Australia

Australia's distances are genuinely vast -- Sydney to Perth is further than London to Moscow -- so domestic flights are the standard way to cover long distances, with Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Jetstar connecting every major city.

A car is the best way to explore beyond the cities, and often the only way to reach smaller towns and national parks. Renting a 4WD is worth it for genuine outback or remote-coast routes, though not necessary for the main coastal highways.

Within cities, public transit is solid in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. Long-distance trains exist (including the famous Ghan, from Adelaide to Darwin) but are scenic journeys in their own right rather than a practical way to cover the country quickly.

Australia is a very safe country to visit by nearly every measure -- violent crime against travelers is rare. The real risks visitors face here are overwhelmingly environmental and wildlife-related rather than criminal.

• Sun and heat are a genuine everyday hazard -- Australia has some of the highest UV levels in the world, and severe sunburn or heatstroke can happen faster than visitors from milder climates expect. Sunscreen, a hat, and avoiding the midday sun in the outback aren't optional extras.
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• Ocean safety: swim only between the flags at patrolled beaches -- rip currents cause more visitor deaths in Australia most years than sharks, jellyfish, and crocodiles combined. In the tropical north, stinger nets and seasonal box jellyfish warnings should be taken seriously, and saltwater crocodiles are a real, sometimes fatal risk in northern rivers, waterholes, and estuaries -- never swim in unmarked water in Queensland, the Northern Territory, or northern Western Australia.
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• Dangerous wildlife gets more attention than it deserves relative to the actual risk -- snake and spider bites are rare for visitors who stick to marked trails and don't handle wildlife, and antivenom is widely available. Common sense (shoes on bushwalks, checking before reaching into dense undergrowth) covers most of it.
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• Outback driving carries real risk of its own -- distances between fuel and services can run into hundreds of kilometers, mobile coverage disappears fast outside major towns, and roads can flood or wash out with little warning in the tropical north's wet season. Carry extra water and fuel, and tell someone your route on remote trips.
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• Bushfires are a genuine seasonal risk, particularly in the south and east during the summer months -- check current fire danger ratings and total fire ban notices before any bushwalking or camping trip in fire season.
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• Emergency number: 000 works nationwide and connects to police, fire, or ambulance.