Sydney for a week?

Dancor

G'day, Me and the other half will be going to Australia in the summer for a month. Just to see some sights and some friends. We will be landing in Sydney then making our way up north.

Just wondering, Is a week to much time in Sydney, not enough, or just right?

Is it a big enough city where we wouldnt be sitting around bored. Just want to know before we book anywhere.

Cheers.

drunkmonkey

G'Day Bruce..
a week is plenty in Sydney, maybe even to long, get up the coast as quick as you can, byron bay, fraiser island, whitsundays etc...

adelcrowsmel

I reckon its too long to stay in Sydney if you are just going to be in Oz for a month in total - reckon a long weekend is loads to see the sights and that but if you are catching up with friends you'll probably want to be there longer. My advice is save the days for more stop-offs on the east coast on your way up north!!:D

Hope ye enjoy the trip - very jealous:(

Ozeire

Yeah agree with everyone here a week is well enough

Here are a couple places you might be interested in go to :

Sydney Harbour Bridge




The Rocks
Home of the Australian Pub Crawl.



Sydney Observatory



DARLING HARBOUR




Sydney Aquarium & Sydney Wildlife World




Sydney Opera House





The Royal Botanic Gardens




Australian Museum

Hyde Park



Chinatown



Sydney Tower





Maroubra Beach

One of Sydney's great surf beaches



Coogee



Bondi Beach

most famous beach in Australia



Manly Beach

The first of Sydney's Northern Beaches.




Palm Beach ( Home & Away )

Dancor

Just some more questions folks. We will be only going as far north as Brisbane, Because were flying back from Sydney. Just wondering what are the best spots between Sydney and Brisbane. We already heard about Byron bay, Surfers paradise. Any where else of interest / party type places.

Cheers

hussey

Party type places - no none
Places of interest? ... well depends there are some beautiful towns, but to be honest raindbow beach which is the gateway to frasier island is about 150km away .. and much better than surfers and probably byron too in my opinion

how long to you have to go as far as Brisbane
Personally I think 1 day in brisbane is enough time is better spent else where

Dancor

hussey wrote: »

Party type places - no none
Places of interest? ... well depends there are some beautiful towns, but to be honest raindbow beach which is the gateway to frasier island is about 150km away .. and much better than surfers and probably byron too in my opinion

how long to you have to go as far as Brisbane
Personally I think 1 day in brisbane is enough time is better spent else where

Well we have a month there all together. I just want to see more than Sydney, Not even pushed on Brisbane TBH. I just thought it was a good do-able distance for a month. Also have to travel back to Sydney to get the plane home, so dont wanna strey to far from there. Also thinking of just renting a car/van. It can double as a bed

drunkmonkey

dancor wrote: »

Well we have a month there all together. I just want to see more than Sydney, Not even pushed on Brisbane TBH. I just thought it was a good do-able distance for a month. Also have to travel back to Sydney to get the plane home, so dont wanna strey to far from there. Also thinking of just renting a car/van. It can double as a bed

Not much in Brisbane but Australia is a lot more than it's citys, I'd nealry fly into sydney, hook up with your mates for 2 days, get a cheap flight to Cairns and work your way back down to sydney (get the bus) for the return home..

Cairns > Whitsundays > Fraiser Island > Surfers Paradise > Byron Bay(Nimbin) and then back to sydney.....(that seems a bit simple, trust me it's a lot of area to cover) Think Dublin to New York and Back again, in a hot bus:))

If you gave 2 1/2 weeks coming back down to sydney you'd have seen most of the east cost within reason.......great time guranteed...


don't even think about staying in sydney when you could be here..



Remember it's all about the Journey not the destination:D

hussey

drunkmonkey wrote: »

....

+1
Easily done in a month

Dancor

Another question people. I understand I will be there during the winter in that part of the world. How is the Winter over there? Better than an Irish one?

FreeAnd..

you are definitely better off going as far North as you can during the winter if you want some good weather. Its the best time to hit Cairns or Darwin as it wont be too hot and I think its the best time of year for avoid stingers in the water too...

