Discover spectacular sights on a 7-day bus tour from Sydney to Byron Bay! I loved my Stray Aussie tour!

I travelled with Stray in Asia before, who organise great tours that give you the comfort of a group tour, with the best hand-picked destinations, experiences and activities already planned for you. A great bonus is that they always try to include some sort of off-the-beaten-path and local experiences making it a very unique experience.

This fact really distinguished them from other tour companies. I usually organise all my trips by myself and Stray really changed my view of group tours. I still had enough freedom, however, the stress of organising was taken away from me. Plus if you only have a limited amount of time, you don’t want to waste it on figuring out how to get to places or inconvenient transportation times.

Welcome to Australia

When I read that sign at the airport in Sydney I was so excited that I even forgot how tired I was from the long journey from Amsterdam to Sydney.

It was such a relief to finally arrive after travelling for almost 30 hours. I don’t think I have ever been on a plane for that long, but I knew that it would be worth the long journey. I have always dreamed of going to Australia, but it always seemed so far away. Since you at least need three weeks off if you are travelling to Down Under from Europe, I didn’t get the chance to visit before. In Germany, it is quite common to do a Work & Travel holiday in Australia after graduating from high school, but back in the day at sweet 18 years old I didn’t really dare to do it.

With a limited amount of time on my hands, I needed to choose wisely. Australia is huge and it is simply impossible to see it all in a short amount of time. I found the East Coast the most interesting for me to start my adventure Down Under. I already knew I wanted to come back to explore more of this beautiful country, so there was absolutely no need to rush it on this trip. To make the most of the time I had here, I opted to go with a tour company instead of organising something on my own.

Loka Travels had recently joined Stray and they now operate as Stray Australia – extending its tour network to New Zealand, Asia and Australia. Since I only had good experiences with them previously, I decided to travel from Sydney to Cairns on one of their East Coast tours. It includes transportation up the East Coast, accommodation, activities and some meals as well. There are so many exciting and diverse spots on this tour, therefore I thought I would get some great first impressions of the diversity and beauty of Australia. From cities to mountains, vineyards, rainforests, beaches and islands- that tour offers it all.

Bondi Beach
Surf’s Up at Bondi Beach

For this trip, I decided to write a travel diary to share my experiences in Australia along with lots of photos with you guys. In case you are planning a trip to Australia or thinking of travelling with Stray, it should also give you some great insights.

My Itinerary from Sydney to Byron Bay

Sydney – there she was. Already from the flight I got a quick peek over the harbour bridge and the world-famous opera house. What a sight! I couldn’t wait to make my way there to finally see it with my own eyes. Immigration was quick and since the airport isn’t that far out of the city I got to Central Station in no time. Stray works together with the YHA and the Wake Up hostels nearby. I was a bit too early for check-in, so after a quick shower I actually headed out already to explore. This is also the best tip to fight jet lag. Try to stay awake until the evening when you arrive somewhere new. You will wake up fresh and early the next day.

The bar at Wake Up Sydney
The bar at Wake Up Sydney

Day 1: Arriving in Sydney

Every Saturday there is an artisan fair in Glebe, a hip local neighbourhood in Sydney. Along with cute handmade items such as jewellery, clothes and other treasures, you will find vintage items and delicious food stalls. Also, the cafés in the neighbourhood are worth checking out. From there I made my way to Darling Harbour, past the Harbour Bridge to the Opera House. As I was meeting a friend for lunch I took the ferry to Kiribilly. Forget the expensive harbour cruises. With the ferry, you get equally nice views for a fraction of the price. Célcius Cafe is right when you get off the ferry. Their beautiful breakfast items have been all over my Instagram feed and I was keen to try it myself. Be aware that waits can be quite long since it is a small place. After heading back to Clarkes Quay, I wandered through the Botanical Garden (which is free) back to the hostel and basically passed out right after I was in my bed. I was so tired after all the travel.

Day 2: Blue Mountains National Park

The Blue Mountains make a great day trip if you want a break from the city. I didn’t know that a place like this would exist within an hour and a half drive from Sydney. Don’t skip it, it is so stunning. The Blue Mountains are 2.5 times the size of the Grand Canyon and you can book it as a day trip. Pick up was nice and early and since we all had a power nap on the bus we arrived at the National Park in no time. From there we were going to start an easy hike through the park. We came across some epic viewpoints and stunning nature. Our final stop on the first part of the hike was Wentworth Falls. We stopped for a break and photo op and some of the boys even went for a swim.

The Blue Mountains National Park
Epic views in the beautiful Blue Mountains

After a steep hike back up all the stairs, we got some delicious sandwiches for lunch that was included in the tour. A quick drive later we got to a different part of the park- the three sisters. It is a stunning rock formation and the view is out of this world. The last stop on this tour was a part of the National Park where you can spot wild kangaroos. We got lucky and I tell you I was so excited to see a mother kangaroo with her child eating grass and jumping around. What a nice way to end the day in the Blue Mountains before driving back to Sydney. I enjoyed some dinner together with new friends that I made on the tour. After a quick stroll through Darling harbour at night it was time for bed again.

