Category: Travel

N9 in Straya Series: SCENIC WORLD BLUE MOUNTAINS – Nature & Adventure In One Place

Hello & welcome to the final installment of the N9 in Straya Series. Last week, I shared with you our Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Tour from Sydney. My friends & I had fun going around wineries & cellars & trying the best wines these businesses have to offer. Today, I will share with you some details & photos of our day trip to Scenic World Blue Mountains.

Hello Blue Mountains National Park! 😍

Blue Mountains National Park is a famous go-to place of people visiting Sydney. This World Heritage Site is the perfect place for everyone’s nature needs. It has a lot of walking tracks, camping sites, trekking & outdoor activity areas. It is also the home of the famous Three Sisters, Echo Point, Katoomba & Wentworth Falls.

Group photo at the Cliff View Lookout. Thanks Shane for the photo!

One of the famous destinations in Blue Mountains is Scenic World Blue Mountains. It is a private tourist facility located in Katoomba that offers great views of Jamison Valley, Three Sisters & Blue Mountains in general. The facility has 4 main attractions – Scenic Railway, Scenic Walkway, Scenic Cableway & Scenic Skyway. I will share more information about these attractions later in the post.

Applying for an Australian tourist visa soon? I shared with everyone how I applied for my visa a few months ago. Check out these 6 easy steps on how you too can get your visa to Australia.

How We Went By Public Transportation

Katoomba Station is the nearest station to the Blue Mountains!

Scenic World Blue Mountains is very accessible from Sydney. We took the Blue Mountains Line from Sydney Central Station to Katoomba Station. The ride takes roughly 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours & 5 minutes, depending on the stops included in the trip. One way train ride costs AUD 12.20. After getting off at Katoomba Station, we walked for 110 meters to the Katoomba St before Bathurst Rd bus stop. We boarded Bus 686 to Scenic World Blue Mountains. The bus ride took us 30 minutes to the tourist facility. We took the same modes of transportation back to Sydney. By the way, the Opal Card works for both the train & bus rides.

Guide map to locate the stop of Bus 686

Attraction Tickets

Scenic World Blue Mountains tickets cost AUD 37 – 43 per person, depending on season. We got our discounted tickets from Klook. My friends & I paid AUD 29* each instead of the regular ticket price on the day of visit. Redemption was easy – there is a dedicated fast line for tickets & vouchers purchased online.

Three Sisters & Jamison Valley in one photo 😍

*Regular tickets during our visit were at AUD 33 per person because 1 of the 4 attractions was closed & under redevelopment.

Scenic World Attractions

Scenic World Blue Mountains has 4 main attractions. Of these 4, Scenic Cableway was closed due to an ongoing upgrade of the cableway cabins. My friends & I enjoyed every second spent in the other 3 attractions.

Scenic Railway

Welcome to the Scenic Railway!

Right before boarding the world’s steepest passenger railway

Scenic railway is the world’s steepest passenger railway in the world, with seats that incline up to 52 degrees. The glass-roofed carriage passes through a cliff tunnel & a forest before reaching the final stop. The ride takes about 5 minutes per way & passes through a 300+ meter railway.

View upon getting off the train 😍

Scenic Walkway

Pathways around the rainforest 😍

The Scenic Railway exit will lead you to the Scenic Walkway. It is a 2.4 kilometer pathway around the base of Jamison Valley. The elevated walkway gives stunning views of the rainforest. Walking around the forest can be tiring & relaxing at the same time.

What a peaceful & relaxing place..

Scenic Skyway

The other side of the Scenic Skyway

The Scenic Skyway is a little over 10-minute cable car ride suspended 270 meters above the forest. The ride goes back & forth a 720-meter pathway & gives a 360-degree view of Blue Mountains. The ride also gives the best views of the Katoomba Falls, the Three Sisters & the Jamison Valley.

View from the aerial cable car – beautiful!! 😍

That’s me after the thrilling Scenic Railway ride!

My friends & I had fun in the rides & walking through the peaceful rainforest at the foot of Jamison Valley. There were other nice places to visit such as the Echo Point Lookout & Wentworth Falls but we didn’t have enough time & we had things to do back in Sydney. A visit to the Blue Mountains is a perfect nature day trip from the very busy city life. I am so glad we took this day trip.

