Saturday 19 December 2015

The Most Pleasant Day Trip to Manly

My day trip to Manly in New South Wales, Australia was one of the most pleasant trips I've had in a long, long time. Everything was perfect - the weather, blue skies, sea and sand.

Manly was so perfect that about 30 minutes after I arrived, I told myself that I could live or even retire there! Yeah, right ...

So the day began when we headed to Circular Quay in Sydney and hopped onto the ferry to Manly.

There are various whafts in Circular Quay where you take different ferries to different destinations.  The price of a single ticket (one way) from Circular Quay to Manly was AUD7.60.


The weather was perfect that day. Eventhough it was just entering spring, the weather was chilly but the bright sun kept us warm.

We had to pass the iconic Sydney Opera House to get to Manly:

After looking at numerous side view photos of the Opera House, it's odd to look at it from this angle. And when up close, I think the Opera House needed some TLC.


This is the view from the ferry:

The clouds were so pretty. It's not often I see clouds with such formations. 


After about 30 minutes, we approached Manly:

 Must be pretty cool to have a boat of your own. Last time I saw so many privately owned boats was in Oslo, Norway a couple of years ago.


After disembarking at Manly Whaft, we navigated our way to the beach with a map.

I was amazed at how scenic, clean and relaxed Manly is. It has a certain vibe, feel, ambience, whatchamaycallit that makes me want to live or retire there.

Those clouds again!


The Manly guide mentioned that there were different walks that I could do. So I decided to do the simple but scenic walk to Shelley Beach.

At the beginning of the walk I passed the Cabbage Tree Bay:



Then I came to a road along the coast:

So scenic and relaxing.


Since I was already thinking of retiring in Manly(!), I was wondering how much property there would cost. Then I saw this property up for auction:

The location of this property was along the coast and with sea frontage. Location wise it was perfect which means the price will also be exhorbitant. 


Next I saw a group of tourist gathering around to look at something ...



... which I later found out were water dragons which are Manly's residential lizards:

Water dragons are not big like the komodo dragons. They are about the length of your arm.


Not too far from the water dragons was this gorgeous pool:   

Since this was a body of water within another body of water, I called it the Inception pool, after the movie starring Leonardo Caprio :-) Go figure.


Soon I approached Shelley Beach:




There were shops and cafes where you could sit and enjoy the view ...



... and changing rooms for those who decide to take a dip in Shelley Beach:



Now that I've reached the end of the walk, I decided to continue walking by taking another trail at the back of Shelley Beach. It was a decision that I didn't regret.

After about 10 minutes, I reached this view:

Kinda reminds me of  Bali.


There was a lookout point with a Bible quotation:

The Bible quote could probably come in handy when meditating at that spot. 


It was already late at this point and I decided to turn back. So I did the whole walk in reverse, headed to Manly Whaft and took the ferry back to Circular Quay. What a pleasant day it was.

To end this story, I would like to share with you this photo of one of the most irritating birds I encountered in Sydney:



They are everywhere in Sydney and Manly. Each time I took out my food, they would start gathering around hoping that I would share my food with them. Some of those birds even tried to swoop down at my food and I had to chase them away. Those birds made things stressful.

My sister even saw these birds attacked a girl for her sandwich. Animals can sense when someone is afraid and they will take advantage of that. So remember, show these birds who's boss.


18 comments:

gbeejipp said...

oh wow. This really reminds me of my solo trip there. Certainly my favorite beach among all the beaches that I went to in Australia. It would have been more scenic if you walked further deeper. And quiet on the contrary, I actually liked those birds so much. LOL.

Julie Lim said...

Jipp Jippsy,

Yes Manly is indeed a gorgeous place. It has the beauty of nature and not busy at all. I love the energy and atmosphere that Manly projects.

Anisa said...

I did a similar day trip when I visited Sydney. I remember the area was beautiful, but it was years ago I can't remember much else. Sounds like I need a return trip. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard

Julie Lim said...

Hi Anisa,

You're welcome. I look forward to sharing more on #TheWeeklyPostcard

Unknown said...

Honestly, I loved Manly! Yes, it can be crowded, but there's a great energy and you're right - it is beautiful! Perfect for a day trip, especially with the trails :)

Julie Lim said...

Thank you for your comments :-)

I think most people who visit Manly will love it. The place just oozes with the right vibes and beauty!

Yeshi said...

Manly looks amazing - and it's evident that the weather makes the experience a lovely one! I love your pictures- you've captured Manly beautifully!

Julie Lim said...

Hi Yeshi,

The weather really does make alot of difference when we travel. And a lovely bright sun always produces the best outdoor photos. Glad you like my photos of Manly. Thank you so much for your comments 😊

bye:myself said...

I'm sure I would enjoy this boat trip a lot! You should post your beautiful pictures in a bigger size - they definitely are worth it!

bye:myself said...

Ooops, just after I commented, they appear in a bigger size - spooky ;-)

Unknown said...

I love Sydney and I've visited a couple of times but I have never made it out to Manly before. It looks like a great place to visit though and I'll have to make sure I get out there next time I'm in Sydney!

K. said...

A place called Manly lol. It does look very serene and idyllic. I do the same too when I'm just enamored of a place: I dream about living there when I quit this rat-race life soon, Heaven willing. That's how I feel about Cuba. Sigh.

Unknown said...

Ahhh I lived in Manly for a summer some years ago. Your photos took me right back there! I loved riding the ferry into work, walking along the coast on days off and taking a dip in the rock pools! My friends even got married on Shelly beach! You should definitely retire there its a lovely place.

Per said...

Manly looks cool! Love your photos.

Anonymous said...

Manly looks amazing. I love your shots because you've captured Manly beautifully and in a very detailed way.

Pink Caddy Travelogue said...

Manly looks delightful! I've never been to Australia, but this looks like a beautiful, charming getaway from what I imagine is the more touristy Sydney.

g10ja said...

amazing post. thanks

Unknown said...

oh man I really want to visit Australia and Sydney of course. My dream is to get a van and travel across the county, so jealous about your experience ...

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