Planning a Vacation to Sydney? Here’s How to Get Around!
“Where should I stay in Sydney?”
Or…
“How can I make my trip to Sydney affordable?”
Read These Tips Before You Go on Vacation to Sydney!
These questions often come up for those visiting Sydney for the first time.
I was the same when my Work and Holiday visa was approved last year. My head was filled with questions I needed answers to.
Of course, I immediately turned to Google for help, as usual.
What I did know was that the pristine and beautiful beaches scattered around Sydney were the main reason I decided to spend the summer in Sydney, Australia.
Yes, Sydney’s location on the eastern edge of Australia makes it home to many photogenic and enjoyable beaches worth visiting again and again.
Now, I’ve been in Sydney for almost a year.
So, I’m no longer a newbie.
That’s why I want to share my experiences with those of you planning to visit Sydney.
Whether you’re going for a short trip or staying for a longer period like I did with a Work and Holiday visa.
Read these beginner tips for vacationing in Sydney! To make it easier, I’ve divided them into two sections: tips for before you depart and tips for after you arrive in Sydney.
Before You Leave for Your Sydney Vacation
Prepare these things!
1. Plan Your Vacation Carefully
Whether you’re going to Sydney for a short or long time, make sure you plan everything thoroughly.
At the very least, make a checklist of what needs to be done before departure, such as applying for an Australian tourist visa.
Research the tourist attractions you want to visit in Sydney and hunt for promotional tickets to Australia.
If you don’t have time to plan your trip to Sydney yourself, the easiest way is to use a travel agent.
Though you might need to budget a little extra, using a travel agent usually guarantees more comfort.
You won’t have to worry about the details.
From what I know, H.I.S. is one of the travel agents offering tour packages to Australia.
Their prices are pretty competitive compared to other travel agents.
If I’m not mistaken, H.I.S. also offers several optional tours for exploring Sydney that are both economical and comfortable.
2. Hunt for Promo Airplane Tickets to Sydney Well in Advance
When it comes to finding promotional tickets, I always prepare well in advance.
Often, I start looking for promo tickets as early as nine months before my departure.
I regularly use several flight search apps and frequently visit airline websites to find cheap tickets.
As a result, I recently got a ticket from Denpasar to Sydney for just IDR 1.5 million.
Normally, economy class tickets from Indonesia to Australia range from IDR 4 million to IDR 6 million.
So, make sure to check prices online regularly. Promo tickets can appear at any time.
3. Prepare Documents to Apply for an Australian Tourist Visa
Every Indonesian passport holder must apply for a visa before entering Australia.
If you don’t want the hassle, you can apply for an Australian tourist visa through a travel agent.
That said, applying for an Australian visa isn’t all that difficult if you take the time to read the details.
Yes, you just need to invest some time to handle it yourself.
If you want to apply for an Australian tourist visa yourself, you can read the official Australian embassy website here.
4. Choose the Right Season When Visiting Sydney
Seasons! This is something you need to consider when traveling to a country with four distinct seasons.
Remember that Australia, especially Sydney, experiences four different seasons: summer, autumn, winter, and spring.
Sydney is enjoyable to visit during three seasons: summer, autumn, and spring.
I don’t recommend visiting Sydney during winter unless you specifically want to see Vivid Sydney.
As a friend of mine said, “Winter in Sydney will be very cold and wet.” I agree, having experienced it myself.
Summer in Sydney is the best time to enjoy this Australian metropolitan city.
I highly recommend vacationing in Sydney at the start of summer, right around New Year’s.
You know that New Year’s Eve celebrations in Sydney are incredibly beautiful, especially the fireworks display at the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
Once You’re in Sydney
Where to go?
1. Visit Free Tourist Attractions
A guided tour might be an economical and efficient option for vacationing in Sydney.
Considering that Sydney is one of the most expensive cities to live in Australia.
That said, Sydney also has many free attractions that I’ve written about here.
So, if you want to have an affordable vacation in expensive Sydney while staying on budget, be sure to visit as many free attractions as possible.
Or, if you’re worried about overspending, using a tour to explore Sydney is a wise choice.
2. Choose the Right Mode of Transportation to Get Around Sydney
Sydney is a modern city with a comprehensive transportation system.
There are buses, trains, and light rail that can take you to every corner of Sydney and its surroundings.
If that’s not enough, you can always walk, especially around the Sydney Central Business District.
To make it easier to choose and know the transport schedules in Sydney, I usually use the TripView Lite app, available on iOS and Android.
Along with Google Maps, this app helps me navigate Sydney without fear of getting lost.
3. Try Walking Around Sydney CBD
Even though Sydney is quite large, the Sydney CBD area isn’t that big.
Believe it or not, Jakarta is much bigger than Sydney!
When I feel like refreshing and exercising, I usually walk from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour.
Or just stroll around the relatively small Sydney CBD – it’s fun too!
4. Stay in a Hostel, Shared House, or Shared Apartment
There are several accommodation options when vacationing in Sydney.
The most common is staying in a hostel, easily found in Sydney CBD.
However, if you want a bit more privacy at a reasonable price, a shared house or shared apartment could be a good option.
Shared houses or apartments are common in Australia, where a room in a house or apartment is rented out at a much lower rate than a hotel room.
The rental price for a single room usually starts at AUD 200-350 per week.
I typically find information about this type of accommodation on gumtree.com.au or flatmates.com.au.
5. Sometimes Touring Sydney with a Package Tour Is More Efficient
As I mentioned earlier, if you have plenty of time, you can slowly plan your vacation.
But what if you don’t have much time to plan your trip to Sydney?
Using a tour is definitely a wise choice. As the saying goes, time is money, so use it wisely.
If you use a travel agent like H.I.S., you don’t have to worry about anything except for going on vacation.
You won’t need to think about plane tickets, hotels, transportation costs while you’re there, visas, and other details.
Just focus on having fun during your vacation in Sydney! Right?
6. Always Bring Your Own Water Bottle
Whether you’re on a tour or exploring on your own, this tip is a must-remember!
Bring your own water bottle that you can fill from water fountains or tap water available in some public parks in Sydney.
Tap water in Sydney is safe to drink directly.
There’s usually a sign indicating whether the tap water is drinkable.
This is a great way to save money since bottled water and soft drinks in Sydney start from AUD 2-4 per bottle.
Let’s say you drink up to three bottles a day, that means you can save up to AUD 12 a day, right?
7. Make Time to Try Various International Cuisines in Sydney
Unlike Indonesia, Australia doesn’t have a wide variety of traditional foods.
Kangaroo meat or Australian beef might be some of the local specialties worth trying.
However, since so many immigrants come and settle in Sydney, I’ve had the chance to try different traditional foods from around the world.
Thai, Nepalese, Turkish, Spanish, and many other international cuisines can easily be found in Sydney.
No need to travel the world to taste different cuisines from each country.
Just go food hunting in Sydney – it’s enough!
So, are you ready to plan your trip to Sydney?
Especially since summer in Australia is pretty cool!
Oh yes, if you want to vacation there but don’t have time to take care of everything yourself, you can use a travel agent!
Just choose a recommended tour provider for Australia in Indonesia.
They have pretty competitive tour prices.
They not only offer group tour packages to exciting destinations in Australia, but for those who still want to save on their travel budget, you can choose from various optional tours they offer.
So whether it’s spring, summer, autumn, or winter, there’s always something to enjoy during a vacation in Sydney!
Let’s pack your bags and go on vacation!
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