I definitely think you are better off flying to Cairns as suggested and drive down from there...I dont think there's too much of interest between Sydney and Brisbane - Not if you want to experience a bit more of Australia anyway

hussey

dancor wrote: »

Another question people. I understand I will be there during the winter in that part of the world. How is the Winter over there? Better than an Irish one?

wet and cold in sydney, now people might not think 12c is cold but it is when there is no heating ....

But generally it's fine, temp can drop and some days can get really nice - I remember during the 'heat wave' 3 years ago dublin was 28 and sydney was 24 ... I didn't have to heart to tell me dad though

Dancor

Anyone been to Coffs harbour? it seems to be on my route and the hostels look nice and lively there. Any recomendations for it?

Trained Monkey

Coffs Harbour is fairly dull to be honest, decent beach and stuff but not a party town at all. Saturday nights are good according to the locals but we landed on a sunday and the only spot there closed at 12! Hervey bay is probably your best bet after byron and surfers. Few decent pubs and its the main launch pad for Whitsunday trips as far as i can remember. Def go to cairns tho and head down instead of starting in sydney.

From a partying perspective i'd recommend trying to hit the main places at weekends, eg. Cairns 1st weekend, Surfers next then Byron Bay. Then spend the week days travelling and doin the more cultural stuff and activities like australia zoo, rafting etc. I'd suggest finishing your trip on a high by doing a skydive or something like that to finish up! definitely worth it

daftdave

Trained Monkey wrote: »

Coffs Harbour is fairly dull to be honest, decent beach and stuff but not a party town at all. Saturday nights are good according to the locals but we landed on a sunday and the only spot there closed at 12! Hervey bay is probably your best bet after byron and surfers. Few decent pubs and its the main launch pad for Whitsunday trips as far as i can remember. Def go to cairns tho and head down instead of starting in sydney.

if you go to cairns , make sure you spend a day chillin, at the lagoon on the esplinade , its beautiful on a nice day and if your looking for a hostel there try the nomad serpent or gilligans hostel ,

bringitdown

You have a month so lots of time ... I just returned from a Sydney / Brisbane trip which stuck mainly to the well established trail.

Sydney - 5 days as follows:
- Manly - beach a wander around the headland
- Bondi / Bronte / Coogee Walk - beach time - lovely walk between too.
- Wandered around the city center sights - Pylon Lookout, The Rocks, Opera house, Domain, Tower, Darling Harbour, Chinatown etc.
- Taronga Zoo for an afternoon
- Blue Mountains

Then:
Hunter Valley - 1 night + a tour of the vineyards (must arrive early to meet the tour) - lovely stuff
Coffs Harbour - 1 night - fairly quiet place but we had to stop
Byron Bay - 2 nights - lovely place
Gold Coast - 1 night - fine for a stop depends on what you want.
Brisbane.

Tips:
- Take the brown tourist drives if your time permits (and you have a car!).
- Camping can be fun and camp sites are generally very well done, but not for everyone.
- While the aquarium is excellent the next door wildlife park ain't great, stick with the zoo (if you are zooing at all)
- Get a 7-day red-zone pass for Sydney it will take you most places except Manly.
- Hit Watsons Bay before sunset for fish and chips and a great view of the harbour.
- If ya fancy paddy whackery - hit The Cock and Bull (Bondi Jcn) or Scruffy Murphys (Surry Hills) ... IF!

Dancor

Some great advice and tips folks. We decided to go as far north as Fraser Island, Will be done all the best spots in between. Got some good advice over the weekend about hostels etc

myhorse

bringitdown wrote: »

Bondi / Bronte / Coogee Walk - beach time - lovely walk between too.

Along the way you have to walk through Waverly cemetery. Check out the Irish memorial. You cant really miss it as its the largest monumnet in the cemetery (once the largest grave monument in the whole of Australia). Its the resting place of one of the 1798 leaders (also has inscriptions for 1916 and the hunger strikers etc).

pclancy

Heading over for a week in June, scored flights $440 return from Welly! Can anyone recommend a hostel somewhere central thats decent enough? Ive found loads through hostelword and google but they're all much of a muchness it seems, if anyone can recommend one over another i'd be gratefull.

drunkmonkey

you could try http://www.noahsbondibeach.com/ Noahs it's just in front of bondi..

I stayed in one just down the road from it on the beach front as well, I can't remember the name of it, it's right beside the Coyote Bar. Anywhere along the stip should be ok to stay...