When talking about Australia travel, one shouldn't forget about Sydney. The city is not only the largest city in Australia, but Sydney Opera House is also the country's icon that most people prioritize visiting when traveling to Australia for the first time.
Unfortunately, Sydney isn't exactly a budget-friendly travel destination in Australia, especially if compared with cities like Melbourne or Brisbane. The living cost in Sydney is known as one of the highest in the world, and it's easier to find some luxury travel in Sydney than the budget-friendly ones.
However, David from Delve Into Australia will share some tips to explore Sydney on a budget so you can save a few bucks while making the most of your stay in the capital city of New South Wales.
So, what can you do in Sydney on a budget? Let's dive in!
Sydney is an expensive city to visit, but it doesn't mean you can travel around the city on a budget. With the right strategies, it's pretty easy to plan a trip to Sydney without breaking the bank. Here are some tips you can apply to minimize your travel expenses in Sydney!
Get an Opal card
One of the best things to do in Sydney is to take a ride on a harbor ferry. In order to use public transport in Sydney, you need to obtain an Opal card which you can then use on all ferries, buses and trains. You can also join the hop-on hop-off Harbour Cruise with a guide for a more touristic experience in Sydney.
The best ferry ride of all is the F1, which runs form ferry hub Circular Quay to the seaside suburb of Manly, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
The one time of the week you can get there and back for less than US $10 is a Sunday, when fares across the entire network are slashed to just A$2.50 (US $ 1.93!) for unlimited travel throughout the day. On other days of the week, the return on an Opal ticket works out at A$ 14.70, which at $11.37 takes us slightly over budget.
The Manly ferry is one of the best public transport journeys in the world. As it leaves Circular Quay, you pass Sydney Harbour Bridge on your left and Sydney Opera House on your right, before heading out towards the ocean, passing North and South Heads before finishing the half-hour journey in Manly Cove, which is part of North Harbour.
What to Do in Manly, Sydney
Manly is a beautiful suburb, with the still turquoise waters of the harbour on one side and the famous Pacific Ocean surf pounding the beach the other, just 400 metres away.
There are several harbor beaches, including Delwood and Fairlight, a few minutes’ walk from Manly ferry wharf. The ocean-facing Manly beach is one of the best surfing beaches in Sydney, and it’s always busy with surfers catching the many waves.
Nearby, Shelly Beach is much quieter and more sheltered, and it’s the starting point for a great coastal walk to North Head.
All of this is, of course, free, and you still have the equivalent of just over $8 USD burning a hole in your pocket. A coffee in Manly normally sets you back A$4-5, and you often find coffee and cake deals for $8-10 AUD ($6.50-8 USD), a perfect way to use up the rest of your budget, sitting back and savouring this wonderful spot.
Contributor: David Angel from Delve into Australia
David Angel is a professional writer and photographer who has traveled the world – and Wales, his home country – for the last 30 years. Delve into Australia is a newly launched travel blog with the aim to be an online expert travel resource for people who are planning to travel within Australia. For the past 8 years, David has been making a yearly trip down under with his Australian-born wife, Faye.
I love how fares are slashed in half on Sunday’s. When I visited Vancouver, they had a similar approach to their public transportation on the weekends. I wish Japan would do this too!
A ferry ride and a sweet all for $10. I would agree, a fun way to spend a Sunday … at least part of the day. I’d spend the rest of the time hopping on and off buses to visit various parks around the city. Though by evening, it would absolutely be time to go over budget! Unless you have tips for cold beer and tasty comestibles for $10. 😉
hahaha, i suppose it’s sydney that we’re talking about.. by the night, you should go back home for the beer you bought the previous day to stay on budget. 😛
Looks like you got the best out of $10 bucks! Manly looks beautiful, perfect for a relaxed day by the sea. I also just read your $10 guide to Singapore (as I’m currently here, very helpful! Thanks for sharing!
yeayyy, so happy that it’s helpful… eat well yet slow in there, enjoy singapore! 😀
Heather
Perfect way to spend a Sunday with a ferry ride and coffee and cake. Why do you think they discount it so much from $11.37 to $1.93 and on a weekend day? I find that both cool and interesting!!
it’s interesting to find out the reason why the discount is on sunday, but i think it’s because sydney is a big city. i suppose since urban people who live in the city, they rarely go out on sunday so maybe it’s considered low season to the point they give discount to the commuters? hmmm. that’s like a rough theory though. 😛
I love how fares are slashed in half on Sunday’s. When I visited Vancouver, they had a similar approach to their public transportation on the weekends. I wish Japan would do this too!
A ferry ride and a sweet all for $10. I would agree, a fun way to spend a Sunday … at least part of the day. I’d spend the rest of the time hopping on and off buses to visit various parks around the city. Though by evening, it would absolutely be time to go over budget! Unless you have tips for cold beer and tasty comestibles for $10. 😉
hahaha, i suppose it’s sydney that we’re talking about.. by the night, you should go back home for the beer you bought the previous day to stay on budget. 😛
What a great way to spend a Sunday! And to think that it’s the day when the price is the lowest instead of the highest!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Looks like you got the best out of $10 bucks! Manly looks beautiful, perfect for a relaxed day by the sea. I also just read your $10 guide to Singapore (as I’m currently here, very helpful! Thanks for sharing!
yeayyy, so happy that it’s helpful… eat well yet slow in there, enjoy singapore! 😀
Perfect way to spend a Sunday with a ferry ride and coffee and cake. Why do you think they discount it so much from $11.37 to $1.93 and on a weekend day? I find that both cool and interesting!!
it’s interesting to find out the reason why the discount is on sunday, but i think it’s because sydney is a big city. i suppose since urban people who live in the city, they rarely go out on sunday so maybe it’s considered low season to the point they give discount to the commuters? hmmm. that’s like a rough theory though. 😛