A Stroll Along the Coastal Marine Parade
August 11, 2019
Every time I researched or spoke to others about day trips from Sydney, the number one recommendation was always a trip to Manly. Manly is a coastal suburb in Sydney and can be reached from the CBD by ferry. So I figured on my last weekend in Sydney that I would finally check out this coastal town.
Cost
I chose to visit Manly on my last Sunday in Sydney because, on Sundays, all transportation in the city is capped at $2.80! As a backpacker, I planned my longer journeys from the CBD on a Sunday so I could save a substantial amount of money on transport! So for the train from Central Station, the ferry to and from Manly Beach, and the train ride back to Central Station, it only cost me $2.80! That is a deal that cannot be beaten!
How to Get There
Walk or take the train to Circular Quay. You will then take the ferry from Wharf 3 over the Manly. The boat ride takes about 45 minutes. Taking a ferry in Sydney Harbour is a must-do while visiting Sydney because it offers great views of the harbor! The ferry will bring you directly to Manly Wharf which is in the center of town.
A Nice Sunday Stroll
Once I disembarked the ferry and walked around the town center, I headed down to the much talked about Manly Beach. As it was an overcast, drizzly day when I visited, there were not many sunbathers. However, there were lots of people enjoying the promenade and the Marine Parade for a nice Sunday stroll. So I decided to join in!
The Marine Parade is a roughly 1 km coastal walk between Manly Beach and Shelly Beach. Along the path, there are amazing views of the beautiful blue waters. Even on this chilly day, people were enjoying a paddleboard or scuba dive!
One thing I saw on this walk that I loved were the water fountains. Now these weren’t any regular water fountains. These are human and pup friendly fountains. The design is amazing and beneficial for humans, pets, and the environment. When a human drinks from the fountain, the unused water flows down the cute and into a bowl at the bottom, where a dog can also drink. This helps prevent water waste. I watched a woman and her puppy use it and I was flabbergasted! I had never seen something like this before! Genius!
Shelly Beach, Lookout, and Headland Lookout
When I reached Shelly Beach, I decided that I was up for a longer walk so carried on to the Shelly Head Lookout. The walk along the coast was very flat, but to get to the lookout, I had to climb up a small hill. There were few people here, but I was scared terribly by a bush turkey following me on the trail. In Australia, these pesky birds are everywhere! I have since learned not to be frightened by rustling in the bushes and trees. Its almost always a bush turkey pecking about!
I still felt like exploring a bit more and carried on to the Shelly Headland Upper Lookout. This lookout was even higher up and was on a dirt path. Good footwear is required to reach this point. This lookout had a few more people observing, most likely because it offered an amazing view!
Back to the Boat
I finally had my fill of walking so decided to start walking back to the wharf. When I reached the wharf, the ferry blew its horn as a final call for boarding, so I and a couple of others ran onto the ferry and made it in the knick of time!
It was also great timing because as we were traveling back to Sydney, it started to rain. And luckily enough, it stopped once we docked!
I then spent some time walking around the Sydney Opera House and then headed back to the hostel.
My Recommendation
Manly was a very quiet and quaint coastal town along the Pacific. I would recommend visiting during the summer as the beach seemed nicer than Bondi Beach. If I had more stamina and time to explore the North Head parklands a bit more and walk more of the coastline. I recommend visiting on a Sunday so you can save money on transport!
