that you don't need a helmet. In many countries riding on a motorbike without a helmet is not only incredibly dangerous but illegal.

Keep in touch

While travelling it is important to keep in regular touch with your family and let them know of any changes to your travel plans. You may be having a great time on your holiday but forgetting to contact family and friends can cause them needless stress and worry. Each year, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's consular service receives hundreds of calls from concerned families who have not heard from travellers and are concerned for their safety.

To save your family and friends needless worry:

leave a copy of your itinerary with your family
register your travel plans or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate
establish an email address that you can access overseas
activate global roaming on your mobile phone but keep in mind your mobile phone may not work in some remote areas
contact your family and friends immediately if there is a natural disaster, major accident or terrorist attack in the area you are in, to let them know you are safe
advise your family how regularly they can expect to hear from you and stick to your word.

Stay safe

There are a number of practical steps you can take to avoid running into difficulties and dangerous situations and stay safe overseas.

Money and valuables

Before departure:

organise a variety of ways of accessing your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques and cash
check with your bank whether your ATM card will work overseas
make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.

While overseas:

don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves
wherever possible, leave passports, travellers' cheques and other valuables in a safety deposit box or safe at your hotel
if you have to carry them with you, keep your passport and valuables in something that can be worn around the neck, under your clothes and out of sight
lock your baggage when unattended, particularly at airports, train stations and on buses.

Personal safety

While overseas:

be wary of food and drink spiking � never leave food or drink unattended
comply with local dress codes and cultural sensitivities (this applies to both male and female travellers)
don't hitch-hike
avoid unlit and back streets at night
avoid travelling alone in train carriages, and on sleeper trains keep the carriage door locked
keep your hotel door locked and meet visitors in the lobby
never give out your hotel name or room number to strangers
think twice before accepting an invitation to go out with a stranger alone
to ensure you are familiar with the types of crime and scams that might occur, check out the crime section in the travel advice for your destination.

Avoid trouble with drugs overseas

Every year Australians are arrested overseas on drugs charges. Don't be fooled into thinking it is worth risking carrying or taking drugs overseas. Australians do get caught and the strict penalties in place, including the death penalty, do apply to foreigners.

To minimise your chances of getting into trouble with drugs overseas:

obey the law � don't purchase, take or travel with drugs
lock your bags as a sensible precaution against tampering or theft
don't leave your bags unattended in public areas
don't leave your bags in the care of a stranger
never carry anything into or out of another country for someone else
ensure your medicines are not considered illegal drugs overseas by contacting the nearest embassy of the country you are visiting before departing.

Every year the Australian Government provides consular assistance to Australians who have been arrested or jailed overseas for drug offences.

In the event that you are arrested on drug charges overseas, be aware that:

countries like Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam impose tough penalties including the death penalty and life imprisonment
in some countries the possession of small quantities of so-called �soft drugs' can also attract jail sentences or heavy fines
as soon as you arrive in another country, you are subject to that country's local laws
ignorance of local laws is not a valid defence
following your arrest you have the right to contact the Australian Government, but consular assistance cannot override local law, even where local laws may appear harsh by Australian standards.

Health and safety issues

Insurance is essential

We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, before leaving on your trip. When organising your insurance make sure it will cover you for the whole time you plan to be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. For example, if you plan to hike, do adventure activities or ride motorcycles or bicycles while overseas, you should confirm that your policy will cover you if you have an accident while doing one of these activities.

Remember: 'If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.'

Why you need travel insurance:

daily hospitalisation costs in South-East Asia regularly exceed $800
a stay in a general ward in Noumea's main hospital costs a minimum of $1500 per day and in the Intensive Care Unit the daily charge starts at
the return of a deceased person's remains from Europe can cost in excess of $10,000
the cost of medical evacuations from the United States regularly range from $75,000 to $95,000 and sometimes up to $300,000.

Vaccinations and health checks

It is a good idea to have a health and dental check-up before you leave, especially if you are travelling overseas for long periods. Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about immunisations and disease outbreaks overseas.

You can also find out more about health travel and vaccinations from:

Personal Precautions

When travelling, particuarly if you are heading off the beaten track, it pays to be cautious. You may find the following precautions help you to avoid falling ill or running into difficulties overseas, so you can spend more time enjoying yourself.

