smartraveller.gov.au - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Backpacking overseas

You have renewed your passport, got your tickets and packed your bags. Ready to go? 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.

This brochure is designed to provide backpackers with information and travel tips to help prepare for a safe and healthy journey.

Before you go

Be Prepared

The better prepared you are, the more safe and enjoyable your travel will be.

• Check the latest travel advice for your destination at smartraveller.gov.au before you go. Subscribe to receive free email notification each time the advice is updated.
• Take out 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 travel and contact details online at smartraveller.gov.au,or at the local Australian embassy, high commission or consulate once you arrive so we can contact you in an emergency.

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. Start with the latest travel advice for your destinations at smartraveller.gov.au. It will help you get a quick overview of the key things to know, the main risks and some precautions you can take.

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 websites or locate your destination’s tourist office in Australia.

Not-for-profit organisations such as Youth Hostel Association (YHA) also offer regular traveller information nights throughout Australia. For dates and locations, check the travel sections in newspapers or visit www.yha.com.au.

Visit an online chat-room. It is an opportunity to exchange ideas and hear from fellow backpackers about the pros and cons of backpacking around the world. But weigh up the authenticity of the advice and choose which parts to follow during your trip. Don’t rely on word of mouth or mates when it comes to safety and security. Check out the latest official travel advice at smartraveller.gov.au.

Before you depart, you should contact the embassy, high commission or consulate of the countries you intend to visit to obtain information on issues such as visas, travelling with medicines and working overseas. Contact details for foreign diplomatic missions can be found in the White Pages or online at www.dfat.gov.au/protocol.

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.

Remember: a visa does not guarantee entry to a foreign country.

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 embassy, high commission or consulate of the country where you hope to work.

Australia has reciprocal arrangements with a number of countries which allow Australians to work while on holiday there. You should contact the closest relevant mission to find out if there is a reciprocal arrangement in place.

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 the IEP’s website www.iep.org.au.

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 can use the internet to find reliable, affordable accommodation around the world. Accommodation booking websites often offer discounted web-only specials. Make sure to read and familiarise yourself with the terms and conditions. If paying on the net make certain that the site uses secure technology, so information entered is encrypted before it goes anywhere in cyberspace.

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

Luggage

You can find general information on luggage security and safety from the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s website www.casa.gov.au/airsafe/trip/packing.htm.

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 with you at all times.

If you are travelling to the USA, 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: www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/locks.shtm.

Transport

When organising how to get around overseas, check out the local travel section in our travel advisories on smartraveller.gov.au. 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.

Be aware that the safety standards you might expect of transport and tour operators, including adventure activities, are not always met. Sufficient safety equipment may not be provided and recommended maintenance standards and safety precautions may not be observed.

CASE STUDY: A young couple holidaying on a resort island in Europe hired a moped to visit a remote beach. They did not even think to ask about helmets - none of the locals wore them. A collision with a truck on a tight bend left the woman in hospital with a broken leg and concussion. She had travel insurance but the company said her policy would not pay because she was not wearing a helmet. You should always read the fine print.

If you are planning on travelling on motorbikes, scooters or mopeds overseas, make sure your travel insurance policy covers this activity. 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 is also illegal.

Make sure you organise an International Drivers Licence before you leave Australia if you are planning to drive overseas.

Once you are Overseas

Staying 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 valuable documents 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 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 (eg. money belt)
• 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 hitchhike
• avoid unlit and back streets at night
• avoid travelling alone in train carriages and keep the carriage door locked on sleeper compartments
• 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 at smartraveller.gov.au.

Drugs

Don’t use, carry or get involved 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. Strict legal penalties, including death sentences, do apply to foreigners. The Australian Government can’t get you out of jail.

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. Contact details are available from www.dfat.gov.au/protocol.
• In some countries the presence of illegal drugs detected in blood or urine tests is considered possession. You may also be charged with possessing drugs if trace amounts are found on your body, clothes or luggage. Amounts of 0.05 grams or less can lead to guilty verdicts.

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 life imprisonment and the death penalty
• the possession of small quantities of so-called ‘soft drugs’ can attract jail sentences or heavy fines in some countries
• 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
• if arrested 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.

Keeping 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 (DFAT) receives hundreds of calls from concerned families who have not heard from loved ones overseas and are concerned for their safety.