Day 3: Exploring more of Sydney

In Sydney, I wished I had a bit more time at my hands. I woke up nice and early  (thank you jet lag) and since I was feeling a bit hungry I headed to a famous café called “The Grounds of Alexandria“. If you are going to Sydney, you have to eat there at least once. The healthy breakfast bowl that I had was good and the setting was extremely beautiful, perfect for the gram! As Christmas is coming up soon, they had an entire area dedicated to Disney’s “Nutcracker“. The decoration was so on point. At the Grounds, they even have live chickens and pigs!

Sydney Harbour Bridge from the water
Sydney Harbour Bridge from the water

The weather was gorgeous this day so I decided to explore some more what Sydney has to offer. We went back to Circular Quay for some amazing views of the Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House and had a drink at the Opera Bar. From there we made our way to Bondi Beach – probably the most famous beach in Sydney, famous for its surfers and its laid-back lifestyle. I have seen plenty of pictures of the Bondi Icebergs, so that was something I was very keen on checking out. If you want to take a swim the entrance fee is quite reasonable at $7AUD, alternatively, you can also have a drink or some food in the restaurant overlooking the pool.

The Bondi Icebergs Club
The iconic Bondi Icebergs Club

The coastal walk is quite popular, so we made our way to Coogee past Bronte Beach. The coastline is rocky and wild and the views are just stunning, and I am not only talking about the scenery 😉 After some dinner, it was time to head back to our hostel.

Day 4: Hunter Valley & Barrington Tops

Our pick-up from the hostel was nice and early this morning. Our road trip was officially going to start. Stray has their own bus which really is a luxury. The size of the groups is on average around 20 people – a nice mix of people from all over the world. So even if you are going to start this tour solo, you will end the trip with tons of friends from all over the world.

Wine tasting in Hunter Valley, NSW
Enjoy a wine tasting in Hunter valley

The first stop of our tour was to taste some Australian wines at Hunter Valley- a wine area about a 2.5-hour drive away from Sydney. I mean, there is no better way to start the day than with a wine tasting at 10am, right? After a small introduction to the vineyard and the basic of how to actually taste wines, it was time to try a selection of whites and reds. I ended up liking the “opening act” so much that I took a bottle with me. All a bit happier than before, we continued our journey after a lunch break to Barrington Tops National Park. This is one of the Strademark places on the Stray Tour. These are basically special places or experiences that embody Stray’s ethos as an adventurous, off-the-beaten-track, travel company. Barrington Tops National Park as part of the Gondwana rainforest has been listed as a UNESCO world heritage. The views are amazing and there is plenty of things to do from hiking to tubing and beyond.

We stayed in a small lodge overlooking the valley and the farm it was situated on. Right after we got there it was time to go tubing. For the most part, we floated peacefully down the river looking for wildlife, and there were also some rapids that gave us a little thrill. A really fun experience. After we got back we all jumped in the hot tub and enjoyed the sunset with some snacks and drinks. Our evening program was eating yummy pizzas out of the wood-fired pizza oven and playing games. Since we were basically in the “middle of nowhere”, we all didn’t have a phone connection, which was great as everybody was more present. We really got to know each other better and bonded as a group. The next morning after some breakfast it was time to head to our next stop.

Day 5-6: Spot X Surf Camp

Australia and surfing belong together. So of course we had to try it out while on our Stray Australia tour up the east coast. The Spot X surf camp is located in one of the best spots to try out surfing for beginners. We broke the long trip up a bit with a stop at the Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie. It was the first time I to see koalas in real life and it was great to learn about those fascinating animals. They spend most of their day sleeping and are awake for around 4 hours to eat- what a life. Some of the koalas at the hospital have a really sad story. While the entrance is free, they do rely on volunteers and donations and we were more than happy to support that project with a few dollars.

After a long drive, we stopped at Emerald Beach where we were able to see lots of kangaroos just roaming around freely. It was such a cool experience. For Australians, it is quite a common sight as they have so many kangaroos. There are 44 million kangaroos in Australia and only 24 million people. Yet for us tourists, it was something completely new and we couldn’t stop taking photos. When we got to the surf camp, we had dinner and participated in a pub quiz at the local pub.

The next morning it was time to try out surfing. At the surf camp, they have a team of very motivated instructors from all over the world that started explaining to us the basics of surfing. Some people never surfed before, and others had a bit of experience but were still beginners. I had tried surfing 2 times before, but for the fist time, I finally understood what I was supposed to do. I found the instructors really helpful. We were around 10 people for one instructor that morning. Our surf lesson took two hours and quite a few managed to stand up. I personally didn’t, but that is due to my lack of coordination! The surf camp would have been a great place to hop off as well if you want to get better at surfing. With the limited amount of time at my hands it was a fun way to try it out and I will do a proper surfing holiday next. The Mojo surf camp is located at a few great surf spots in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia, I will be back for sure.

