From Wikitravel

Bondi Beach is a world famous suburb and beachside locality of Sydney, capital of the Australian state of New South Wales.

Contents 1 Understand 2 Get in 2.1 By bus 2.2 By Plane 2.3 By train 3 See 4 Do 5 Eat 6 Sleep 6.1 Budget 7 Drink 8 Buy 8.1 Markets

Understand

The closest and arguably the most accessible ocean beach to the centre of Sydney, Bondi has become synonymous with Sydney's beach lifestyle - busloads of Japanese tourists, for example, frequently travel to Bondi direct from the airport, just so they can feel the warm yellow sand between their toes.

Bondi has become a favourite of the "barmy army" of British tourists, who annually gather on its sands for a Southern Hemisphere Christmas in the sun.[1] Due to the worldwide popularity, Bondi is now home to over 100 youth hostels with backpackers who congregate mainly in the summer months so it is not uncommon to hear Norwegian, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish or Spanish while walking across the beach or through the cafes.

Bondi Beach has a vaguely alternative feel, despite the obvious commercialism present, and attracts a large number of "individuals": watch out, for example, for the guy who will strip off near the shops, to walk stark naked through the traffic on Campbell Parade, before going down to the beach.

Bondi Beach is very tolerant as topless sunbathing is common and gay and lesbian couples displaying affection is common.

Get in

By bus

Buses run to Bondi Beach in approximately 10 minute intervals from Bondi Junction and the City during peak times (6am till 9pm) then at 15 minute intervals from approximately (9pm till 1am) then every half hour during the early hours. Buses from the City to Bondi Beach all run from Circular Quay and take approximately 45 minutes (more in heavy traffic) to make the journey. The city terminus is in Alfred Street, opposite Wharf 2 at stand D. Buses may be numbered 380, 382 or L82 with the destinations showing North Bondi, Dover Heights, Watsons Bay or Bondi Beach. Collectively, these are called the "380 bus" - all buses continue to Bondi Beach. The bus route passes along Elizabeth Street next to Hyde Park, turning at Liverpool street up to Taylor Square, thereafter to Paddington and Bondi Junction via Oxford Street.The fare from Circular Quay is $3.70. For more information on bus timetables go to: http://www.sydneybuses.info/ or call 131 500

By Plane

Taxis from the Airport cost around $30 and takes about 25 minutes

Shuttle services run from the airport direct to Bondi and Cost around $15 per person. You need to get on a Eastern suburbs shuttle.

The cheapest and also the slowest way is to get bus 400 to Bondi Junction and then get bus 380 with runs right along the beach (Campbell Pde) terminating at the top of the hill in North Bondi.

By train

From central Sydney, take the Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra line trains from Central, Town Hall or Martin Place stations to Bondi Junction (10 mins). From there, a bus (lines 380, 381, 382, L82, 15 mins), taxi or reasonable walk will get you to Bondi Beach (2 km downhill). The train ride takes 10 minutes from Town Hall to Bondi Junction.

See

• Bondi Beach[2], of course....

Do

• the Festival of the Winds [3][4] - an annual kite-flying Festival - next date: Sunday 11 September 2005
• Sculpture by the Sea [5] [6]- an annual outdoor display of sculpture (over 100 separate works) distributed along the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk (begins at the bottom of Notts Avenue, off Campbell Parade) - next dates: 3-20 November 2005 (9th year). Free!
• Walk on the aformentioned coastal walk (at the bottom of Notts Avenue, off Campbell Parade) to Tamarama , Bronte , Coogee and eventually Maroubra.
• Bondi Icebergs [7] - a popular rock swimming pool with restaurant and bar facilities upstairs that look over the entire beach. It is named for the brave swimmers who compete here in the winter months. Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 6.00am and 7.00pm, Saturday & Sunday:6.30am - 6.30pm. Entry $4 Adults/$2.50 Children/Seniors.
• North Bondi Surf Classic[8] Held each year a 2k swimming race for people of all ages

Eat

• Bondi Trattoria Café Restaurant, 34b Campbell Parade, tel 02 9365 4303
• Bondi Beach Fish Shop, 128 Campbell Parade. ph 02 9130 4554. The Bondi Beach Fish Shop is the place to go for that dubious local speciality, the deep fried Mars Bar. Fans of the bar counsel caution: no matter how strong you think you are, restrict yourself to one deep fried Mars Bar daily.

Sleep

Budget

• Bondi Sands [9], 252 Campbell Parade, tel 04 1456 8930, - A Clean Frienly Hostel/ Budget Hotel 60 metres from the beach.

• Indy's Backpackers [10], 35a Hall Street and Campbell Parade, tel 02 9365 4900, fax 02 9365 4994 - two different locations, right in the heart of Bondi's cafe scene

Drink

The two biggest bars in Bondi are the Beach Road Hotel and Bondi Hotel. Both are excellent places to catch the finals in a cricket match or have a few drinks with your mates. Another great bar is at the previously mentioned Bondi Iceburgs, it has a great view of the beach and relatively cheap drinks. Make sure to take some form of ID that proves you live outside a 5km radius as this is a club and the rule require that you be a member if you are inside 5km.

Buy

Markets

• Bondi Beach Markets, every Sunday 9am-3pm in the grounds of Bondi Beach Public School, (Campbell Parade, one block north of the main shopping centre) -

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