People that visit only Sydney, see just that, not Australia. The city is beautiful and full of history, but it doesn’t quite show off Australia’s landscape or wildlife, which is a big part of the country.

Unfortunately, most people don’t have enough vacation time to see as much of the country as they need to really understand it’s lure. They stick to Sydney, because it’s the easiest city to fly into and most well-known.

Luckily, the city’s suburbs are fairly easy to reach and give short tern vacationers a glimpse of the rest of Australia, outside the city. About an hour from Sydney, located in Ku-ring-gai National Park, Pittwater YHA offers affordable accommodation in a slice of untouched Australia.

Location

Directions to the hostel may turn some people off. It starts with a commute on one of three buses from Railway Square in Sydney. All three buses depart rarely throughout the day and one bus requires people transfer at Narrabeen/Mona Vale. Once guests are dropped off at Church Point, they must take an $11 per way or $12.50 return ferry to Halls Wharf. Finally, guests must walk 15 minutes uphill to reach the hostel.

People taking the long trip to reach Pittwater YHA may regret the decision about two minutes into the walk, but that will change once they see this place and its view. With a view of Morning Bay from the front porch and close proximity to several fantastic hiking trails, it’s a dream escape from the city.

A view of Morning Bay from a lookout point in Ku-ring-gai National Park. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Staff

Owners Michael Doherty and Sarah Polomka live next door to the hostel and work at it regularly. The lovely couple maintain a relaxed mood that can only come from years of living in a place like this. They take time to meet their guests and even invite them to go sailing on their boat once a week.

Cleanliness

Guests won’t feel like they’re roughing it in the woods. Hostel rooms and facilities are all well-maintained.

Rooms

Rooms are modest and comfortable. Some offer a perfect view of the hostel’s natural surroundings. The hostel has multi-share female and multi-share male dorms from $A26-$A29 per bed, double rooms from $A64.50-$A72 per night and four share family rooms from $A88-$A98 per night.

The rates are comparable to that of the city, which may concern some people, but this is backpacker accommodation like no other. It’s worth every penny.

Vibe

People in the area are extremely kind and welcoming. It’s a little piece of paradise and the locals recognize that.

Guests staying at Pittwater YHA should probably purchase food prior as the ferry is pricey as is the local grocery market. Most will find plenty to do at the hostel, such as rent kayaks, sail or hike. It has lovely common areas, from its outdoor wrap-around deck with hammocks to its boat house-like living room with comfy couches and a fireplace.

At the end of the day, guests eat dinner together, talk, read, maybe in an acoustic session.

The hostel's boathouse-like common area has comfortable couches, a fire place and heaps of books. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon

Safety

It’s not an issue. Pittwater YHA is one of the few places left in the world where people don’t need to look over their shoulders or worry about their belongings.

Overall

I stayed at Pittwater YHA to give a friend from home that was only visiting Australia for two weeks, a glimpse of the country outside of Sydney. It was not an easy hostel to get to, but the trip was worth it. The hostel is beautiful, staff is friendly and I was relaxed while staying there.

The hostel has a wrap-around porch with a spectacular view. Photo by Bobbi Lee Hitchon