Hostelworld Guide for Sydney The Essentials Climate

Exchange Rates Sydney's hottest months are December and

January. During these months, temperatures
usually rise above 25°C, and frequently climb to
30°C. February and March are also quite warm,
with temperatures dropping in April. Winter arrives
in July and August, although they are mild winters.
In September the temperatures begin to steadily
rise again, and do so until November. These 3
months are also the city's driest months. February
to June are the wettest.

Getting There
While it isn't the capital, Sydney is by far the largest and most extravagant of all of Australia's cities. It has
a population of four million people, busy streets, and imposing skyscrapers. It also has one of the most By plane: Sydney's international airport is just 8km
spectacular harbours in the world where you will find two of Australia's most instantly recognisable from the city centre. Trains to Central Station depart Useful Information
landmarks. Just to make things even sweeter, within 20 minutes from the city centre you can sunbathe on from the airport's train station every 10 minutes and
one of the world's most famous beaches. And while it has all the characteristics of a brash American city take 13 minutes. A one-way ticket costs AU$14. Language: English
such as busy streets and imposing skyscrapers, there is something very homely about Australia's largest Bus #300 also goes to the city centre between Currency: Australian Dollar
city. 5am-11pm. The journey costs AU$7 one-way. Electricity: 220-240 AC/50Hz. 3-pin plug,
although different to those in the UK and Ireland
By train: All long-distance trains from other so adaptors may be required.
Australian destinations terminate in Central Station. Area Code: +61 (Aus) 02 (Sydney).
Emergency Codes: Ambulance/Fire/Police
In this Guide... 000
By bus: All buses travelling to Sydney stop at Eddy Time Zone: 9 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean
Avenue which is just outside Central Station. Time (11 during daylight saving time)
Useful Information Central Post Office: 1 Martin Place, Sydney
After Dark Main Tourist Office: Sydney Visitors Centre,
Places to Eat Getting Around 91 Georges St, The Rocks; also 33 Wheat
Top Attractions Road, Darling Harbour
Budget Tips On foot: Getting around Sydney's city centre on
Where to Shop foot is totally achievable, and areas such as The
Rocks, Pitt St, Circular Quay (Opera House and
Harbour Bridge) and Darling Harbour are all within Embassies / Consulates
walking distance of each other.
USA: +61 (0)2 9373 9200
By train: Sydney's 'CityRail' network is very UK: +61 (0)2 9247 7521
efficient and easy to use. There are six train lines, Canada: +61 (0)2 6270 4000*
although you will have to transfer to buses for some South Africa: +61 (0)2 6273 2424*
eastern, northern and western suburbs. Ireland: +61 (0)2 9231 6999
Germany: +61 (0)2 6270 1911*
Spain: +61 (0)2 9261 2433
By bus: Buses are the only option when you want Italy: +61 (0)2 9392 7939
to get to certain places, like some eastern suburbs New Zealand: +61 (0)2 8256 2000
such as Bondi and Coogee. France: +61 (0)2 9261 5779
*Number is for embassy in Canberra

