Around Sydney

Manly

Manly is on a narrow peninsula that ends at the cliffs of North Head. It has an harbour and beautiful ocean beaches, a ferry wharf, all the trappings of a full-scale holiday resort and a great sense of community. You can view divers feeding sharks in the "Ocean world", which has also an underwater Perspex tunnel with a dramatic close encounters with the fish. The "Manly Beach Hut Backpackers" offer a night in a dorm for A$ 25.

Bondi Beach

The most popular city beach is the Bondi Beach, despite not being the best one for a swim, surf or a place to park. This suburb has a unique atmosphere with mixed communities and the seriously good-looking. There is Aboriginal rock art on the golf course in North Bondi. "Tamarama", a lovely cove with strong rips, is south of Bondi. You can sleep in the "Bondi Beachhouse" for A$ 26 per night and dorm and in the "Indy's" for A$ 30 per night and dorm.

Kings Cross

There is a mix of strip joints, prostitution, crime and drugs shaken and stirred in Kings Cross, but there are also a few good restaurants and nice cafés. Kings Cross attracts with an odd mix of highlife, lowlife, sailors, tourists and suburbanites looking for a big night out. There are seven Backpackers to stay overnight. Particular recommended are "Original Backpackers", "Eva's Backpackers" and "Jolly Swagman Backpackers". The cost per night and dorm are between A$ 22-24.

Botany Bay

Botany Bay is 10 km to 15 km south of Sydney on the city's fringe. It is major an industrial centre. Despite this, the bay has pretty stretches and holds a special place in Australian history. This place was Captain Cook's first landing point in Australia. The name comes from the many botanical specimens you can find here. Worth seeing is the "Botany Bay National Park" with bushland and coastal walking tracks, picnic areas and a 8 km cycle track.

Hawkesbury River

At Broken Bay 30 km north of Sydney the mighty Hawkesbury River enters the sea. It is one of Australia's most attractive rivers because of the coves, beaches and picnic spots. The river expands into bays and inlets before reaching the ocean. Very popular are tours on the river with the "Riverboat Postman". There is also a good fleet of comfortable houseboats offer by "Ripples", with admirable reductions during quit times and midweek. The "Yengo National Park" stretches from Wiseman's Ferry to the Hunter Valley. It is a rugged sandstone area covering the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Windsor, Richmond, Wilberforce, Castlereagh and Pitt Town are the five "Macquarie Towns" established on rich agricultural land on the upper Hawkesbury River.