Staying at Bondi Beach when in Sydney..Good or Bad idea?

by - 8/19/2020

 

Twinning with the wall. Street art is in every nook and  corner of the city.
What do you look for  when booking an accommodation? For us it's first the proximity to either the city center or near a famous landmark. The bare amenities and hygiene are of course non negotiable. However there are always brownie points for things like a swimming pool or a beach facing apartment. And like everyone else, we love a good buffet breakfast.
One Bedroom window looked to the ocean, the other one to the swanky street

When we were looking for homes to stay in Sydney, we were very clear about one thing. Either we wanted to stay on the Sydney Harbor area or on one of the most famous beach in the world... Bondi Beach! Staying on the beach meant being really far from the city center. However accommodation was really expensive in the Harbor area. And anyways we were supposed to visit the Bondi Beach and do the beach trail along the Pacific ocean. So we decided to book an apartment on the Bondi Beach itself.
The Pacific Ocean a hop, skip and jump away

Luckily we saw an apartment that was right beside the beach on Air BnB and we booked it immediately. It looked kind of old and tumble down ( especially our apartment in heart of Melbourne was so modern and the Villa in Blue Mountains was so dreamy and quaint) but we decided to take the plunge. Some compromise for renting a shabby area to be near the hottest spot in Sydney.

How to reach Bondi Beach from Sydney Central station?

We were coming back from our one day trip in Katoomba and hence our point of entry to Sydney was Sydney Central Railway station. In entire New South Wales, you need an Opal Card to travel which is accepted in all modes of transportation. Public Transport is quite expensive in Sydney...in fact in entire Australia. Unlike the Myki Card in Melbourne which costs 6$ itself, Opal Card is free of cost. You just have to top it up  with the fare amount. From Sydney Central, we took the train to Bondi junction. There are a lot of buses from Bondi junction to Bondi Beach. The best part about their public transport is that the NSW Opal app guides you in everything and every route.

The moment we stepped into the bus, we were submerged in the tropical vibe.  Everyone inside the bus was in a bikini and we were probably the oldest passengers!(and just 28 and 32 respectively 😂) It was a Sunday and all the youngsters were for a treat!
Busy neighbourhood

The bus dropped us right on the beach. Bikini clad youngsters thronged the beach like houseflies. Just like any Air B N B apartment, it was tough to locate. But our host Ed was sweet enough to come down to the street to guide us. Ed was a British who settled in Australia ages back. He was like 22 years old. The century old house was right beside the beach, flanked by expensive showrooms and facing a swanky hotel. We had to climb all the way up to the third floor with our heavy luggage. The carpets were dirty and walls were shabby but as soon as we saw our room, we were overjoyed.

The window looked straight to the beach and also to a very happening street downstairs. We could spend hours looking at all the beautiful people lazying around in the swanky hotel ( if only we had time) Also the kitchen had the most beautiful view of the ocean.
Kitchen window looking to the ocean

That place may not be the best that we could have afforded in entire Sydney but staying over the Bondi Beach was an different experience altogether. We could have easily gotten a cheaper yet much better place in another neighbourhood. But laying on the sand till midnight on one of the most famous beaches in the world was only possible because we were staying there.
The kitchen that looked straight to the Pacific Ocean


Best part of exploring Sydney on a Sunday?
The fare cannot exceed 2.6$ no matter how much you travel that day!
Street Art everywhere

So basically even though we were far from the 'Hot Spots' of Sydney, the Bondi beach at a stone's throw distance is a luxury that only the lucky can avail.

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8 comments

  1. WOW..being under the lockdown phase, reading your blog has made my travel mind up..! hahaha .. The pictures says that you had a great time at Bondi Beach, Sydney. Anyways your blog is interesting to read.

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  2. During this time when we are stuck at home and unable to travel, this post allowed me to take a little virtual vacation! I would love to visit when all of this is over.

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  3. This was a great virtual tour to bondi beach. Will share your post with people either staying or planning a visit to Australia.

    - Ujjwal Mishra

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  4. Bondi beach is really cool. It is one of my favourite beaches in Sydney and staying there sounds so awesome. I love the restaurants and the cafes there as well, very chilled out vibes. I think I need to do a staycation there, will be awesome.

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  5. Truly said, u we’re lucky to have a view from ur room to that beautiful ocean.
    Also I loved the art wall both urs & ur hubby.
    So much to see near & at Bondi beach.
    On my wish list now.

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  6. Just today I was telling my husband that I m missing beach holidays and our daughter just loves to be in waters and enjoy the beach... n here u gave me such a wonderful virtual tour of Bondi Beach

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  7. You two love birds need no reason to travel. Your pictures are so beautiful and match the vibe of the place. I'd love to visit the Bondi Beach someday.

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  8. The art Wall in your picture looks so gorgeous and the ocean view is so beautiful. Your travel pictures are making me plan a visit there after the lockdown.

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