The day trip up to the Blue Mountains was worth it! 😍

This pretty much sums up our day trip to the Blue Mountains. This is also the last post about our N9 Sydney trip last August. Thanks a lot to everyone who took their time to read all the blog posts.

In case you missed the other posts, allow me to give a quick recap about the trip. My friends & I took our time exploring Sydney by foot. We joined a free walking tour & went around different heritage buildings & city icons. We also went on day trips to the Hunter Valley, the suburban beaches of Coogee & Bondi & the beautiful Blue Mountains National Park. I left my friends in Sydney & spent a weekend with my relatives in Brisbane. It was indeed a packed but fun week in Australia. I look forward to visiting Melbourne soon!

Do you have questions about Scenic World Blue Mountains or Sydney in general? Don’t be shy & post ’em in the comments below. You can also send it to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’ll try to answer your queries as soon as I can. Don’t forget to follow my social media pages – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Like & share my Facebook page too!

Again, thank for reading & see you in the next Australia trip! ✌️

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

N9 in Straya Series: HUNTER VALLEY Day Tour – Australian Wine Tasting At Its Finest

Welcome back to the N9 in Straya Series. Last time, I shared with you our day trip to Coogee Beach & Bondi Beach, two of the many suburban beaches in New South Wales. I also shared some photos of my Bounce Hostel Sydney which recently ceased operations. Today, I will share with you our Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Day Tour experience. One of the most recommended day trips from Sydney is a visit to the beautiful wine estates of Hunter Valley.

This is Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia 😍

Hunter Valley is known as the oldest wine region in Australia. This region produces one, if not the best, wines in Australia. A big portion of the area is occupied by vineyards, wineries & wine cellars. The region also has a fertile soil & temperate climate which makes it the perfect place to produce wine.

I’m not a wine person. I won’t be able to discuss some critical information about the wines produced in Hunter Valley, but I’ll try my best to share as much information as I can about our wine tasting tour.

Day Tour Package

The Hunter Valley Region is about 160+ kilometers away from Sydney. The most economical way to explore the region is by taking a day tour from Sydney. My friends & I searched for the most affordable & most well-reviewed day tour package online; we found the tour offered by Sightseeing Tours Australia.

Took the day tour with my N9 friends Leng & Shane 😍 Photo credits to Leng.

The Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Day Tour from Sydney cost us AUD 120* each & included the following: pick up & drop off in selected Sydney CBD locations, chartered coach to & from Hunter Valley, a visit to 3 of the best wine estates in the region, wine tasting activities in these wineries, a set lunch & a tour guide. The tour started at 7:00 in Sydney lasted for 12 hours. The tour runs every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday. We went there on a Friday, so there were no other tourist groups in the wineries we visited.

The tour didn’t disappoint! My friends & I had fun & we had too much wine in a single day. I’l share with you below some specific details about our day tour.

*Price includes GST but doesn’t include credit card surcharge. My friends & I paid AUD 121.44 each after check out.

Glenworth Valley Stopover

We had a stopover at Glenworth Valley on our way to Hunter Valley. We dropped off 2 ladies taking the horse riding trip in this area. We had a few minutes to walk around the main recreation area.

McGuigan Wines

McGuigan Wines is one of the big names in the Hunter Valley winemaking industry. The love for wine started with Owen McGuigan in the 1880s, which was passed on to his son, Perc McGuigan. This love for wine was transformed into a wine business by Perc & was then made big by Brian McGuigan & his wife Fay McGuigan, with the help of brother Neil McGuigan.

McGuigan Wines is now a multi-awarded winemaking company. They bagged a number of awards in different wine competitions in Australia & in the world. At present, they remain to be one of Australia’s biggest & best wine producers.

We were given the chance to go inside McGuigan’s wine cellar & try their specialty wines. I liked the 2013 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon & the Personal Reserve Tawny. Check out the list of wines we tried below.

Loved these 2 wines from McGuigans

Cypress Lakes Golf & Country Club

View for lunch~ 😍

Next stop, lunch! We had our meal in Cypress Lakes Golf & Country Club. Lunch is included in the tour fee. I ordered lentil burger & a glass of chardonnay for my meal. Guests have the option to get a glass of wine or soda for the drink. The view from our lunch area was very peaceful & relaxing.

