One of the main expenses you need to consider when you are travelling on a gap year or career break is accommodation - handing over money to a hotel each night rapidly depletes your funds. Backpacker hostels are an excellent alternative to hotels - they are much less expensive and also a great place to meet other like-minded travellers.
Backpacker hostels - Do I need a YHA card?
A popular misconception regarding backpacker hostels is that you need to be a member of the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) in order to stay in them. In actual fact most backpacker hostels are privately owned and you generally don't need to be a member of any organisation. The most popular countries to visit on a gap year or career break - such as Thailand, Australia and New Zealand - all possess a well established infrastructure for travellers and it's extremely easy to find backpacker hostels.
In Australia there are so many backpacker hostels that competition between them can be quite competitive. This competition is good news for travellers staying in backpacker hostels as it helps to keep prices down and standards high, (some hostels in Oz even boast luxuries such as swimming pools and nightly free movie showings in order to attract business).
Backpacker hostels - What's the accommodation like?
The standard of backpacker hostels obviously varies but, because there are so many backpacker hostels in the main traveller destinations, standards are usually exceptionally high considering how inexpensive most backpacker hostels are. It is always a good idea to get recommendations from other travellers as to which are the best backpacker hostels to stay in (guidebooks such as the Rough Guide or Lonely Planet series are usually a reliable source of information too). The least expensive option in backpacker hostels is to stay in shared dorms - although this is obviously a noisier and less private option. Most backpacker hostels usually also have a few basic twin or double rooms available for a higher rate and if you are craving a break from dorm life it might be worth spending that bit extra every now and again.
Backpacker hostels - Do I need to book ahead?
Booking a hostel online can be a good idea if you know you are definitely going to arrive somewhere on a certain date and don't want the hassle of looking for a place to stay on arrival. Most people find, however, that their plans are constantly changing when they're ‘on the road' and choose to look for backpacker hostels as and when they need them. It's very rare you will experience difficulties finding availability at backpacker hostels (although there are obvious exceptions to this rule such as New Year's Eve or Mardi Gras in Sydney when it's definitely advisable to pre-book). When you're travelling on ‘Oz Experience' buses backpacker hostels will often meet the buses on arrival and offer free lifts to the hostel.
We suggest that you book your hostel online for the first couple of nights in each new place you visit, this way you'll have time to settle in and get your bearings. Having somewhere to stay until you know the direction your headed is always useful!
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