Best Time to Travel to Australia and New Zealand 2024

Source: Booking, AdobeStock, Adventure

It’s safe to say that even Australia and New Zealand have periods best suited for traveling. Australia and New Zealand are excellent if you’re looking to sample the craziness of the continent. Australia is the weirdest place on earth, with literary everything trying to kill you in one-way shape or form.

New Zealand, on the other hand, has the biggest sheep population in the world; how weird is that? The island of New Zealand has a sheep to human ratio of 20, meaning that there are 20 sheep for each person living. That accounts for nearly 30 million sheep.

So, yeah, it’s safe to say that both countries are fairly weird. And who doesn’t like weird?

If you happened to be traveling to Australia or New Zealand, then you need to make sure you’re traveling in the right time.

This article will solely focus on that; determining the best time to travel to both countries. So, without further ado, let’s start our article.

Best Months to Visit Australia

Source: Booking

If you didn’t know by now, we’re actually living in opposite seasons with the Aussies. Whenever we have summer, the Aussies have winter, and vice versa.

So, naturally, the Northern Hemisphere has summer from December to February. Winter starts from June to August, but the winters there are much different than in Europe, Asia, or the Americas.

However, with all that said, temperatures in both seasons vary depending on which region of the country you’re in. Darwin, for example, can experience the high 70s in the winter months. And to top it off, they rarely see snow or even rain. Even in the winter months, Australia can be very hot.

Other parts, such as Melbourne and Adelaide have it much better. Winters are quite cool, while summers aren’t as extreme as in other parts of the country.

Based on all that, visiting in the summer could be a nightmare. However, visiting between January and February (winter season) could actually make your trip enjoyable. You should pack a few sweaters just in temperatures decide to drop.

When to Visit the East Coast?

Source: RMIT University

The East Coast is a vast area that is easily accessible from Northern America. This area of land stretches from Melbourne all the way up to Cairns.

This huge area of land experiences similar temperatures as the rest. Summers can be very hot and winters can vary in temperatures. If you’re a beach person, then June to August are best to visit. If you’re in for sightseeing, then November through March is perfectly fine.

The closer you get to the Barrier Reef, the warmer the temperatures. The Barrier Reef tends to be consistently warm.

When to Visit the Gold Coast?

Source: Queensland

The Gold Coast is part of the East Coast, and it is an area from Gold Coast City all the way down to Sydney. This big chunk of land is nearly 500 miles long, and it tends to experience nice weather all throughout the year.

The Gold Coast has some of the best beaches in Australia, including Coogee, Manly, Bondi, Surfers Paradise, etc. Again, same as before, you should make your decision based on what you’re after.

Cognee, Manly, and Bondi are Sydney’s most popular beaches. If you happened to be visiting the Gold Coast and are looking to hire private tours to take you sightseeing, then make sure to visit Sydney Private Tours.

When to Visit South Australia?

Source: Tourlane

South Australia is mostly remote. The Aussies call this the “Outback”. It is a reference to a vastly remote area that temperatures can get quite high in the summers. It is even potentially unsafe for you to be there during the summer months.

The city to visit South Australia in Adelaide. The months to visit the state are the summer months, where it can be quite chilly sometimes. If you’re visiting during the winter season, on the other hand, you might catch the famous whale season.

Summary

Source: AdobeStock

Australia is definitely a mixed bag when it comes to the best time to visit. It’s generally advised to avoid the chilly winter months in the south and the hot summer months in the north. However, you should go whenever you feel comfortable.

Best Time to Visit New Zealand

Source: The Nature Conservancy

The seasons are directly opposite for New Zealand as they are for Australia. Both countries lie in the Northern Hemispheres, but New Zealand experiences the seasons very differently than their neighbor.

It’s a common thing for you to experience all four seasons in one day.

Unlike in Australia, New Zealand is more colorful. For example, the autumns in the country are spectacularly colorful. Temperatures, also, aren’t in the extremes, but they can be quite similar to their neighbors.

Source: Beach Tomato

The summer months (December – February) gives you the best weather for you to relax and enjoy the beach. However, this period is also the busiest as the people travel the most for the holidays. Also, summers are quite expensive, with most accommodations and airlines charging the most.

The autumn months (March-May) might be your cup of tea. That is if you want to avoid the crowds and sample the magnificent of the country. If you’re planning on visiting New Zealand in the autumn, do know that the countryside is exceptionally beautiful.

Source: Adventure

Winters (June – August) are quite short in New Zealand. If you happened to be in the mountains, then you might want to pack a jacket with you. But otherwise, the winters are quite iffy and mild. You can ski, stargaze, go sightseeing, and even experience the volcanic peaks of Tongariro National Park.

And the last season, spring (September – November) is the best time to visit if you’re an adventurous soul. The snow melts in the spring, and the countryside starts to peak. The springs are best for sampling nature, climbing mountains, trekking, etc.

Both countries might lie on the same hemisphere, but are quite different in their seasons. New Zealand doesn’t have a bad time to visit, and you should make the decision based on what you want the most.