Signature lentil burger

A glass of chardonnay paired with the lentil burger

Iron Gate Estate

Iron Gate Estate is a small family-owned boutique winery in Hunter Valley. The wine business was started by Roger Lilliott in 1996. He launched his business in 2000 & then opened his cellar in 2001. Just last year, Roger handed over his legacy to another family-owned winery business, Iron Gate Winery. This small wine business may not be as big as McGuigan’s but I love how everything is personalized in this winery – from the structures, to the cellars & even the wines.

Beautiful view from Iron Gate Estate’s main building

We were given samples of their best wines in storage & in production. Their 2018 Rose, also their newest product, was one of my favorites.

This 2018 Rose was super good!

Savannah Estate

An artsy corner in Savannah’s main building / store

Savannah Estate comes from the owner’s name, Savannah, who is the youngest granddaughter of Petersons Family. The Petersons is another big name in the Hunter Valley wine industry. Savannah Estate is a small wine business & is independent from The Petersons. Savannahn wines are produced from fruits grown in various locations in Australia. The wine estate is located in Mount View, one of the smaller suburbs in Hunter Valley Region.

The estate personnel gave us a few wines to try. I really liked their 2015 Chambourcin & Sparking Pink Moscato. Savannah Estate also has the most Instagram-worthy facility among the 3 wineries we visited. Check out some photos below.

Savannah Estate’s Pink Moscato was really good!

Scarborough Winery Stopover

Our tour guide brought us to Scarborough Winery to take some photos. This winery had stunning landscape views of the Hunter Valley Wine Region.

Wild Roos Hunting

Check out those wild roos~

Our tour guide gave us a small treat before we left Hunter Valley. He brought us to some random places to spot some wild kangaroos. We saw a lot of them, from the baby roos to the big ones. These kangaroos are freely roaming around the wine estates & grasslands. They were cute & scary at the same time.

More wild kangaroos!

That wraps up our day tour to Hunter Valley. The tour cost might be expensive at first but it was actually worth it. Everything has been arranged & all you need to do is to enjoy those glasses of wine prepared for you. I will 100% recommend taking this day trip to Hunter Valley when visiting Sydney. If you have more time in Sydney, I suggest staying overnight in the area. This side trip is one of the highlights of my trip last August.

Wine, anyone? 🍷

Have you been to Hunter Valley before? Anything else to see aside from the wine estates? Are you planning to visit Sydney soon? Make sure to visit this region- it’s peaceful & very laid back. Do you have any questions about the tour or Hunter Valley in general? Post these questions in the comments below! You can also send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I’ll reply as soon as I can. Check out my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Like & share my Facebook page too!

Thanks for your time. Watch out for the last part of the N9 in Straya Series to be posted soon. ✌️

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Tuesday Tip: SINGAPORE Tipid Hits – 9 Ways to Explore On A Budget

It’s not a secret that Singapore is a very expensive country to visit. I visited the country two weeks ago & I can clearly say that most of the things in this country (food, accommodation, transportation) are expensive. However, no matter how expensive this place is, there are still ways on how you can explore this country on a shoestring budget.

Don’t miss Haji Lane! It’s free to go around & take photos of area.

It’s been a while since I posted a Tuesday Tip article; I’m very happy to revive this section of the blog. Today, I’ll share with you 9 ways on how you can explore Singapore the cheapest way possible. These tips are based on my previous visits to Singapore so some points may not be applicable to everyone.

Book Tickets Early

There are more than 15 daily flights from the Philippines to Singapore – 12 of them from Manila. The technique is to take advantage of various airline promotional fares & offers. Return tickets to Singapore used to cost a little over ₱2,000. With the recent inclusion of fuel surcharges to airfares, a cheap return ticket should cost you around ₱4,000. Airport fees in Singapore are very expensive (but you get what you pay for – Changi Airport is the world’s best airport) that’s why fares are these high.

Here’s where your high airport fees to go – to the world-class Changi Airport!

Book your tickets at least 6-9 months before your planned trip, I’m sure you’ll get a good fare deal. I’ve posted two blogs with tips on how to score cheap flights – check the articles here & here.