Hostelworld Guide for Sydney www.hostelworld.com

Cheap Eats After Dark Don't Miss Mark Your Calendar

Blackbird Café, Balcony Level, Cockle Bay Scubar, Corner of Rawson Place & Rawson Sydney Harbour Bridge Known as the January - Sydney Festival The annual Sydney
Wharf If you fancy Darling Harbour dining at a Lane Over the last ten years Scubar has developed 'Coathanger', this is the world's largest steel arch Festival is the biggest arts festival of the year.
fraction of the normal cost, then the Blackbird Café the reputation of 'Sydney's premier backpacker bar'. bridge. Along with the Opera House, it is Sydney's Along with performances in the Opera House and
is just the ticket. Offering the ambience and the Each night there is something happening, and two most instantly recognisable landmark and your the State Theatre, there is loads of free outdoor
views of its pricier peers, the emphasis here is on nights which are particularly popular are 'Crab camera will never tire of taking pictures of it. entertainment also.
high quality food at low cost. Prices start at just $4 Racing' night on Mondays and 'Pool Comp' night on
and all mains are under $20. The stone oven pizzas Wednesdays. Each night of the week you can get a Bondi Beach Some people don't see the big January - Australia Day Commemorating the day
are frightfully tasty. Open daily from 8am till late. pizza and a jug of beer/carafe of wine for $11.90 attraction with Australia's best-known beach, but no Captain Arthur Phillip took formal possession of the
before 9pm. Open daily midday to 3am. visit to Sydney is complete without visiting it. On the colony of New South Wales, the Aussies' national
Doyle's Take Away, Watson's Bay The view to hottest days, over 60,000 people have been known holiday falls on January 26th and there is
savour from the park bench outside Doyle's is to wipe sand off their feet after a day on the beach. something happening everywhere.
unbeatable as this chip shop is located on Watson's Gay / Lesbian Sydney To get there take bus #380 from Circular Quay or
Bay. As you wait for your chips to cool down you from Bondi Junction train station. March - Mardi Gras While the southern
can gaze over Sydney's illustrious harbour. Open Sydney is the gay capital of the southern hemisphere's biggest Mardi Gras festival begins in
daily from 11pm to 7pm; fish & chips cost $9.30. hemisphere and has been for years. The centre February each year, the highlight of the festival is
of everything queer is the Oxford St area. ARQ One of the World's Modern Wonders the outlandish parade which marches down Oxford
Eating World Food Court, Factory Street, (16 Flinders St, open Thurs-Sun) is the city's St at the beginning of March.
Chinatown There are foodcourts all over Sydney biggest gay club. The Oxford Hotel (134
city centre, but this collection of restaurants in Oxford St) and Midnight Shift (85 Oxford St)
are two of Sydney's most popular gay bars, March - Darling Harbour Hoopla Held over three
Chinatown is by far the best, in terms of both days, this annual acrobatic and street theatre
atmosphere and value. There are well over 20 while the drag shows in The Imperial Hotel (35
Erskineville Road) are legendary. festival in Darling Harbour is one of the best free
'outlets', each with a wide range of meals to choose festivals in the year and showcases some of the
from. Open 10am-9.30pm. world s best circus and acrobatic acts.
Wednesdays in Bondi Wednesday night is
backpacker night in Bondi when hundreds converge May - Sydney Half Marathon This annual race is a
Meat Pies - An Aussie Institution on two of the beach town's most popular spots. To favourite with athletes and spectators alike. The
join in the fun, start the night off in the Beach Road best place to be is at the finish line in The Rocks.
Hotel (known locally as the 'Regis') and when the
bouncers turf you out after midnight, continue the June - Darling Harbour Jazz Festival On the
night in the Bondi Hotel on Campell Parade. It gets weekend of the Queen's Birthday is when Sydney
fairly manic in both places on Sundays also, while Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay Built holds it premier jazz festival every year which
'the Bondi' is busy all weekend. between 1959 and 1973, the Sydney Opera attracts approximately 300,000 people.
House is one of the most iconic buildings of the
Pub crawl in The Rocks Sydney's oldest 20th century. Designed by Danish architect Jern August - Sydney City to Surf Run With over
settlement is also home to many of the city's Utzon, it is extremely unique due to its 'roof 50,000 people entering every year, this race is one
liveliest pubs. Always packed, The Mercantile is an shells'. Guided tours start every 30 minutes of the city's stranger races as participants begin at
Irish bar in every sense, while The Observer Hotel between 9-5.30pm and cost $29. Hyde Park and end up in the sea at Bondi Beach!
is another popular Irish bar in the area. Other bars
worth frequenting for a schooner or two include the
Hero of Waterloo and the Fortune of War, Darling Harbour Transformed from a derelict September - Manly Arts Festival Since it started
Australia's most famous culinary delights are Sydney's oldest pub. dockyard area to a vibrant harbour in the 1980s, in 1994, this festival has since grown into one of
their famous pies. Made with pastry and filled Darling Harbour is one of Sydney's premier tourist Sydney's leading community based arts festivals.
with minced beef, they are as Australian as Home Nightclub, Cockle Bay Wharf, Darling attractions. Packed with restaurants, bars, and
bouncing kangaroos, lazy koalas, and sticks that Harbour 'Home' is the Mecca of all clubs in museums, there is something for everyone here. It is October - Manly International Jazz Festival
return after you throw them. You can get pies in Sydney. Holding over 2,000 people, this super-club also where you will find the city's IMAX Theatre. The Beginning on the first Saturday of every October,
convenient stores and supermarkets anywhere has many floors. There is also a chill out room and harbour itself is perfect for relaxing around, as is the the northern suburb's jazz festival attracts artists
in the city and the most you should pay for one a balcony when you need a breather. Attracting Chinese Garden of Friendship which is also here. from all over the world.
is $3. The most famous place to get one is at some of the world's biggest DJs, queues here can
Harry's Café de Wheels in Wooloomooloo. get extremely long so arrive early. Open Thurs-Sun Blue Mountains National Park, Katooomba, NSW November - Sculpture by the Sea Sculpture by
11pm-4am; admission $25 Fri & Sat. The Blue Mountains National Park gets its name the Sea is Australia's largest annual outdoor free to
from the blue haze the eucalyptus trees generate. the public exhibition of contemporary sculpture.
bills, 433 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst Some say The most famous attraction in the park is the 'Three
The World Bar, 24 Bayswater Road, Kings Cross
that breakfast in bills is the best in Darlinghurst. Sisters', while other attractions include the world s
The World Bar is another of Sydney s best-known December - New Year's Eve Celebrations Sydney
Others say it is the best in Sydney. Either way you steepest incline railway and numerous bush walks.
backpacker bars. Each night between 6 and 7 is is one of the world's best cities to ring in the New
can be guaranteed you'll thoroughly enjoy it. Open Organised day tours to the Blue Mountains can be
happy hour, while every Thursday night all drinks Year. The best place to catch the fireworks display
Mon-Sat 7.30am-3pm (breakfast until 12.30pm). booked at www.hostelworld.com/tours.
are $2.50. Open 12 noon-4am/7am. is at Circular Quay or The Rocks.

