Aussies create strict list of rules for tourists to follow if they want to fit in (and survive)

Australia
By William

Australians have put together a comprehensive guide for tourists to follow when visiting Down Under if they want to fit in with the locals and stay out of harm’s way.

A Singapore woman will soon be traveling to Australia for a holiday and asked Australians what they need to know before they land.

And the locals didn’t hold back.

There were many sensible rules, including always swimming between the flags on the beach, not taking food into the country and following safety guidelines when exploring the bush and national parks.

They also include accidents to avoid – from making sure you don’t use a fake Australian accent to respecting people’s personal space in public and always keep left on footpaths.

Australians have put together a comprehensive guide for tourists to follow when visiting Down Under if they want to fit in with the locals and stay out of harm’s way

“Don’t ask us any more questions about snakes and spiders, because you’ve heard it before,” said one man.

‘Don’t try to emphasize. It’s an embarrassment to both of us,” wrote another, before someone warned visitors never to walk on the right side of the footpath.

‘[Stop] standing inches behind the next person in line, especially if that person is me,” another added.

One Australian reminded visitors of water restrictions due to the dry climate in some states.

‘Don’t take 30-minute showers. Ask anyone who lived during the thousand-year drought what we think about that,” they said.

When in town, Aussies said tourists should get coffee from local cafes rather than chains and be aware of their surroundings.

‘Stop stopping in the middle of a sidewalk or walkway to take pictures of things. We appreciate you’re here to take in the sights, but stand aside and THEN take your photo,” one user raged.

'Don't take 30-minute showers. Ask anyone who lived during the thousand-year drought what we think about that,” said one Australian

‘Don’t take 30-minute showers. Ask anyone who lived during the thousand-year drought what we think about that,” said one Australian

Many offered advice for exploring regional Australia and how to be respectful of the flora and fauna: 'Don't feed the wildlife. It's bad for them

Many offered advice for exploring regional Australia and how to be respectful of the flora and fauna: ‘Don’t feed the wildlife. It’s bad for them

‘We don’t have a culture of tipping and most of us hate institutions that try to force us to do so. We assume that service staff will receive the appropriate reward percentage and not have to rely on tips,” another commented.

Many offered advice for exploring regional Australia and how to treat the country respectfully.

‘Don’t walk into a canola crop to take a selfie. That’s someone’s livelihood,” one person said.

‘I haven’t checked the scale of the map. No, you can’t drive to Uluru from Sydney for an afternoon out,’ laughed another.

‘Deviating from the paths in National Parks. You are destroying the pristine wilderness you came to enjoy, and you may get lost and die,” one user wrote.

‘Feeding the wildlife. It’s bad for them and in some cases (dingoes) it can be bad for people too,” a second person chimed in.

One user warned: 'Don't bake in the sun. Skin cancer is no joke and the Australian sun is a lot brighter than many places in the world'

One user warned: ‘Don’t bake in the sun. Skin cancer is no joke and the Australian sun is a lot brighter than many places in the world’

One said those exploring the outback in remote areas should be aware of how vast parts of Australia can be and recommended taking ‘plenty of water, food, fuel and a UHF, preferably a satellite communications device’.

“I suspect tourists still don’t understand how deserted it actually is there and how easy it is to take a wrong turn and get completely lost,” she added.

Others issued stern warnings about the dangers of Australia’s beaches, saying they should always listen to lifeguards’ advice and heed safety signals.

“I have absolutely no idea how to swim and I go straight to the beach and just ‘swim’ out,” said one man.

‘Yes, swimming on a beach where no one else swims is huge. No, you haven’t found a secret paradise, you’ve found a death trap,” replied a second.

‘Don’t sunbathe. Skin cancer is no joke and the Australian sun is a lot harsher than many places in the world. You’ll rarely see an Australian deliberately baking in the sun (unless he’s a complete idiot),” replied another.

Rules that tourists must follow when traveling to Australia

  1. Research Australian Indigenous culture and do nothing to disrespect it.
  2. Don’t underestimate the forces of nature.
  3. Don’t bring food from outside Australia; there are laws against it.
  4. Don’t underestimate the sun, even in winter. Buy Australian-made sunscreen and use plenty of SPF.
  5. Follow safety measures in wilderness and nature parks. Make sure you have satellite communications, maps, plenty of water and food with you when venturing into the nature parks or outback.
  6. Safety first on the beaches.
  7. Don’t pretend you have an Australian accent!
  8. Enjoy local coffee (not Starbucks).
  9. Tipping is not required for any service (restaurant or otherwise). Use your judgement.
  10. Be courteous and kind!
  11. Animals are dangerous. Don’t touch or tease animals if you don’t know the species (especially the blue-ringed octopus). Kangaroos can jump in front of cars on highways. Don’t turn abruptly, brake if you want, but it’s not unusual to see dead people on the side of the road, so be careful.
  12. Do not invade personal space in elevators, walkways, streets or queues!
  13. Don’t buy souvenirs made in China.
  14. Tourists must be aware of moving traffic while driving. Stay on the left side of the road and drive safely.
  15. Take into account water consumption in hotels etc.
  16. Take into account growing crops on farms while doing touristy things. Don’t endanger the livelihood of local farmers.
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