How to Find Cheap Hotels in New South Wales

Home to Sydney, Australia's most famous city, New South Wales is the most populated state in the entire country. Located in the southeast portion of Australia between Victoria and Queensland, New South Wales is the primary tourist stop for international visitors. It features diverse terrain including beaches, bushland, the Sydney Harbour and the Blue Mountain Range.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Passport
• Computer for making Internet reservations

Pick Your Transportation

1. Your best option is public transportation. With an extensively integrated network throughout the state, one ticket will work on the underground train, the elevated monorail, the bus system and the ferry.

2. Fly into Sydney for the most available international flights. There are also commuter flights available from one area of New South Wales to another.

3. Take a ferry between neighboring oceanside communities.

4. Ride on a train across New South Wales for the most efficient way to travel between cities.

5. Rent a car from an agency at the Sydney Airport to travel outside of Sydney or explore the local scenic drives.

Find Things to Do in New South Wales

6. Visit beaches like Bondi, Tamarama, Byron Bay, and Bronte for surfing, shopping and sunbathing.

7. Go "bushwalking" in the Blue Mountains and see local plants and wildlife.

8. Ski in the Snowy Mountains and stay in Thredbo, a local community with lots of snow sports.

Secure Cheap Accommodations

9. Enjoy moderately priced accommodations throughout Sydney in Chinatown and other inland areas. Prices range from under $50 to about $100 a night. To book accommodations, contact Tourism New South Wales at 011 ([phone] (if calling from United States or Canada) or visit their Web site (see Resources, below). (Call 00 ([phone] from elsewhere internationally.)

10. Stay in Byron Bay for surfer-friendly accommodations. Here, waterside rooms at resorts in the area will cost you a little over $100 to nearly $350 a night.

11. Book luxury rooms in the heart of Sydney's arts district near the Opera House. Deluxe accommodations vary greatly here, costing about $200 to $600 a night. Hotels closer to the bay cost more.
    
    No matter your budget, Sydney offers a wide range of choices for places to stay.
    
    

Tips & Warnings

• Sydney provides a wide range of entertainment and local culture, including the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and an infamous Chinatown district.
• Keep in mind that New South Wales is in the Southern Hemisphere, which means that the seasons are opposite of the United States. Here, Christmas happens in the summer!
• Know that the Australian dollar, AUD, is used here.
• Tip when appropriate. The national custom is 10 percent for food and taxi service.
• Telephone country codes are within parentheses and begin with a "+" sign.
• Avoid driving in downtown Sydney and opt for taxis or public transportation instead. This area is known for a huge lack of parking and an excess of one-way streets.