Backpacking in Australia: Textbook Top 5 Sights in Sydney

Getting an Australian Working Holiday Visa

Arrival in the land down under at Sydney Airport in 2009!

Sometimes when you are backpacking through endless cities and countries, you end up in a totally popular tourist spot and rather than whack out a guidebook or look for off the wall places, you just want to do the obvious. You want to tick off a “textbook top 5 sights” and that’s exactly what I did when my barmy life took me to the land down under. I arrived into Sydney Kingsford Smith airport and took things from there. I found some hotel accommodation in Sydney , based myself in the King’s Cross area and headed out to explore.

Backpacking in Australia: Textbook Top 5 Sights in Sydney

Backpacking in Australia: Textbook Top 5 Sights in Sydney

Sydney is an awesome city, and as well as my time living in Parramatta, I also spent around 4-5 weeks in Sydney itself as a backpacker and tourist. These are the trademark top 5 that most tourists rave about and love.

backpacking in sydney

Backpackers on tour – with Dan and Neil living the backpacking dream at Sydney Harbour.

1.Bondi Beach
Yes, I made a beeline for the famous Bondi Beach in the hope of pulling an ice hot Australian babe. That never happened of course but I did visit the beach and go for a swim. Later realising that Cronulla and Clontarf beaches were more my thing.

Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia

Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia

The girls are sexy, the surfers are here, the lads are muscular and then a white skinny Ulsterman turns up!

Me at Bondi Beach

Me at Bondi Beach

Me at Bondi Beach

Me at Bondi Beach

2.Sydney Opera House
As iconic as it is, the mandarin shreds of Sydney Opera House are hard to ignore. So magnetic that I had to head here on my first ever day in the country just to get a few photos and marvel at how cool this place is.

jonny blair backpacking in sydney

Backpacking at Sydney Opera House

I also went inside a few times and watched the famous NYE fireworks display from here. It’s a fabulous building, no wonder its world famous.

Sydney Opera House

Sydney Opera House

3.Sydney Harbour Bridge
It’s a famous walk and a famous sight, so get on the bridge and go backpacking. It’s free to cross on foot, and there is a charge to walk across the top of it. Be careful though – it’s a huge drop but what a view! The views are amazing but if you really want to stay somewhere with a great view too, then check out these top 28 Sydney Hotels With Perfect Harbour Views – The Ultimate Guide, listed by HotelsCombined for more of Sydney’s  iconic sights.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney Harbour Bridge

4.Maritime Museum
I loved the sheer diversity of the Maritime Museum in Sydney. You can tour submarines, war ships and boats and get a glimpse of war time life as a Australian Navy Officer. The Aussies like to chill out though, so a highlight was actually the boat made out of beer tins!

Boat made of beer tins

Boat made of beer tins

5.Sydney Cathedral
It’s odd that people don’t think of Australia as a religious country, when it boasts temples and churches in most major cities. The Cathedral is definitely worth a visit.

Sydney Cathedral

Sydney Cathedral

Once you have had your fix of Sydney, try and get out to tour the Blue Mountains or the Jenolan Caves – well worth a trip. I have so many fond memories of my time in the land down under, it really feels a lifetime ago now.

5 thoughts on “Backpacking in Australia: Textbook Top 5 Sights in Sydney

  • Hello Nemanja again, it was a long time ago i commented on your website.
    These are the places i recommend you to go to.
    Seborga (Might be difficult to get to but i highly recommend it)
    Lebanon (Beirut, because the rest of Lebanon might be dangerous)
    Serbia (Police Registration is required within 12 hours of arrival, if not, you will be given a fine.)
    Cyprus ( Very recommended, ive been to Agia Napa,Nicosia and Paphos and they were all perfect!)
    Northern Cyprus (If going to this place, go to Nicosia (Lefkosia)and Famagusta. Immigration is easy)
    Malta (I Will be going to Valletta in 2 weeks and maybe i will take the ferry to Sicily and Gozo)
    Those are my tips, safe travels.
    -Nemanja

  • Its kinda funny you saw the NYE fireworks in Sydney in 2009. That year I sat outside the Sydney Opera House for 12 hours waiting for the fire works.

    As I guy who lived in Sydney all his life, I see this stuff at least once a year. But I always take the bus over the famous *COAT HANGER*

  • Hi Nemanja, great tips here. Seborga sounds epic – I almost went there last month in fact, and I’d love to visit both parts of Cyprus too! Safe travels. Jonny

  • Hi Martin, thanks for the comment. Yes it crazy. We loved that night actually, it was goodbye to the entire decade so it was a good time of my life there. I haven’t been back in 5 years now. Safe travels. Jonny

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

CommentLuv badge