Stay In Hostels

Hotel accommodations in Singapore are expensive. If you want to have your own privacy, there are budget hotels & guesthouses but take note that spaces are very limited & amenities are very basic. If you don’t mind sharing a room with another person, book your stay in a hostel. Singapore has a lot of nice & high-rated hostels which offer better amenities than some hotels. Check out reviews online before booking your stay.

My dormitory bed two weeks ago in Five Stones Hostel

I previously wrote an article about the ups & downs of staying in hostels. Check the article to see if staying in this kind of accommodation is something for you or not. Also, I wrote a set of tips on how to get the best accommodation deals – make sure to also check that!

Book Attraction Tickets Online

Singapore is a country with a lot of attractions to visit. This equates to spending more money on attraction passes & entrance fees. The best way to save some cash is to book your attraction tickets online. There are online platforms such as Klook & KKDay which offer discounted tickets to almost all attractions in Singapore. Check out your attraction of choice & book them before flying to the country. Booking these tickets / passes in advance also help you skip the long queue at the venue.

Going outside the Philippines for the first time? Check out these 5 steps in order to easily pass through PH immigration!

Eat In Hawker Centres

This is how a hawker centre looks like – this one is in Little India

Food in Singapore isn’t really cheap. A normal meal with a drink in a restaurant or in a shopping mall food court can cost from SGD 7 up to SGD 20. Not practical at all. Singapore has what you call ‘hawker centres,’ these are open air food courts where you get affordable local food. These hawker centres can be found everywhere in Singapore. A hearty meal will only cost you around SGD 3. You still have some extra cash for dessert or for a drink. See the difference?

Get An EZ-Link Card

EZ-Link is Singapore’s reloadable transportation card. Instead of paying for each bus ride or topping up for every train ride, you can use this tap card to pay for your fare. You don’t need to queue in every train station, thus saves you a lot of time. Also, you only pay for the distance traveled & not the usual flat fare when you pay in cash.

How an EZ-Link card looks like. Thanks to Junelle for letting me use the photo.

EZ-Link Cards are sold at most train stations for SGD 12 with SGD 7 top up value (card value at SGD 5). Also, don’t buy the Singapore Tourist Pass if you won’t ride the train very often. You need at least five to six rides a day to break even the daily pass cost.

Walk, Walk & Walk

Singapore is a very tourist-friendly country. All the signs are in English, so you won’t get lost. The best way to explore the country is by foot. Remember that the country has a very hot climate so make sure to bring your bottled water & umbrella with you, plus wear comfortable footwear. Places to visit in this country are grouped into locations.

6 attractions in a photo – you can visit all these places in a day by walking around the area!

For example, you can walk from Boat Quay, to Raffles Place, then to the Merlion Park, to Helix Bridge, Singapore Arts & Science Museum, Marina Bay Sands & last to Gardens By The Bay all in one day. You can also easily spend an afternoon walking around Little India, then to Bugis, then to Haji Lane & Arab Street at night. The secret is to plan where to spend the day so you don’t need to transfer from one area to the other.

Take Advantage of Free Attractions / Places

Singapore may be an expensive country but hey, it also has a number of free attractions or places. These clean & well-maintained places don’t need an entrance fee for you to enjoy or take a photo. These places include Merlion Park, Gardens By The Bay (entrance fees required only for the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest & OCBC Skyway), Singapore Botanic Gardens, Helix Bridge, Shoppes At Marina Bay Sands, Mustafa Centre, Singapore National Library & a whole lot more. See? You don’t have to spend even a dollar to explore & enjoy these places.

Gardens By The Bay’s Supertree Grove is a beautiful free attraction in Singapore!

Bring Water Container

Water in Singapore establishments like cafes & restaurants are not free. It usually costs 50-cents per glass (₱18-ish like really? Yeah!) so the best way to save some cash is to bring your own water container. Singapore tap water is safe to drink so you can refill it anywhere. The country also has drinking water stations found in touristy areas.

Note that smaller water bottles (SGD2-ish) cost more than bigger bottles (SGD1). If I were you, always go for the big bottle.

Look For The Best Place To Shop

Singapore has a lot of shopping centers & malls – more than you can imagine. Almost each neighborhood has a shopping center or a leisure mall. The best places to buy souvenirs are Bugis Street Market, Little India’s Mustafa Center & Chinatown. Some shops allow you to haggle or to ask for a discount; but make sure to ask for a reasonable discount.

