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Xmas/ NY in Oz
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Where's good to spend Christmas and New Year for a lone traveller?
N Posts: 1
I'm heading to Australia on my own in November for a year and while I'm very excited, I'm also very nervous!! I have a plan up to the first week of December and I'm now trying to decide where to spend Christmas and New Year.
Obviously Sydney is the first city everyone thinks of for New Year but I'm open to suggestions...Has anyone experienced another city at New Year? And what is the country like for lone travellers around the festive season? I imagine there are quite a few?!
I don't have any family in Australia and I'm assuming hostels and things stay open!!?!
Any info/ ideas will be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks!! :) Reply to this
Obviously Sydney is the first city everyone thinks of for New Year but I'm open to suggestions...Has anyone experienced another city at New Year? And what is the country like for lone travellers around the festive season? I imagine there are quite a few?!
I don't have any family in Australia and I'm assuming hostels and things stay open!!?!
Any info/ ideas will be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks!! :) Reply to this
B Posts: 5,620
Hello Claire and welcome to Travelblog!
Having been born in Australia and experienced New Year's Eve in many of the places here (Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast) I can confidently say that Sydney is far and away your best (but not cheapest) option - I've never seen another place in the world like it that can compare. I've heard that Byron Bay is popular, but my vote is still for Sydney.
The Christmas/New Year period is crowded and expensive - since this is the time us Aussies take our main vacation - summer holidays here. My suggestion would be to find a place and settle down during that week with only minimal plans to travel. All hotels and hostels stay open as this is one of their peak periods of businesses. Reply to this
Having been born in Australia and experienced New Year's Eve in many of the places here (Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast) I can confidently say that Sydney is far and away your best (but not cheapest) option - I've never seen another place in the world like it that can compare. I've heard that Byron Bay is popular, but my vote is still for Sydney.
The Christmas/New Year period is crowded and expensive - since this is the time us Aussies take our main vacation - summer holidays here. My suggestion would be to find a place and settle down during that week with only minimal plans to travel. All hotels and hostels stay open as this is one of their peak periods of businesses. Reply to this
B Posts: 274
Hi Claire, i can only add to what Shane has mentioned and that time period is our major school holidays (2 months off) so places will be packed so you might need to book quite a bit in front. I am in perth but its not so good on the NYE front and in fact is notorious for having nothing on although a fantastic major horse race called Perth Cup on the 1st Jan (although this year i'm sure it was raced on the 31st but not sure if that is continuing).
I think anywhere full of travellers would be a great atmosphere as they'll all want to have a great day and a great night...sydney, the gold coast, cairns or probably anywhere on the coast like a caravan park or a youth hostel will be great fun. Australia will be closed on the 25th, most of it on the 26th and then again on the 1st January. But... there will be pubs and restaraunts that have xmas lunches which is always a great way to get into the spirit of xmas if you dont have heaps of people. Or i know in perth often cottesloe beach is packed with young people just relaxing on the day off.
Xmas lunch will probably be a bit different to what youre used to as it will be in the high 30's or 40 degrees most of the way around. Mostly we eat cold ham, cold chicken and lots of cold seafood with cold salads such as pototoe salad and coleslaw. It might be worth investigating Irish pubs as they might have a roast for xmas lunch.
good luck and im sure you'll have a great time Reply to this
I think anywhere full of travellers would be a great atmosphere as they'll all want to have a great day and a great night...sydney, the gold coast, cairns or probably anywhere on the coast like a caravan park or a youth hostel will be great fun. Australia will be closed on the 25th, most of it on the 26th and then again on the 1st January. But... there will be pubs and restaraunts that have xmas lunches which is always a great way to get into the spirit of xmas if you dont have heaps of people. Or i know in perth often cottesloe beach is packed with young people just relaxing on the day off.
Xmas lunch will probably be a bit different to what youre used to as it will be in the high 30's or 40 degrees most of the way around. Mostly we eat cold ham, cold chicken and lots of cold seafood with cold salads such as pototoe salad and coleslaw. It might be worth investigating Irish pubs as they might have a roast for xmas lunch.
good luck and im sure you'll have a great time Reply to this
B Posts: 739
Hi Claire, have to agree with Shane and Tam - Sydney really does know how to do NYE. I love the atmosphere down at the rocks on NYE and its a perfect place to watch the fireworks. And drink in Australias oldest pub :-)
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