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Traveling in Australia is like being polite in Japan or complaining in France. It's just what they do. The network of hostels in Australia rivals the one in Europe and it's far more complete than what you'd find in North America. Hotels in the country tend to be rather pricy, particularly in the big cities and resort areas. Fortunately, the country is loaded with hostels, or as they are almost always referred to here, "backpackers."

It shouldn't be a surprise that cities like Sydney and Melbourne have dozens of hostels spread over various parts of the area, but it might be a surprise that many of the hostels in Australia are found in towns with as few as 1,000 residents. Once you get out of the major population centers things get pretty small pretty fast, but there are little resort communities all over - many of them throughout the northern Queensland coast - and most all of them have at least a couple of hostels.

And yes, hostels in Australia are almost always called "backpackers" yet they are exactly the same thing. They almost all have community kitchens and lounge areas where guests can mingle, but tons of Australia hostels also have local tours, weekly barbeques, bike rentals, surfboard rentals, pub-crawls, and other special features and events.

Everyone is welcome

And just as hostels have changed all over the globe, Australia hostels have also kept up with the times. Daytime lockouts and most nighttime curfews are long gone. A very few places have age restrictions, but those are usually only on dorm rooms. The great majority of hostels in Australia have private rooms as well. The country's own residents are avid travelers and staying in the local backpackers is common for people in all age groups. The private rooms are often only a few dollars more per night, and they are a great way to sleep in privacy but still get to enjoy all the extra features and events that you'd never find in a normal budget hotel or motel.

The cheapest beds in Sydney and Melbourne usually start around $AUD22 per night in the larger dorm rooms, but you shouldn't automatically choose the cheapest bed. Many hostels have dorm rooms with 12 beds each at that price and rooms with perhaps only 4 beds for only a few dollars more per night. If you are traveling as a pair or a trio you can often get one of these smaller rooms to yourself.

Location is important

And just as with hotels, location is critically important when you are staying in a large area. Most hostels in Australia are bunched together in the most traveler-friendly district of each city, but many places also have hostels on the fringe of town. Those might be a bit cheaper, or might be well suited to beachgoers rather than city tourists, but it's important to sort that out before you book. We try to describe the best area for budget travelers in each place in the individual listings, as well as highlight some of the more popular and centrally-located Australia hostels in each location.

Bon voyage!

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