5 Top Tips For Gold Coast Backpackers

Gold Coast backpackers! Welcome to Gold Coast Australia! This is one of the most beautiful places in the world to backpack. The scenery is gorgeous, the air is fresh, the people are friendly, and there are plenty of places to stay. However, there are a few things that every traveler should keep in mind no matter where they are.

To list just a few of the most important pieces of advice you need to be armed with...

Carry Water

And lots of it. You're going to be spending a lot of time walking from place to place, because even if you can hitch a ride from town to town, there will be a lot of times where you'll stop and say "Well I'm only three miles off from here, might as well walk the rest of the way!" You need to stay hydrated, because it's very easy to lose track of how much water you're losing sweating it out under the Australian sun. So keep more than enough water on you at all times.

Carry a Towel

It's not just an inside joke to the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, it's actually a great piece of advice. A towel can double as a pillow, a small blanket, a tourniquet, a knapsack, a picnic blanket, a shade, a hat, a wet towel to throw over your neck when it's dry out, and on and on. A towel is pretty much the most useful and versatile tool in any traveler's inventory.

Be Wary

You need to be able to trust people when traveling, so, yeah, most people picking up hitch hikers aren't nuts, but... Some of them are. Always be on the lookout for anyone who seems less than one hundred percent trustworthy. There aren't many of these people along the Gold Coast, but use your traveler's sense and don't trust anyone looking to sell the Sydney Opera House to the out of towner.

Book Ahead

There are plenty of hostels and B&B's along the coast, but you still want to make sure to try and book ahead. Now, when backpacking, your schedule is somewhat uncertain, but luckily, most hostels are willing to accommodate that unpredictability. Keep in touch with the people at your hostel or B&B and let them know when you're coming, know where you hope to stay before you get into town.

Take a Break!

You want to keep going when traveling, but if you feel tired, take a day and just stay in one town! Take a load off, see what sort of TV they watch in Australia, have a drink or two, and just stay an extra night before ramblin' on. Not too long, or you may get lethargic, but a day or two off the road can really help to give you a pause to stop and think about your journey so far. Remember, a backpacking trip isn't just a trip around the world, it's also an internal voyage, helping you to discover your own place in the world, and what you want to do with your life. Take the time to journey inwards as well as outwards.