Day 6: Nymboida & River Retreat

The adventure continued right away. After the surfing, we had some more fun things lined up. The next stop on our tour was Nymboida, which is known for its large river system that offers world-class canoeing and kayaking. We had two awesome guides with us that gave us some great tips about canoeing. We spent around two hours on the river and once we got to the campsite our awesome tour guide Linda prepared an incredible Australian BBQ for us. Australians love to do BBQ and there was literally everything you can imagine. She even made her own bread and we got to try kangaroo for the first time. After dinner, we all sat around the campfire to roast marshmallows and shared some stories. We even had some musical talents in our group, so we got to enjoy some guitar music and singing as well. I believe those experiences are so valuable as a group and end up being some of the nicest memories on the tour and it was definitely a very memorable evening.

river retreat canoeing nymboida
A canoe trip at the River Retreat

Day 7: Angourie Blue Pools & Byron Bay

After a nice breakfast, it was time to continue the journey as we had a bit of a drive ahead of us. I love how Stray still stops at interesting spots along the way- this really sets them apart. You could take a regular Greyhound bus to move around Australia too, but you would miss out on some awesome stops and all the fun. Our guide Linda asked us whether we would like to go swimming and since it was a nice day, we had a little break at the Angourie Blue and Green Pools. After a refreshing dip in the pools and a bit of cliff jumping we got back to the bus and headed directly to Byron Bay. Linda has been a tour guide for over twenty years and you can really tell how passionate she is about this job. It was a lot of fun with her being on the bus and she had a lot of cool tips for us on what to do at our next stop Byron Bay. After a quick tour of all the hotspots of Byron Bay, Linda dropped us at the hostels.

The Surf House, Byron Bay
Stray stays… at The Surf House in Byron Bay

Byron Bay is a really fascinating place on the coast. The vibes and views are magical and there are tons of nice cafés and shops to wander around. We checked in at the Wake Up Hostel which used to be a resort on the beach. Guests can hire surfboards and bikes for free and up to this date it definitely has been one of the nicest hostels I have ever stayed in. We headed straight into town to explore. After some shopping and ice cream, we made our way to the Beach Hotel that organises some great concerts on weekends. To watch the sunset we went to the main beach where a lot of people gather in the evening to hang out, play music and dance. I fell in love with Byron Bay from the start and was looking forward to exploring more the next day.

What an incredible first week it has been in Australia. I have seen and experienced so much so far that somehow I got the feeling I’ve already spent months here. It has been a lot of fun already and I met so many people on the tour. Curious about what the next weeks are going to bring…

Katrin from Traveler’s Little Treasures came from Germany to try out one of our East Coast  Stray Tours and documented her travels.

Please note: when Katrin travelled on Stray Travel to explore Australia by bus in 2018, she travelled on a tour that isn’t offered today in 2023. See our new & improved Aussie tours and find the one that fits your travel plans best.

Emily profile picture

Emily

Emily is a native creative nerd. This creative crew member's favourite stop is Bay of Islands.

Ready for the ultimate East Coast journey? Choose Stray, and hop on our private bus tours! Forget the hassle of public transport – we're going from Sydney to Cairns and doing it the fun way! Dive deeper, explore more, and get the coolest East Coast vibes only with us!

We've just dropped our sizzling Stray Australia Tours! We've turned the adventure vibes ALL the way up on our new Adventure Tours. And for those craving the perfect mix of discovery and comfort, our new Select Tours got you! Explore the Aussie wonders with all the comfy feels. Are you in?

Select Tours in Australia

Explore in comfort with a touch of adventurous #StraySpirit

Our Southbound Select Tours are curated for those who yearn to explore the East Coast of Australia in comfort but aren't ready to let go of that adventurous Stray spirit. This isn't your typical touristy trek; it's an immersive journey into the vibrant heart and soul of the Land Down Under!

Adventure Tours in Australia

Dive into the ultimate Aussie escapade

Feel the wild heart of Australia beating, amped up to 100! Crash at the coolest boutique dorms we've handpicked for you - perfect chill spots between our epic escapades! Experience the unforgettable, bond with new mates, and score memories that’ll stick forever! Ready to roll, Aussie-style?

Or check out these articles for more travel inspiration

Ditch the hop, embrace the top: why our new fixed tours are your ultimate Aussie & Kiwi adventure!

Remember when hunting for hop-on/hop-off tours was the vibe, like stumbling upon a viral TikTok track from the pre-pandemic archives? It was a jam for the ages! But let’s be real, after the wild rollercoaster of the past few years, […]

Read More

Catch a Stray Bus Tour for the most amazing way to see Australia

Australia is big. In fact, it’s massive. It can be difficult to plan a tour or backpacking trip that takes in everything you want to see and experience. So catch a Stray Bus Tour for the best way to see […]

Read More

10 amazing things you must do on your east coast tour

A backpacking tour of Australia’s east coast is an unforgettable, mind-blowing experience, but how do you know what to see and do in such a huge area? Well, here are 10 amazing things you must do on your east coast […]

Read More
>
Scroll to Top