# Travelling to Melbourne alone



## anau006

Hey Guys, 
I am a 24 yr old single male from Auckland NZ going to melbourne for a month from the 22nd of dec to play poker at crown casino. As i will be alone there i was wondering what is the best and cheapest type of accomodation. I have looked into two options: Backpackers and flatting. Both are about the same price. With flatting its a much nicer place/apartment but not many people to meet etc. and on the other hand backpackers is much smaller and less comfortable palce but heaps of new people. I have never travelled alone or i have never backpacked. Please help me and tell me what you think. What you think is the better option with pros and cons may be. 
I would like to do other things (other than playing poker) and hence i think backpacking will be easier.
Any other suggestions on what i can do in melbourne. I will be staying in CBD (backpackers or flatting)

Cheers
Akshay


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## Wanderer

Even if you go flatting, you'll find most backpackers have bars where you could head into for a drink and have a look at what kind of trips you could book with the backpackers and so get to meet a few that way.
Melbourne Central just around the corner from the Casino on Clarendon Street, the YHA Central on Flinders Street, just up a bit from Spencer Street and the Green House I think it is called on Flinders Lane all have bars.
What flatting have you found comparable to backpacking btw?
There's plenty of things to do in Melbourne or by taking trips out, but just really depends on what you're looking for.
It's not exactly the excitement capital of Oz. like Queenstown and more sedate like but you could even find a backpacker chum who wants to head out to the Studley Park Boathouse for a vintage rowboat row on the Yarra, bit like Christchurch kind of thing without the recent shakes, or play a round of golf on the Yarra Bend Golf Course, take a ferry down the river and across to Williamstown, some nice older pubs there for a good counter lunch, great botanical gardens and associated gardens, do some old pub crawls in different inner city precincts, take a train out to Belgrave to catch the Puffing Billy or take a hike in Sherbrooke Forest to see if you can spot some Lyrebirds.
The backpackers will have brochures on heaps of other stuff.


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## anau006

*Reply*

Hi. Thanks for the advise. Never thought of that. I can always go flatting and then go to backpackers pubs to hang out. 
I have been looking on easyroommate and flatmates. there are few places there but most of the emails i have got are from scam artists trying to con me. I thought had a place sorted but that person turned out to be a con. so currently nothing inline. 
Any suggestions on accommodation?



Wanderer said:


> Even if you go flatting, you'll find most backpackers have bars where you could head into for a drink and have a look at what kind of trips you could book with the backpackers and so get to meet a few that way.
> Melbourne Central just around the corner from the Casino on Clarendon Street, the YHA Central on Flinders Street, just up a bit from Spencer Street and the Green House I think it is called on Flinders Lane all have bars.
> What flatting have you found comparable to backpacking btw?
> There's plenty of things to do in Melbourne or by taking trips out, but just really depends on what you're looking for.
> It's not exactly the excitement capital of Oz. like Queenstown and more sedate like but you could even find a backpacker chum who wants to head out to the Studley Park Boathouse for a vintage rowboat row on the Yarra, bit like Christchurch kind of thing without the recent shakes, or play a round of golf on the Yarra Bend Golf Course, take a ferry down the river and across to Williamstown, some nice older pubs there for a good counter lunch, great botanical gardens and associated gardens, do some old pub crawls in different inner city precincts, take a train out to Belgrave to catch the Puffing Billy or take a hike in Sherbrooke Forest to see if you can spot some Lyrebirds.
> The backpackers will have brochures on heaps of other stuff.


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## Wanderer

The Melbourne Central is only a few years old and the YHA central is in an old looking building, completely refurbished and handy to the Casino in just being a walk across the Spencer st./Clarendon st. bridge.
The free city circle tram also runs along Flinders street and there's plenty of pubs/night clubs in the area and though you are right on the tram lines and an elevated railway line opposite, they have soundproofed the building exceedingly well and you do not get any noise ingress, something I cannot say for the Melbourne Central which is right on the freeway.
There's also King Street Backpackers up about 2.5 blocks from Flinders Street on Cnr. of Lt. Bourke and King, and only one block across from Spencer Street where the airport bus pulls into.
It's OK but not such a huge social vibe, it being a smaller hostel, but you'll still have plenty of places about with a social aspect.
Another of my favourites is the Nunnery, an old Convent Building as the name implies and it has never been refurbished and probably could do with it in places but other than being right across the diagonally opposite side of the main city golden mile in NE, it kind of has some charm to it, opposite the Royal Exhibition Buildings, Carlton Gardens and Victorian Museum/Imax theatre and just a block across to Pubs/Clubs/Restaurants of Fitzroy.
You can still get down to the city easy enough as a tram goes along Nicholson Street or just walk a couple of Blocks and you will pick up the free City Circle Tram, best way to see the city perimeter, all way down to Docklands and you can hop off/on where ever there's a stop and explore a bit.
Have a look at BUG - the Backpackers' Ultimate guide to budget travel in Australia and you'll see where there are plenty more if you want to further afield than the city precinct.
Quite a few up around the northern end of the CBD but some are a bit rougher looking than others and though Hotel Discovery I think it is now called, or is at least in BUG does not have a terribly high rating, I've stayed there a couple of times and it's not so bad, a huge foyer and rambling older building and even Comedy Club nights I never got to.
It's not too far from the Celtic Club on Latrobe Street if you want some good Irish Stout/Cider as well as beer and Friday nights, sometimes something of an Irish Musos Jam session fom 6 pm. though they could be having a break over Xmas.

And do not forget to take in a day or two at the MCG if you like cricket, Boxing Day for start of the Ashes Test there with England always a huge day.


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## anau006

Hey thanks for all the info. Its great. I will try to do as much as i can. I got a quick question about back pakcers. I am thinking of staying at All Nations City Backpackers, Melbourne, Australia 2 Spencer Street, Australia. OR Greenhouse Backpacker 228 Flinders Lane. Which one do you recond is better. Or which one do you prefer. The reason i am looking at these two is because these two show up evertime i research. so they seem like the popular ones.
Thanks for all your help again.


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## Wanderer

I've never stayed at the All Nations and have never wanted to for I've never heard anything good about it either and it kind of has that dive look about it.
The Green House is popular enough and a good social vibe to it though I was disappointed with it not having a window in the room but I suppose if you just sleep there, what does it matter.


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## david_la_paste

wow nice indo bro,it good for me also,coz have plan to go to melbourne 
thanks for the info


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## tomau

I guess you have all the info you need. Needless to say, keep safe. Have a nice time.


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## blazejkrzak

Yeah, gr8 fun!


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## jamesfly

I've never remained at the All Countries and have never desired to for I've never observed anything excellent about it either and it type of has that jump look about it.
The Natural Home is well-known enough and a excellent public feel to it though I was dissatisfied with it not having a screen in the area but I assume if you just rest there, what does it issue.


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## dqdq

Thank you vey much. I love Mel too


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