Hostelworld Guide for Sydney www.hostelworld.com

Get Connected Retail Therapy Budget Tips A Day in Sydney...

Backpackers World, 234 Sussex Street Geroge Street/Pitt Street These two streets which Get the ferry to Manly The most enjoyable way to Get the ferry to Manly from Wharf #3 at
Backpackers World have a total of 5 centres all run parallel to each other in Sydney's CBD are home see Sydney s celebrated harbour is by getting one Circular Quay. The beach here is the
around Sydney's city centre and surrounding to all the usual high street brands such as Diesel of the ferries from Circular Quay. Sydney Ferries northern suburbs' best known.
suburbs. Along with offering backpackers internet and Levis. They also have an abundance of surf operate special day and night ferries around the
access, BW also works in conjunction with shops when you can pluck up the courage to buy harbour, but save yourself a few bucks by getting a
Worldwide Workers to help get backpackers one of those bright floral shirts you see everywhere. ferry to Manly for the day, returning that night to see Get the ferry back to Circular Quay and take
employed. Open daily from 9am-6pm, 9am-5pm the harbour lit up in all its glory. Ferries leave Wharf the obligatory photos of the Opera House
Sat; $3 per hour. No 3 and cost $6.40 each way. and the Harbour Bridge. Chill out on the
Oxford Street Posers; trendsetters; young steps of the Opera House for a while.
professionals; surfers - they all descend on to
Oxford Street when they want to fill out their Bring your own alcohol when eating out A host of
wardrobe as this is where Sydney's trendiest shops Sydney s restaurants are 'BYO' restaurants. This Walk into the city and grab your lunch in one
can be found. It is also home to some of the city's stands for 'Bring Your Own', meaning you can bring of Sydney's numerous food courts. Choose
best record shops while it is peppered with good your own alcohol. As casks of wine in Oz cost from Mexican, Indian, Thai food and more.
restaurants also. approximately $15, get a gang together and eating
out once a week is totally affordable. Explore the CBD. Stroll down Pitt St and
Grace Bros/David Jones department stores George St, relax in Martin Place and check
Grace Bros and David Jones' are Australia's flagship out Darling Harbour, a big tourist attraction.
department stores, sort of like Australia's answer to Walk Across the Bridge For Free
Macy's or Bloomingdales. Each one is huge and Go to the top of Oxford Street and catch bus
caters for everybody. Both chains have their main #380 to Bondi. The journey takes about 20
branches in the city centre. minutes. Keep your eyes peeled for your first
glimpse of the beach - it's priceless.
Global Gossip, 111 Darlinghurst Road, Kings
Cross Kings Cross is regarded as Sydney's A Great Reason to go Shopping Chill out in Bondi! Catch a few rays on the
backpacker hub so this Global Gossip store (there beach, watch the surfers, or go for a stroll
are 6 in total) is always full of them, making it a along the promenade. If you're feeling
great place to meet people. Open Mon-Fri energetic, walk to Bronte and back.
8am-midnight; Sat & Sun 9am-11pm; $3 per hour.

