Backpacking in Sydney
Sydney is maybe the most backpacker-friendly city in the world. It’s a big place with a lot to see, and they get a lot of backpackers, so there’s plenty of choices about where to stay, all over the city. All you need is some travel insurance, a good backpack and a good idea of how to have fun in Australia’s most fabulous city.
Sydney is a place where you really can get around. It’s a very big place, and there’s a lot to see. It has a great night life, too, so if you need to party, you’ve come to the right place.
Places to see and things to do
There are almost too many places to see. This is a very short list:
Sydney Harbor: Get yourself on the water, and see the harbor properly. Sydney lives partly on the harbor and the coast, and when you get on board a tall ship, a ferry, a jet ski or a power boat you’ll soon see why. This is huge fun, and there’s any number of places to go. The water is also a good way of getting around without getting tangled up in Sydney’s savage peak hour traffic. It’s comfortable, quick, and you get to see a lot of the city while traveling.
Sydney City: You can get absolutely lost in the great shopping. A walk down Pitt and George Streets will find a very strange assortment of interesting shops. This is a very cosmopolitan place, and you can find the latest from China in Chinatown at the bottom of the hill, as well as collector’s shops for old books, gamer’s shops, good coffee, and all in a simple 1km stroll from the centre of town.
Darling Harbor: Just over the road is Darling Harbor, which includes the stunning Chinese Garden, an authentic, Chinese-built, Feng Shui-based garden which is like a world of itself, right next to the big high rise apartments. Darling Harbor also includes the Maritime Museum, with ships you can get on board. It also has a ex-naval vessels, including a real submarine, and a range of tall ships including the James Craig, a famous sailing ship.
The Blue Mountains: The Blue Mountains were the old colony’s “impassable barrier”, and the reason for that will become apparent. This is still wild country, and they even found an ancient dinosaur era pine there recently, undiscovered for 200 years.
One place well worth seeing if you’re in the Springwood area is the Norman Lindsay Gallery. Australia’s most controversial, and most criticized by the so-called puritans, artist, and one its best loved, was also a sculptor. He lived in Springwood for years, and they’ve amassed a lot of his work at the gallery, and it’s spectacular.
Bondi Beach: Never mind the hype and upmarket buildings, Bondi is really a great beach, despite all the publicity, and it’s in the middle of the café zone. The food is good, the people are friendly, and you can check out one of Australia’s best beaches.
You can’t go wrong backpacking in Sydney. Just keep your visa up to date, and enjoy one of the world’s great destinations.
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