When most people think about the land down under they think about vegemite, kangaroos, and beaches. Here is a more local perspective about Australia. There are many places near Sydney that provide a perfect day trip. The day trips I have taken so far include the Blue Mountains, Wollongong, and Manly Beach. The best day to travel is on Sunday as all train travel is heavily discounted and most bus fares are free if you have your Opal Card. The Opal Card is like a Charlie Card and allows you to use all forms of public transportation. Opal Cards can be purchased at most convenient stores or stations and can be topped up online or at stations. Thus, I have taken many Sunday trips and have planned a few more.
My first Sunday trip was to the Blue Mountains, a rugged mountain range that offers intense views, hours of hiking, waterfalls, and beautiful forests. The easiest way to get to the Blue Mountains is to take a train from Central station to Katoomba. The ride is about 2 hours long, but offers stunning views as the train carves through the mountainous region west of Sydney. Once at Katoomba station you can either take a bus or walk about 25 minutes to Echo Point, a starting point to the enormous Blue Mountains park. Echo Point provides a view of the mountain range with the Three Sisters, a curious natural rock formation, at the forefront. From Echo Point there are several hikes to pick from, depending on difficulty and length. The hike we picked rewarded us with some amazing views of the cliffs and mountain ranges as well as a flowing stream that ended in a waterfall. Overall, the Blue Mountains is definitely worth the trek from Sydney.
Another successful Sunday trip I have taken thus far is to the town of Wollongong. Wollongong is a coastal city 2 hours south of Sydney. It is fairly easy to get to Wollongong by train. Our first stop was to explore the beaches and rock pools that line the coast of the city. As it is 2 hours south, the water was significantly colder than the beaches of Sydney so we could not swim, but Wollongong’s relative isolation offered nearly private beach access. After exploring the beaches and rock pools, we decided to check out the lighthouse that looks over the harbor. As a smaller city, the lackadaisical harbor dotted with smaller ships did not compare to the heavily commercialized Sydney harbor. After eating a local sandwich shop, we decided to take the bus to the Nan Tien Temple. A mere 20 minute bus ride south of the city center, the Nan Tien Temple is a branch of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order and one of the largest Buddhist temples in the Southern Hemisphere. The complex is built into a hillside with the main temple at the bottom and a courtyard along with several meetings rooms above. The architecture made me feel as if I was in a Chinese palace, thousands of miles away from a small coastal Australian city. The temple is fully functional and we were able to see a ceremony carried out by monks in one of the two prayer halls. Although I did not understand it, the ceremony was calming and stimulating. The temple also offers free calligraphy and meditation classes to visitors and I participated in both. This was an extremely interesting experience and I felt an enlightened sense of culture after visiting the temple. I recommend visiting Nan Tien to see an authentic piece of Buddhism and experience a culture outside of normal daily life. Finally, we took a train to Stanwell Park station to view another local beach before heading back to Sydney. For any adventure seekers, a company at Stanwell Park offers hang gliding treks when the wind is blowing a certain direction at a safe speed. They recommended booking in advance to guarantee a safe experience.
Furthermore, a popular day trip for many Sydney natives is the famous Manly Beach. Ferries run from Circular Quay Wharf 3 in Sydney Harbor every 30 minutes. The ferry ride takes about 40 minutes and offers breath-taking views of the city as it sails through the harbor past the Harbor Bridge and around the Opera House. The sun soaked deck was crowded with locals and tourists alike. Once we reached the Manly wharf we took up a recommendation from a local and went to find the cliffs along the scenic walk to the beach. At the beginning of the scenic walk is a small trail the leads to a cliff, around 25 feet high, that many people jump off into the cold clear water below. We ended up having a crowd as a group celebrating a birthday had anchored their boat near the cliff. They cheered as we took turns jumping into the water. After engaging in this adventurous activity, we spent a few hours in the sun and sand at Manly Beach. People were surfing, paddle boarding, and simply enjoying a perfect day. Every weekend the streets that border the beach host flea market with many vendors showing their fairs at outdoor tents and tables. I saw vendors selling unique handmade Australian crafts including jewelry, designer clothing, surf gear, paintings, wallets, and candles. This market is great for anyone who likes to browse, enjoys learning about the local culture, and soaking up a lively atmosphere with bustling vendors and live music. Manly was such a great time that I almost missed the ferry back to Sydney!
These are just a few of the Sunday trips around Sydney that I have done so far. The discounted rates and quality public transportation makes it easy to get around to any station in and around the city. The New South Wales transport website, https://transportnsw.info, has information on Opal Cards, transportation rules, and a trip planner to discover all the possible locations and stations that can be reached. I plan on continuing to utilize Sundays as a day to travel and explore.
