Every Backpackers’ Paradise
I think the first time people dream of visiting a country is when they see pictures of it. We see photos of friends partying on spring break vacations in Mexico or people backpacking through the mountains of Machu Picchu in Peru and we get an immense desire to do what they’re doing. For me, I was traveling Europe when an Aussie began showing me the lush beaches of Australia and shortly after I purchased my first ever working holiday visa for this country he called, “God’s Country.”
When looking into the major cities to visit, I was immediately stuck on “The Gold Coast” and “Surfer’s Paradise.” Coming from Canada — a place I would solely describe with the word “cold” to everyone I met — the name of this city was enough to entice me and the description of it having 52km of golden beaches, 9 times more canals than Venice, 300 sunny days a year, and a wild nightlife…I would have been on the next plane over if I could have.
A year later I had sold all belongings back in Toronto, had traveled Europe even more, and had finally made my way into a place I called home for 6 months — Sydney, Australia. After working at Bounce hostel in Surry Hills for several months…a place I will forever brag about as, “The best hostel I’ve ever stayed at,” and a place to call home Down Under, I was ready for a little East Coast Trip.
When the Greyhound bus finally pulled into Surfer’s Paradise, I knew this was a city I would thoroughly enjoy. The hostel that I stayed at, Surfer’s Paradise Backpackers Resort, was what made it all the more better. I was worried about not having anybody to hang out with during my days there as I was traveling alone, but the second you walk into this hostel all that worry disappears. There’s an immediate social and sporty vibe when you take in that all the hostel doors open onto a square with a volleyball and basketball court in the middle, and a pool and bar at opposite corners. I knew that once all the backpackers returned from their day out in the Gold Coast with stories to share, that this hostel was going to come alive in the night, especially as it had its own bar — “The Last Resort” bar.
Having arrived on a Saturday, the outgoing staff informed me of everything going on with the hostel that night…a free sausage dinner, a volleyball game for free drinks, and the Backpackers’ BIG NIGHT OUT bar crawl. This came with a bracelet, glowstick necklace, beach towel, and a wristband for VIP entry into the hottest bars and nightclubs of Surfer’s Paradise with free shots and cheap drinks at each bar…everything a backpacker could want out of a Saturday night. Friends were easily made through volleyball and the drinking games that everyone was encouraged to join, and then a bus came to take us all to the first bar.
Everything I had heard about Surfer’s Paradise having a wild nightlife was definitely true — I was amazed by how quickly alive the city had become with the streets being full of both backpackers and locals hopping bar to bar. What I liked most about this bar crawl was that we didn’t just hear one type of music — amongst the many bars, we had an Irish bar playing live music, a bourbon shot bar with hip hop and r&b, and a big club playing house and top 40. This was easily one of my favourite nights out since arriving in Australia.
The next morning as I walked into the reception to figure out what to do with my day, I was immediately greeted by the friendly and informative staff that overwhelmed me with the many fun things to do in the Gold Coast — skydiving, snorkeling, scubadiving, surfing, wakeboarding, hiking subtropical rainforests, fishing, horse riding, and many theme parks…it was too hard to choose with how little time I had given myself there. When you visit the Gold Coast, you’re going to want to extend your stay. This is truly a backpackers’ paradise with the endless amounts of things to do. Whether you want to do it alone or with the many friends you will easily make, there’s something for everyone. Just make sure you leave yourself the flexibility of staying longer or you’ll end up like me — regretting you didn’t give yourself enough time to see it all properly!
Lizzie — Travel Blogger
Originally published at hostelsaustralia.com.au.
