Sydney's inner city is charming yet busy, during the day you can wander around looking at the diverse range of buildings as the CBD is small enough to make your way by foot. The Botanical Garden is a nice way to spend an afternoon, and Hyde Park is a great sport to hang out with friends. The city itself is a blend of high time, the bars and clubs fill with patrons from all walks of life.
Sydney is rightly proud of its extensive ferry network, and the best way to access it, is either side of the harbour. At Circular Quay, you can check out the different options, as the ferries are an easy way to access Luna Park, Taronga Zoo, the Opera House from the water.
Darling Harbour on the western edge of the inner city is lined with bars, restaurants, cafes and more than a couple of clubs. The maritime museum and Sydney Aquarium are at either end of the Darling Harbour footbridge, and both are potentially worth a look depending on your interests. You can also catch a water taxi into the central harbour from here.
Kings Cross has a notorious reputation, as being run by the underworld, it is actually fairly safe and attracts a large community of backpackers in its hostels for the fun nights out. It is alight with the neon lights of bars and strip clubs, you will notice a few hookers working on the streets, but the nightlife varies from commercial music venues and strip clubs to bars and underground clubs. There is a strong security and police presence and the area has a number of hostels at reasonable prices surrounding it.
Circular Quay and the Rocks are the melting spot between the modern and historic sections of Sydney, is where convict built buildings merge with more modern structures. Even though they are renovated on the inside. You will actually find some of Sydney's best bars and restaurants here, generally warm and charming with a feel of history. Be aware, it is quite expensive to eat and drink in this area, but a must for wander through with your camera.
Bondi and Coogee are flooded with backpackers all year around, but be extra aware that prices skyrocket about the month before Christmas, and it can be hard to book anything around New Year's Eve, unless you have booked well in advance. There are private houses available to rent however, they are extremely hard to get and generally very expensive. There is generally a lot of work, but with thousands of backpackers trying to fill the positions the competition is strong.
Bondi is best known for its beach, the surf can be good, but more often than not it is both overrated and super crowded. The beach itself is beautiful despite the crowd and there is a surf school for those, who want to learn how to surf.
Swimmers beware there are literally thousands of rescues every year due to flash rips. It may look calm but things can change without warning, especially the appropriately named the rip at the southern end of the beach, Backpackers Rip. SWIM BETWEEN THE FLAGS PEOPLE DO DROWN HERE! When you are in Bondi you should do the Bondi-Coogee walk. Make sure you take your boards and drinking water with you. You walk from Bondi over the southern headland to Tamarama, if you are an experienced surfer, you should check this place out, from here you just want to keep walking, past the cliff side cemetery, spectacular sea cliffs, amazing small beaches and rugged shoreline. The walk to the north head of Bondi is great too.
Coogee is a slightly smaller version of Bondi with a few fun places to party, although guys be warned, it has quite a reputation for becoming violent on the later hours of the night. But you have to look for trouble or at least unlucky to encounter any problems. Bondi Junction has a few small bars and clubs, heaps of shopping and cheap supermarkets for food, however apart from that, there is not much else to do.
Northern Beaches
Stretching from Manly to Palm Beach, this spectacular part of the coastline is extremely diverse. Manly is a busy tourist beach with plenty to offer, including surf lessons, markets and great small pubs. Another place worth looking at is the Sydney Harbour National Park. If you can get a car, take the drive along the coast up to Palm Beach, where you can find some amazing lookouts and walking tracks along the way. The further north you travel the less commercial and built up areas and the surf and the beaches get a lot less crowded.
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