If you’re looking for normal day goodies like snacks, drinks & toiletries, buy them from bigger supermarkets located in the basement of every shopping mall. Don’t buy them elsewhere.

In case you missed it, I posted an article about my 24-hour quick stopover in Singapore about 2 weeks ago. That part of the trip inspired me to share my tipid tips in Singapore. This short list saved me a lot of Singapore dollars during my visit in Singapore.

Do you have other tips to add? Feel free to post them in the comment sections below. If you want to share some experiences, tips & suggestions but you want to remain anonymous, send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Connect with me via my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Don’t forget to like & share my Facebook page!

Thanks for your time. Until next time! 🙂

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11 & HTC Re.

SINGAPORE Stopover: Quick & Packed 24 Hours In The Lion City

Two weeks ago, I had a quick 24-hour in Singapore. I’ve been in this country a few times in the past, so there was no rush exploring a lot of places. The last time I was in Singapore was when our family welcomed the New Year in the Lion City. I already wrote about that trip & you can check it out again here.

This stopover was planned last minute. A Singapore-based friend, Lord from LordAroundTheWorld, invited me to once-in-a-lifetime trip so I had to be in the country at least a day before the big day. You’ll know about that trip in the coming weeks. I flew to Singapore from Penang last 3 November & arrived the country around lunch time. I went straight to my hostel to check in & leave my things. I went around the area right away & I managed to visit these places.

Flying to Singapore soon? Check out my tips on how you can travel cheap in such expensive country!

Haji Lane

Haji Lane’s famous mural

Haji Lane is the ‘hippie area’ of Singapore. This famous lane is characterized by colorful murals, specialty shops, cafes, restaurants & bars which youngsters enjoy visiting. The street is very quiet in the morning up until lunch time & transform into a busy area by late afternoon until midnight. It’s also one of the best places to have your ‘Instagram-worthy’ shot.

Colorful but very quiet Haji Lane

BUGIS

Bugis is probably my favorite shopping area in Singapore. I don’t know why, but I always end up in this area every time I’m in Singapore. You can find the famous Bugis Street Market, one of the best places to buy souvenirs in Singapore, here. Bugis Junction Shopping Mall is another place to buy clothes & all good stuff. This is one place which you should not miss when visiting & shopping in Singapore.

ARAB STREET

Arab Street in the morning

Located a few meters from my hostel, Arab St is Singapore’s historic Muslim center. Singapore’s national mosque, the Masjid Sultan Mosque, is located in this area. Aside from its rich history, Arab Street is also famous for its boutique cafes, restaurants & shops. This street transforms into a lively entertainment precinct every night. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to explore more of the neighborhood due to limited time.

Arab Street at night

ATLAS BAR SINGAPORE

Atlas Bar’s Gin & Champagne Collection 😍

The visit to Atlas Bar in Parkview Square was probably the highlight of my 24-hour stop in Singapore. This grand lobby & bar has become a go-to destination of visitors because of its beautiful interiors. Atlas Bar has one of Asia’s longest list of champagne collection (around 250+ champagnes). It also houses the world’s largest physical gin collection (with over 1,000 gins in all). The bar has a grand central structure where the bottles are stored & displayed.

Atlas Bar’s Classic Gin Tonic 🍸

My friends & I went here to see the place & also to have an afternoon drink. A normal drink costs about SGD 20 – SGD 30 + service charge, depending on the type of drink you get. I tried their classic gin tonic; it was the best gin tonic I had to date. They also have an extensive food menu which we were not able to try. Make sure to book your tables early because the place is always full. Take note that the place observes a strict dress code after 5:00 pm – so no shorts, slippers & active wear.

View from the Atlas Bar’s VIP area

Marina Bay Sands

The iconic Marina Bay Sands

A trip to Singapore will never be complete without a visit to Marina Bay Sands. I didn’t stay in the hotel, but I passed by this area again for the nth time. Marina Bay Sands is now one of the country’s landmarks. The Marina Bay Sands Hotel sports a unique boat-like structure on top of 3 tall buildings – this structure has the infinity pool & sky park. Marina Bay Sands also has a large shopping center called The Shoppes At Marina Bay Sands where you can see all kinds of local & international brands.