Before you depart:

find out whether tap water and local food is safe to consume. Common infections contracted by travellers include those which follow eating or drinking contaminated food or water

find out from your doctor or health clinic whether a risk of rabies is present in the country you are visiting. If you are travelling to an area where rabies is endemic, avoid contact with any animal that is capable of biting or scratching a human. Animals which are known to carry the rabies virus include dogs, cats, foxes, bats, monkeys, racoons, bears, rodents and rabbits. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal while overseas seek immediate medical treatment. For more information on rabies visit the Department of Health and Ageing's website.

While travelling:

as you will not always be near a medical clinic or chemist, carry a small medical kit with you at all times. Include items such as headache tablets, antacids, antiseptic lotion, cotton wool, band-aids, latex gloves, bandages, safety pins, 30+ sunscreen and an appropriate insect repellent

there are a number of mosquito-borne illness you can contract while overseas, particularly in tropical areas. Take measures to avoid being bitten, such as wearing light coloured, loose fitting clothing that covers your arms and legs, regularly applying an appropriate insect repellent and staying in mosquito-proof accommodation

if you are planning on participating in outdoor adventure activities check the weather forecast and find out from local authorities if weather conditions are subject to change quickly. In some countries travellers participating in outdoor adventure activities, particularly in remote areas, have been stranded and/or injured due to rapid weather changes. Make sure you advise someone where you are going and when to expect you back, so they can raise the alarm if you do not return on time

if you are looking to book adventure activities or tours through local suppliers, make sure the company complies with relevant safety standards and staff have appropriate training and experience.

Medications

Before leaving home you should check that any medications you intend to take with you are legal in the countries you will be visiting. You can do this by contacting the relevant embassy or high commission.

If you require regular or prescription medication while travelling, discuss this with your doctor and arrange an appropriate supply. It is advisable to take a letter from your doctor detailing the contents of tablets or other medicine you'll be carrying with you. Keep the letter and a copy of the doctor's prescription with the medication.

Further information is available in our Travelling well brochure.

Reciprocal health care agreements

Australia has health care agreements with some countries, including Finland, Italy, Norway, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Under these agreements, Australians can access urgent or emergency medical treatment overseas. However, general medical services are only provided when the need for treatment arises during the visit and it would be unreasonable to delay treatment until the individual's intended return date.

It is important to remember that:

you will only be covered by these health care agreements once you are in the specific country. Health problems which occur during travel to and from an agreement country are not covered
health care agreements are no substitute for travel insurance. They will not cover you if a doctor recommends medical evacuation back to Australia.

See further information about international health agreements or telephone: 13 2011.

Top 10 tips for safe travel

It is important for all Australians to remember that many problems encountered overseas can be avoided if some simple precautions are taken. Follow our top 10 overseas travel tips to be well on your way to having a hassle-free journey.

Check the latest travel advice for your destination and subscribe to receive instant email notification each time the travel advice for your destination is updated.
Take out appropriate travel insurance to cover hospital treatment, medical evacuation and any activities, including adventure sports, in which you plan to participate.
Before travelling overseas register your details online or at the local Australian embassy, high commission or consulate.
Check to see if you require visas for the country or countries you are visiting or transiting. Be aware, however, that a visa does not guarantee entry.
Make copies of your passport details, insurance policy, travellers' cheques, visas and credit card numbers. Carry one copy in a separate place to the originals and leave a copy with someone at home.
Check with health professionals for information on recommended vaccinations or other precautions and find out about overseas laws on travelling with medicines.
Make sure your passport has at least six months validity and carry additional copies of your passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.
Leave a copy of your travel itinerary with someone at home and keep in regular contact with friends and relatives while overseas.
Before departing Australia check whether you are regarded as a national of the country you intend to visit. Research whether holding dual nationality has any implications for your travel.
Obey the law. Local laws and legal processes can be very different from those in Australia. Consular assistance cannot override local laws, even where local laws appear harsh or unjust by Australian standards.

This information was provided by smartraveller, The Australian Government's travel advisory and consular assistance service. For more information, click here

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