Travel has changed so much over the last few years and I think more and more people are thinking about traveling with more intention. Firstly, I recommend thinking about ethics when you travel. Every trip you take, try to do more good than harm. There are so many great things that can come from traveling but it’s also a cause of suffering. Change your habits to lower suffering and increase happiness.

That means being careful about your interaction with animals. Don’t ride elephants or swim with dolphins and only give money to companies that use it to help animals rather than to mistreat them. Whenever you’re putting money into a tour, make sure that money is doing good. For instance, there are Aboriginal tours that actually stimulate the local economy and increase the wealth and life chances of Aboriginal people living in destitution. This is a good place to spend your money as a tourist. Just be thoughtful. You’ll get some things wrong - we all do - but try your best to act ethically.

Another aspect of meaningful travel is being sure to see the authentic side of your destination. An aboriginal tour is a great way to achieve this. Going to the beach is nice and a big reason to visit Australia. However, this is home to the world’s oldest civilizations and this is an aspect of the country worth exploring. Try to meet real local people and try to form genuine connections with them.

There are so many more tips I could offer but I’ll just give one final one: don’t fly. Okay, if you’re going to Australia, you probably need to fly. But once there, travel by land. This slows you down so you can immerse yourself in a landscape and is so much more rewarding. It also limits harm done to the environment, making it a more ethical way to travel. If you’re interested in the Aboriginal tours I mentioned, click here.