Sydney - The Rocks to Bondi Beach by Bus - A First Timer's Journey

Wandering around a big Australian city on your own, at your own speed, is a real blast. Nothing makes you feel like you really know your stuff - "Hey. I'm doing this independently" - like a day zipping around Sydney and the suburbs on the way to Bondi Beach.

Big problem, however: How do you get from the Rocks to Bondi Beach by bus without losing your way, ending up in the wrong place and generally screwing up the outing? Easy: Let the Hop-on, Hop-off Bus do the navigating - you just decide where to get on and then get off again.

OK, so let's start by looking at the map of Sydney again. Bondi Beach is just to the east of downtown, the Rocks and the Sydney Opera House.

Bondi Beach

How do we do this? First you buy a Sydney and Bondi Hop-on Hop-off Tour ticket. This will give you up to 24 hours continuous riding over two different tour routes on their bright red, open topped, double decker bus. Sit up the top for the best views. A warm, wind proof jacket is always a good idea.

Start off at Stop 1 of the Sydney Explorer at Circular Quay - you can either take the full route, or you can change straight onto the Bondi and Bays Explorer at William Street (Stop 5) - or at Central Station (Stop 14).  Get off at the Bondi Beach Terminal.

As one of Australia's surfing icons, Bondi is not just sand, surf and people, it is home to a whole local beach culture. A couple of hours wandering Campbell Parade along the beachfront will leave some lasting impressions. Great pubs, bars restaurants and shops.  Don't miss it!  And for your first day at an Aussie Beach, how about some surfing lessons?

Hotel Bondi

Hotel Bondi - Campbell Parade - Find a Hotel in Bondi Beach

The trip back to the city will take you along the clifftops through Dover Heights - great views out onto the Pacific, and back to the City over Sydney Harbour.  

Take as long as you like - is this the way to see Sydney and Bondi Beach, or what?

See you next time.  Even though we could spend months in Sydney alone, I'm going to move around Australia randomly from now on.  Next post, let's check out Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef.   Stay tuned. 

Route Map for the Sydney and Bondi Hop-on Hop-off tour.

More info on Bondi Beach.