Sunday, October 14, 2018

9 Days/8 Nights DIY Sydney-Melbourne Tour for less than 60,000Php / 1,500 AUD from Manila

Sydney Opera House
Featherdale Wildlife Park

Blue Mountain

Victoria Library

Cogee



Melbourne

Cogee Beach

Food
The food in Australia is so good and their servings are quite large. The average meal will cost you 20 to 40 AUD per person. The nice thing about Australia is that tipping is not anymore required since their minimum wage is high. 

Shopping
TOP 3 Must buys in Australia
1. Australian Steak- Best pasalubong for you and your family. You can easily buy it at the grocery. A piece of good porterhouse can cost up to 7 to 12 AUD. Just make sure it’s vacuum sealed,so you can put it in your check in luggage.
2. Lucas Pawpaw-Don’t even bother to look for the cheapest Lucas pawpaw. The price of it is the same in all the stores in Australia. 
3. Supplements- If you take supplements every day, then Australia will be the perfect place for you. The cost of supplements is almost half the price compared to the supplements sold in Manila. You can buy it at the Chemist store. 

Top 3 things you must do in Australia
1. Walk along from Cogee to Bondi Beach.   
2.  Animal feeding at the Featherdale Wildlife Park or any zoo that has kangaroos, koalas,  and penguins.
3.  Day trip to Philip Island. 

Accommodation
You can look for Airbnb’s or Hotels near Chinatown in Sydney. 

Transportation
If you are planning to go to Sydney, purchase an opal card at the airport. Load at least 50 AUD which includes everyday transportation and train from the airport to the city.  Note that every Sunday, it’s only 2 AUD for  unlimited train rides anywhere in Sydney. If you are planning to visit Blue Mountain via commute, Sunday will be the perfect day because it will only cost you 2 AUD to go from the city center.
If you are planning to visit Melbourne and you are living in the suburbs, you must purchase a Myki card. But if you will book a hotel in the city  then transportation here is free. Trams are free in Melbourne City Center. 

Australian Tourist Visa Tips for Filipino Passport Holder
Click the link below



Detailed Itinerary and Costing

   Date
Itinerary
PHP
AUD
Day 1

39
1
11:25pm
Depart Manila via Cebu Pacific ( One Way Promo Fare)
4,500
115

Travel Tax
1,620
42

Luggage 20kg
2,000
51

Australian  Tourist Visa Fee
5,850
150
Day 2



10:15am
Arrive Sydney



Airport Train to City Center
390
10
12nn
Lunch
1,170
30
1pm
Check in Airbnb  (2,500 Per night x 3 Nights/ 2 persons)
3,750
96

Join a Free Walking Tour of Sydney City Center


7pm
Dinner
1,170
30
Day 3







10am
Buy groceries for breakfast and picnic
780
20
12nn
Lunch
585
15

Train from Sydney City Center to Cogee
78
2
1pm
Cogee to Bondi Beach  Walk



Bring Snack and have a picnic


6pm
Watch the Sunset at Bondi Beach


8pm
Dinner
975
25
Day 4



8am
Featherdale Wildlife Park


 12nn
Lunch
780
20
1pm
Blue Mountain Tour  from Sydney
3900
100
7pm
Dinner
1170
30
Day 5



8:00 am
Depart Sydney via Jet Star with 20kg luggage
2,340
60
9:30 am
Arrive Melbourne Avalon Airport



Rent a Car to 12 Apostles via Hertz (Overnight Rental)
100 AUD (  2 day car rental ) +
50 AUD (Insurance)+
 50 AUD  (Gas )  = 200 / 2 pax
3900
100
1pm
Arrive 12 Apostles



Overnight at a Hotel/ Airbnb (100 AUD/ 2pax)
1950
50
Day 6




10am Breakfast
390
10

Drive back to Melbourne


3pm
Arrive Melbourne City Center


4pm
Check in Melbourne City Center Hotel  (2,500 Per night x 3 nights / 2 persons)
3,750
96

Melbourne City Tour


Day 7




Breakfast
390
10

Melbourne DIY City Tour
1950
50

Lunch
1,170
30

Dinner
1,170
30
Day 8




Philip Island Day Trip
2,340
60

Dinner
1,170
30
Day 9




Breakfast
390
10

Lunch
1,560
40

Shopping


5pm
Depart Melbourne via Cebu Pacific Air( One Way Promo fare)
 5,500
141

Luggage 20kg
2,500
64

Total
59,188 PHP
1,517 AUD



Travel Tips
1. Sydney is a small city where you can walk the whole city in one afternoon.
2. One of my best experiences in Sydney was walking along from Cogee to Bondi Beach. This is a must when you visit Sydney.
3. Always bring a water jug. Bottled water is quite expensive. It may cost up to 3 AUD per small water bottle.
4. If you are going to rent a car to 12 Apostles,  it’s best to check deals at priceline.  Driving in Melbourne Countryside is quite safe. You can drive as long as you bring your Philippine Driver’s license. Just make sure to follow the rules properly.  The violation ticket may cost up to 400 AUD. You have to think twice before you drive.
5. An overnight stay in 12 Apostles is a must.
6. If you have enough time, you must explore Philip Island in Melbourne.
7. Touring in Melbourne is cheaper compared to Sydney.
8. In choosing whether to book via Cebu Pacific or Philippine Airlines, I would advise you to just choose Philippine Airlines. Since our ticket was cheap but when we added our luggage and taxes it was almost the same as booking a promo fare flight via Philippine Airlines that usually cost up to 399 USD.
9. You can check out bookme.com.au for cheap travel deals.
10. I suggest you stay a minimum of one week in Sydney and also in Melbourne, so you can enjoy the place. 
11  The best time to go to Australia is Summer. 
12. Australia is a very expensive country to visit to. 
13. Applying for an Australian Tourist visa is easy. You can just simply apply online in their website, submit  your complete requirements and pay the visa fee. I got my visa after one day. For some it may take a longer time. The visa website is efficient. Applying a visa online is better than applying through a travel agency. 





1 comment: