Sydney in January
 

I'm coming to Sydney in January for one week with my girlfriend and am trying to create a loose itinerary. I want to spend some time at Bondi and Manly beaches, visit a winerie, see the sights and take in some of the nightlife. I've been overwhelmed by the internet and would prefer the advice of unbiased travellers...especially as it is going to be very crowded when we arrive. <BR>Also, I've found a few hotels on the net. Are there any reasonably priced spots close to Bondi or King's Cross? <BR>Thanks

Hi <BR> <BR>I am an unbiased newly arrived Sydney-sider, hope thats ok (I still feel like a tourist!!). <BR> <BR>I wouldnt stay around Bondi - it will be sooooo crowded and is frankly rather disappointing. There are other lovely less crowded beaches nearby (Coogee, clovelly, bronte) and the same goes for Manly. Manly is fantastic but on a January weekend it is just packed especially near the Corso area. If you walk up the beach it is much less crowded although there will be no lifeguards up there. <BR> <BR>Why not stay around Manly? There is the Manly Parkroyal, Radisson Kestrel and others... <BR> <BR>When we first arrived in Sydney, we stayed at the Millennium at Kings Cross. I think it was great idea as it is close to the CBD, darlinghurst, paddington etc but is a bargain! It is 4 star but far cheaper than other equivalents (i guess because most tourists dont want to stay in kings cross). Rates are about $AUS140-180 per night. There is a supermarket under the hotel so u dont get stung by minibar prices too!! Rooftop pool, gym etc etc <BR> <BR>We stayed there 2 weeks and got given a harbour view room, which was amazing (worth paying extra for).

Hi, Ross! <BR>I agree with the above respondent about beaches such as Coogee or even Manly being nicer to stay than Bondi,(I think there's a Holiday Inn right at Coogee Beach), but, frankly, I am not too sure about the wisdom of staying at any of these locations, because they are all out of the city and are served only by public buses (or, in the case of Manly, a ferry and hydrofoil.) You would spend at least half an hour travelling FROM your hotel to anywhere else you wanted to go. There are so many hotels in the city itself, all different grades and prices, that you are bound to find something even in this VERY busy time... whereas I am not so sure that this would be true of Manly...and then you need only do the half-hour public transport ride when you want to go out of the city to either of the beaches you mentioned. One more word of warning... the beaches around Sydney in January are merciless for fair skins... Aussies have the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, and you would be wise to limit yourself to an hour or two in the sun at a time, or risk having a miserable week after just one foolhardy day!

Alan- you make it sound like the sun is deadly hre! <BR>Just use sunscreen and a hat, avoid noon to 2pm on the beach, and you'll be fine. <BR>I think the skin cancer rates are very high not because the sun is more intense than other places, but because 1) Aussies are for the most part fair skinned and burn easily, and <BR>2)Most Aussies tend to live near the ocean, so spend much more time in beach and outdoor activities than residents elsewhere. <BR>like others, I'd choose Manly over bondi, but would split my time between there and Sydney proper, or stay in town and take the ferry to the beach. <BR>Have fun, Ross!

I agree with the above writer that Australians have a higher rate of skin cancer the same as Alaskans have a higher rate of frost bite than do Australians for the big reason that we live at the beaches and 90% of us live a very outdoor lifestyle along the coastal strip of Australia and therefore are far more exposed to ultra violet rays than most other people in the world. <BR>Be wise and wear sun screen and a hat together with sun block out shirts which you can buy just about anywhere at very good prices. My family all have olive skin but we still keep the sun off us because it dries the skin so. <BR>Don't go swimming in the middle of the day without protection and you will be fine. <BR>Manly is by way the better location compared to Bondi and it only takes 20 minutes to Circular Quay ( by way of a lovely boat trip across the harbour) where all the trains, buses and ferries go from. Other than that I would stay in and around the city and expand out to the various beaches at will. <BR>have a great trip.