To save your family and friends needless worry:

• leave a copy of your itinerary and travel insurance details with your family
• register your travel and contact details at smartraveller.gov.au or in person at any Australian embassy, high commission or consulate so we can contact you in an emergency
• establish an email address that you can access overseas
• activate global roaming on your mobile phone but remember it may not work in remote areas
• contact your family and friends immediately to let them know you are safe if there is a natural disaster, major accident or terrorist attack in the area you are in
• advise your family how regularly they can expect to hear from you and stick to your word.

Health and Safety Issues

Insurance is essential

Regardless of how healthy and fit you are – if you cannot afford travel insurance, you cannot afford to travel.

We strongly recommend that before you depart you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs. When organising your insurance make sure your policy will cover you for the whole time you plan to be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included. If you plan to hike, take part in adventure activities or sport like scuba diving or parasailing, or ride motorcycles or bicycles while overseas, be upfront about your plans with your insurance provider. Confirm that your policy will cover you if you have an accident while doing these activities.

If you are planning to rely on the travel insurance provided by your credit card, you should, before travelling, obtain a written confirmation of what exactly the insurance will cover.

CASE STUDY: A university student decided to take time off and travel around Europe. He thought running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, sounded fun. One night after a party he was hit by a car as he and his mates walked back to their hotel. He needed brain surgery and a long period of rehabilitation. Two months in the local hospital cost $75,000. He came home by an air ambulance with a full medical team, which cost $150,000. He did not have travel insurance and his family had no choice but to re-mortgage their house to meet the bills.

Don’t base your decision to take out insurance on the assumption that ‘it won’t happen to me’. Accidents do happen!

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 $1,500 per day, while the daily charge in the intensive care unit starts at $3,000
• the return of a deceased person’s remains from Europe can cost more than $10,000
• the cost of medical evacuations from the United States regularly range from $75,000 to $95,000 and can reach up to $300,000
• don’t assume the Australian tax payers will pick up your costs. You and your family may need to exhaust all your own resources and if you get a loan from the government you will be legally required to repay it in full
• comprehensive insurance can cover you for personal liability and other risks you may not think about.

CASE STUDY: A young backpacker in Asia was hit by a car when crossing the road. He was badly injured and required surgery, a long stay in hospital and a medical evacuation to Australia for rehabilitation. He had travel insurance. All costs were covered. Without insurance the bill to him and his family would have been $70,000.

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:

• World Health Organization – www.who.int/en
• Health Services Australia – www.healthoz.com.au
• Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad – www.masta.edu.au
• Travel Clinics Australia – www.travelclinic.com.au
• Traveller’s Medical and Vaccination Centres – www.tmvc.com.au

Personal Precautions

When travelling, particularly 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 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: www.health.gov.au.

While travelling:

• you may not always be near a medical clinic or chemist, so carry a small medical kit with you at all times. Include items such as headache tablets, antacids, glucose sachets, antiseptic lotion, cotton wool, bandaids, 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 can 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 tell 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 want 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, high commission or consulate, see: www.info.dfat.gov.au/protocol.

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.

For further information, obtain and/or download a copy of the brochure Travelling well, available from smartraveller.gov.au/tips/travelwell.html.

Reciprocal Health Care Agreements

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

These agreements enable Australians to access urgent or emergency treatment overseas. However, general medical services are only provided when the need for treatment arises and it would be unreasonable to delay treatment until the individual's return to Australia.

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.

Further information about international health agreements can be found at www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/yourhealth/going_overseas/to.htm or by calling 132011.

Getting Help Overseas

Insurance

Companies who offer travel insurance often have in place a 24-hour assistance call centre which you can call from anywhere in the world. If you get sick overseas or are involved in a medical emergency, you should contact your travel insurance provider as soon as possible.

Counselling Services

Australians overseas in need of counselling services can contact our Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 which will transfer the call through to a Lifeline Telephone Counsellor.

Consular Services

DFAT provides help to Australians who find themselves in trouble overseas. Through this support, known as consular services, the department's consular officers provide assistance to Australians who are overseas.

The Australian Government will do what it can to help Australians in difficulties overseas. However, Australians need to remember that when they go abroad they leave behind Australia's support systems, emergency service capabilities and medical facilities. There are legal and practical limits to what consular officers can do for travellers overseas and Australians need to have realistic expectations.

Australians made more than 5 million overseas trips in 2006-07, compared to 3.4 million in 2002-03. In 2006-07 alone, DFAT assisted over 33,000 Australians in over 169 countries and handled over 300,000 public inquiries.