Phone.net.café, 73-75 Hall Street, Bondi Beach

Just like the suburb it is situated in, Phone.net.café
is one of Sydney's most laid back cybercafés.
Situated at the top of Bondi's Hall Street, it is the
most relaxing place to either email or browse the Since 1998, you can climb to the top of the
web with chill-out tunes playing from open till close. Sydney Harbour Bridge for amazing views of the
Open daily from 9am-7pm. city. The only problem is that it costs over $100
to do so. Take the train to Milson s Point north
of the harbour and you can walk back across the
digi.kaf, 174 St Johns Rd, Glebe This cybercafé in bridge into the city for free.
Sydney's eclectic area of Glebe offers fantastic
food, 'blistering net access', plus much more. As
they say, 'be surprised'! Open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Queen Victoria Building, 455 George St
Sat & Sun 9am-4pm; $2.50 per 15 mins. Completed in 1898, the QVB is one of the most Save money when using phone cards When
beautiful buildings in Sydney. Whether you need making international phone calls from a phone box
to shop or not, pay it a visit. Over its five floors using a phone card, put in 40c and call the 1300
The Chat Site, 192 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee number instead of using the freefone 1800 number.
'The Chat Site' has friendly staff and a very speedy you will find men and women's clothes, shoes,
This way your phone card will last a lot longer. Grab a quick bite to eat. Bondi is full of nice
connection. Open daily from 9am-10pm; $1.40 for accessories, mobile phones and more. Open
restaurants. If you're on a tight budget
15 mins; $3 for 30 mins; $4.50 per hour. Mon-Sat 9am-6pm (9pm Thurs), Sun
though, get fish and chips from the take
11am-5pm. Go to the movies on a Tuesday Cinema tickets on away on Campbell Parade.
Super Tuesdays are 50% cheaper than any other
day of the week. While there are cinemas all over
www. Paddy's Markets, Haymarket Paddy's Markets are the city, the best place to catch a movie is in one of Get the #380 from Bondi all the way back
one of the city's best known markets. Located in the cinemas on Georges Street. into Circular Quay. Make your way up to The
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au Haymarket in the city centre, here you can pick up Rocks and go on a pub crawl.
www.sydneypubguide.net everything from fruit and vegetables to flowers, and
www.threedworld.com.au Learn more about Sydney's culture for free NSW
from sunglasses to jewellery. It's a tired cliché, but Art Gallery on Art Gallery Road has excellent art Finish the night off in style and party on until
www.smh.com.au there really is something for everybody. Open the early hours! Check out Scubar or The
exhibitions, as does the Customs House on Alfred
Thursday-Sunday; 9am-5pm. St. Both museums are free. World Bar in Kings Cross.

Hostelworld Guide for Sydney www.hostelworld.com