Gardens By The Bay

Inside Gardens By The Bay’s Flower Dome

Gardens By The Bay is a 100+ hectare man-made nature park located at the back of Marina Bay Sands. The park itself has a lot of attractions to see & discover. I first went around the famous Supertree Grove that are lit up every night. I purchased a Klook entry ticket to both the Flower Dome & the Cloud Forest. The Flower Dome features various gardens with flowers found from all over the world. It also features a central flower display, which changes from time to time. The theme during my visit was Floral Christmas. On the other hand, the Cloud Forest features leaves & plants that grow in tropical mountain regions. This place is famous for the big man-made waterfall & the cloud mountain.

Man made waterfall inside the Cloud Forest

Beautiful tropical feature inside the Cloud Forest

I went to this place at night, about 1.5 hours before last admission, so everything was a bit rushed. I suggest going there for at least half a day to appreciate everything. Go to the Cloud Forest & Flower Dome while there’s still sunlight, then wait for the supetrees to light up at night.

Beautiful supertrees 😍

Zouk Singapore

Right before entering Zouk Singapore 🎉

This 24-hour stop in stopover was very hectic. After going around a few areas in the afternoon & night time, my friend Lord met up with me in Zouk Singapore for the pre-event party. Zouk Singapore is the country’s most famous & also one of the world’s best night clubs. The American electronic music group, Cash Cash, was there to play a set. It was a good night, an amazing preparatory party for the big event the following day. I also got to experience Singapore night life in the world-standard night club. Cool stuff.

Sam & Alex of Cash Cash played at the pre-event party 🙌

Our Lady of Lourdes Church

Inside the church right after the Sunday mass 🙏

I woke up too early despite sleeping at 3:00 in the morning. I took the chance to go to the nearby Catholic Church – Our Lady of Lourdes Church – for the Sunday English mass. I attended the 7:30 am mass then had, breakfast after before going back to the hostel. I’ve been to this church in 2016 & was so happy to be there again.

Albert Street Hawker Centre

Local Singaporean food for breakfast 😋

There weren’t many restaurants open after the mass. I decided to have breakfast in the nearby hawker centre. I ordered rice with chicken, egg, noodles & side dishes for SGD 3.80. Albert Street Hawker Centre is in Albert St, right across Bugis Street Market. The food here is authentic & very affordable.

Changi Airport Terminal 4

Inside Changi Airport Terminal 4, after immigration & security check

The visit to Changi Airport Terminal 4 was not until after the trip, but I felt like I need to include it here. Changi Airport opened their newest terminal last year & I was lucky my flight home departs from this terminal. Everyone knows that Changi Airport has been the world’s best airport for a number of years now, but oh boy, the new Terminal 4 is out of this world. I was blown away by everything about this terminal. All facilities are still new (after a year of operation) & well-maintained. Everything is modern, efficient & well organized. I can’t wait to fly to Singapore again to see Terminal 4 again.

To the boarding gate – what a beautiful airport terminal 😍

This pretty much sums up my quick & very busy stopover in Singapore. I arrived there with only Gardens By The Bay on my plans. I love how spontaneous my itinerary was. Singapore is a country I’ll never get tired of going back. I’ve been there a few times in the past & I still look forward to visiting it again no matter how expensive the country is.

A close up photo of a supertree in Supertree Grove 😍

Have you been to Singapore? What were your favorite places to visit? How did you manage to explore such expensive country? Share your experiences in the comments below.   Got questions about Singapore or travel in general? Feel free to send them to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Check out my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Like & share my Facebook page too!

Thank you for reading! Until the next post. ✌️

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

N9 In Straya Series – BONDI BEACH & COOGEE BEACH – A Short Trip To Two of Sydney’s Suburban Beaches + BOUNCE SYDNEY HOSTEL Tribute

A trip to Sydney will never be complete without a visit to the famous suburban beaches. Sydney, or New South Wales in general, has a long list of beaches. The city is also home to one of the most famous beaches in the world – the Bondi Beach. My friends & I, together with our new found friend Hari, went to see this beach & Coogee Beach on our last afternoon in Sydney. We didn’t go swimming because the weather was a bit cold.