The Australian Government cannot decide for Australians where or when to travel overseas and how to behave. Australians are intrepid travellers and are leaving in ever greater numbers to out-of-the way, sometimes dangerous places. These are personal choices which the Australian Government respects. However, you need to accept responsibility to minimise risks to yourself. Consular functions are governed by international agreements and the Australian Government cannot impose Australia's laws, rules or standards on other countries.

Consular officers can be found in Australian diplomatic and consular posts overseas. DFAT’s consular network extends to some 170 points of service around the world. These overseas posts are usually located in capital cities but there are also some in regional centres. Sometimes the head of an Australian consulate will be an Honorary Consul.

Not all countries have an Australian diplomatic or consular post but there is usually an Australian post in the region. Under a consular agreement with Canada there are a number of locations where Australians can access consular services through Canadian embassies and high commissions. Informal arrangements also exist with other consular services including those of the United Kingdom and the United States to lend assistance to Australians in need.

Address and telephone numbers of Australian embassies, high commissions and consulates can be found in local telephone directories, hotels, tourist offices or police stations in the country concerned.

A directory of Australian overseas posts and Canadian posts that assist Australians appears in Travel Smart: hints for Australian travellers booklet. This booklet is issued with your passport. To obtain and/or download a copy, go to smartraveller.gov.au/hints/index.html.

The 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre (CEC) in Canberra can also be contacted for assistance from anywhere in the world on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 (local call cost within Australia).

What we CAN DO to help Australians overseas includes:

• help during crises, such as civil unrest and natural disasters

• provide advice and support and arrange for next-of-kin to be informed in the case of an accident, serious illness or death, or if an Australian is a victim of a serious crime
• visit or contact Australians who are arrested and arrange for their family to be informed (if they wish)
• contact relatives and friends on an Australian’s behalf and ask them to assist with money or tickets
• provide some limited financial assistance in real emergencies (subject to strict criteria)
• provide information on a government scheme under which eligible Australians can apply for financial assistance in limited circumstances to help with legal costs overseas
• witness and certify signatures
• provide a list of local doctors, lawyers and, if available, interpreters
• issue passports, including emergency passports.

What we CANNOT DO to help Australians overseas includes:

• give legal advice, investigate crimes or intervene in court proceedings
• get Australians out of prison or obtain special treatment for Australians in prison
• provide medical services or medications
• arrange visas, work or residence permits for other countries, or help Australians to obtain them
• pay or guarantee payment of hotel, medical or any other bills, including the cost of returning lost luggage to Australia
• act as a travel agent, bank or post office, or store luggage
• become involved in commercial disputes or take up complaints about local purchases
• provide translation, interpreter, telephone or photocopy services.

For further information, obtain and/or download a copy of the brochure Consular Services Charter, available from smartraveller.gov.au/consular_charter/index.html.

TOP 10 TRAVEL TIPS

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 travel tips to be well on your way to having a hassle-free journey.

1. Check the latest travel advice for your destination at smartraveller.gov.au before you go. Subscribe to receive free email notification each time travel advice is updated.
2. Take out travel insurance to cover hospital treatment, medical evacuation and any activities, like adventure sports, in which you plan to participate.
3. Before travelling overseas register your travel and contact details online at smartraveller.gov.au or at the local Australian embassy, high commission or consulate once you arrive so we can contact you in an emergency.
4. Obey the law of the country you’re visiting. Don’t expect to be treated differently to the locals just because you’re Australian, even where local laws appear harsh or unfair by Australian standards.
5. Make sure you have the right visas for the countries you are visiting or transiting. Remember: a visa doesn’t guarantee entry. Visa, customs and quarantine conditions change regularly.
6. 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.
7. Consult your doctor on any recommended vaccinations and the necessary health precautions to take. Also find out about taking medication overseas – certain medicines aren’t allowed in some countries.
8. Make sure your passport has a minimum six months validity. Carry extra passport photos just in case your passport is lost or stolen and you need to replace it while away.
9. Keep in contact with friends and family back home and give them a copy of your itinerary so they know where you are.
10. Check to see if you’re regarded as a national of the country you plan to visit, and whether dual nationality will haveany implications for your travel plans.

CONSULAR BROCHURES

DFAT has prepared a range of brochures for Australians planning to travel overseas. Copies of these brochures are available at DFAT state and territory offices, Australian Passport Offices, overseas posts and selected travel agents. They can be read and ordered in hard copy online at smartraveller.gov.au/order_brochure.html.

Travel agencies and other businesses and educational facilities organising or promoting travel may order bulk quantities of the brochures online at: smartraveller.gov.au/order_brochure.html.