London Travel Advice - International Traveller Magazine

All the London travel advice you need to know, from mastering the Oyster Card to visas and tipping.

Oyster Cards and getting around London

The Tube (officially, the Underground) is the oxygen of London – nothing works without it. And the cheapest way to get around on the Tube for visitors is with an Oyster Card.

The pay-as-you-go Oyster Card calculates the cheapest tickets for all your travels to ensure you are better off.

You can purchase one before you leave and have it delivered to you in Australia (or many other non-UK countries) within 15 days, which makes arrival that much easier. Order it from the Visit Britain Shop online store.

There are the famous black cabs of London whose drivers could find an obscure street in the back of Hackney thanks to ‘The Knowledge’ but they are more expensive and usually slower.

So for day-to-day sightseeing, it’s not really an option, but with many bags it’s totally helpful.

London is not the city to try and drive around; it is far too difficult for visitors so don’t bother. You will waste too much time trying to navigate and trying to find a park.

Orientation

You can navigate London by two distinct schema – the Tube Network and the Postal Code.

The Tube schematic is “closest tube station". Most destinations will tell you the closest Tube station and we have endeavoured to as well in the International Traveller London Guide.

Most destinations are within a maximum 10 minutes’ walk to the closest Tube station.

The other location schematic is the Postal Code – the first one or two letters of the postal code give you an idea of the location and are often used to describe a location to locals.

So, the system follows the points of the compass with the ‘City’ as the central point.

Any location within the city will have the C as its second letter and the preceding E or W will designate it being East or West within the City.

After the EC and WC inner locations, the scheme then follows the points of the compass; SE, S, SW, W, NW, N, NE, E to follow it around the compass.

The numbers that follow the letters are illogical to outsiders so don’t bother trying to understand them, for example SW1 and SW 2 and N1 and N2 are nowhere near each other.

Just know what the letters mean and it will give you some small sense of where you are.

Arriving in London

Most of us will arrive by airplane into either Gatwick or Heathrow. The Heathrow Express is by far the most efficient and effective way to get into London from Heathrow.

Simply follow the signs to the Express (not the Tube). It will deposit you at Paddington Station in 15 minutes (with excellent free wi-fi to boot) and then you can descend into the underground or catch a waiting black cab if you are too exhausted and can’t be bothered trying to save a few quid.

You can save on your express ticket by booking in advance on the website.

Alternatively the Heathrow Tube stop is a longer journey but with an Oyster Card, it’s about a third of the price. Trains take an hour and run about every 10 minutes.

Gatwick also has an express train that runs every 15 minutes and takes 30 minutes to arrive at Victoria station. Again, the website has pre-purchased discounts.

If arriving into Luton or Stansted from European locations, there are train services to London from both airports. The Stansted Express and Luton has multiple services.

If you are on a budget there is a very cheap easyBus service that runs from Gatwick, Stansted and Luton to various stops in the city and takes about an hour.

Visas and other pesky issues

Australians visiting the UK for a holiday do not currently need a visa. However, the UK immigration are not known for their welcoming spirit so you may be required to prove you have a return ticket or that you have enough money to live on while visiting.

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Opening hours

Shopping hours and museum hours in London are usually 10am to 6pm with late-night trading on Thursday.

The major galleries will open from 10am to 6pm, seven days a week.

Tipping

Yes, it is standard practice to tip in most places, but it’s nothing like the US. Ten per cent should be OK.

Major events

The biggest event on the London calendar is Wimbledon, which is held late June/early July.

The other major drawcard for Australians is the Chelsea Flower Show held over five days in May.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

Before you go to London: The ultimate travel checklist