Bondi BeacH

Bondi Beach is Sydney’s most popular beach. The beach is located about 7 kilometers away from the Sydney central business district. Locals & foreign tourists go to this beach to relax & have a quick swim while surfers enjoy the big waves. People also go to the famous Bondi Icebergs tidal pool to have a good view of the beach. For those who don’t want to swim or surf, there are nice cafes, restaurants & pubs along Campbell Pde which you can visit.

In case you missed it, my friends & I went on a walkathon around Sydney. We walked around a number of heritage sites & modern city icons. Check out the individual posts here – part 1 & part 2.

The Kanzler… Aus Jus Burger with a glass of German beer for lunch 😋

[L-R] Hari, Shane, Leng & myself at The Bavarian having lunch 😎

My friends & I had our late lunch at The Bavarian Bondi Beach (menu here) as it is one of the only few ones open during that time. Some stores close during down time (after lunch) & open again for dinner. The area also has some shops where you can go shopping for food & goodies. Bondi Beach’s area is relatively commercialized that those of the other beaches. The beach has a common amenity & a changing area for those who enjoyed the beach.

How To Go To Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach is very accessible to the public. From Central Station, one must take the local train to Bondi Junction. This train ride takes about 13 minutes. From Bondi Station, one should go to the Bus stands & take either Bus 333, 379 or 380 from Bus Stand A or B. Get off in front of Bondi Beach. The bus ride should take about 10-15 minutes.

Coogee Beach

My friends & I also went to Coogee Beach that day. Coogee Beach, compared to Bondi Beach, is relatively more relaxed & more laid back. This small beach is located in the eastern suburb Coogee, about 8 kilometers away from the Sydney central business district. This broad beach appeals to both local & foreigner swimmers & surfers. The beach also has a natural rock pool area which was closed to the public during our visit.

Coogee Beach has beach side pubs, bars, cafes & restaurants that offer alfresco dining. The place has lesser establishments & shops compared to that of Bondi Beach. The establishments in this beach area are closer to the beach. This beach also has a shower & changing facility for those who went swimming & surfing.

Coogee Beach’ rock pools 😍

Applying for an Australian tourist visa? I did the same thing a few months ago & got a 1 year multiple entry visa. Check out these 6 steps on how you can get yours.

How To Go To Coogee Beach

View of Coogee Beach from the start/end of the coastal walk

There best way to go to Coogee Beach from Sydney CBD is by bus. There is no train line / link servicing this area. The buses to take from the city area M50, 370, 372 & 374. The bus ride from the city should take about 30 minutes. This beach is also accessible by taking bus 313 or 314 from Bondi Junction Bus Stands K or F. This ride will take around 15-25 minutes.

Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk

One of the most popular to-do at these beaches is the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk. This 6 kilometer cliff top coastal walk features awesome views of beaches, parks, rock formations & rock pools. One way walk takes about 2 hours to complete. They say the track is relatively easy with a few stairs. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to walk from Coogee Beach to Bondi Beach or vice versa. This is already in my to-do list when I fly to Sydney!

Did you know that I also spent a weekend with my families in Brisbane? Check out the places we visited in this post.

BOUNCE HOSTEL SYDNEY

I was about to write about my 2 night stay in one of Sydney’s highest-rated hostels – Bounce Hostel Sydney – for the Hostel Of The Day feature but I found out that it recently ceased operations. Apparently, the government bought the site early this year & they are planning to do something to enhance Sydney Central Station. Bounce Hostel Sydney’s building & the rest of the buildings along the street will be demolished early next year. It’s so sad to see nice hostel close. Thank you Bounce Hostel Sydney for the fun 2-night stay & for the memories. Let me share to you first some photos I took during my stay at Bounce.

So sad to know Bounce Sydney Hostel has closed 😭 

Beautiful Sydney skyline over Sydney Central Station from Bounce’s rooftop 😍

Back to the beaches.. That pretty much sums up our short trip to two of the many Sydney suburban beaches. I want to go back to these two to finally swim & also to try the coastal walk. Have you been to other suburban beaches in Sydney? Are there other beaches which are worth-visiting? Share your experiences & thoughts in the comments below.

Do you have any questions about Sydney or budget travel in general? Feel free to send them via email to to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Check out my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Like & share my Facebook page too!

Watch out for our Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Tour & Scenic Blue Mountains Trip in the next N9 In Straya Series posts. Thanks for your time & have a good day! ✌️

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.