Is staying on the beaches of Sydney a good option?

Like almost all travel planning questions, the answer to the title of this post is: reports.

When I think about Australia, the first thing that crosses my mind is praia.

That's why, on my first exchange, I chose a English School which was five minutes from the sand of Manly Beach.

It was a great idea because I loved getting out of class and lying in the summer sun, working on my tan.

I would like to explore tourist attractions like Opera House, Harbor Bridge and George St. which were in the center, but I didn’t mind “wasting” a day or two just at the beach.

On my second visit, I ended up staying next to the building where I had classes. In the same neighborhood, but this time in the middle of autumn.

It wasn't the best choice.

The beaches, as beautiful as they are, are far from the metropolitan area, where all the restaurants, parks, shopping malls and famous attractions are located. Furthermore, in the climate cold and com wind, spending time freezing in the sand was not at all inviting.

I then had to go for a walk in the center.

To get there from Manly, however, you had to take a ferry which cost AUD 7.50 per section. It was possible to go by bus, but it only ran until 9 am and the return trip was at 15 pm via a super long route.

The options were: spend a lot on transport or spend the whole day in the city, eating out.

Sydney is already expensive, and the price of transport every day was not in my budget. Travel blogger with great planning lol.

I ended up spending several days in Manly, without much to do.

It's not that my trip was bad, after all my goal wasn't really to be a tourist... But it's funny to realize that the same place, which I found the first time the best neighborhood ever, it wasn't that good after a second moment.

Which reinforces my answer:

Is it worth staying on Sydney's beaches?

Depends on your type of trip!

• Do you want to stay close to tourist attractions and be able to walk to some popular attractions?

I suggest staying in the CBD (Central Building District) region. Even if you want to enjoy a few days at the beach, you can go to Bondi by bus, and a day to get to know Manly using the ferry is more than enough.

• Do you want to take the opportunity to relax on the beach, and one day or another wander around the city?

So stay at Northern Beaches, and plan your days in tourist areas to include as many places as possible at once.

>> In my post on 15 free or cheap tours in Sydney, I have a small itinerary for those who are visiting the city for the first time.

It is important to highlight that in Sydney it's not hot all year round. If you plan on staying near the beach in late fall or winter, be prepared for wind and cold. Temperatures are more similar to Santa Catarina than Rio de Janeiro.

In my opinion, staying on the beaches of Sydney is ideal for those who are going to spend time studying and want to enjoy the quality of life in Australia. Those who are going to do tourism have more benefits staying in the center.

>> I've stayed at the Ibis in Darling Harbor and loved the experience. The proximity to public transport and the incredible view won me over!

Have questions? Do you agree with my point of view? Tell me in the comments 🙂