Discover Sydney’s 5-star delights on a backpacker’s budget

Sydney Central YHA, Sydney's only 5-star hostel, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, with double-rooms from just £48 per night, a new in-house cinema and a rooftop pool and bar. The Sydney Central YHA building is heritage-listed, and the facilities continually receive top marks from guests around the world.

With beds from as little as £18 per night, it's never been more affordable or comfortable to explore Sydney Australia while keeping most of your holiday cash in your wallet.

The hostel has panoramic views of the city from its rooftop and outdoor area, and includes a heated pool, sauna, self-catering kitchens, games and TV rooms, travel desk, internet cafe, bistro and much more. Regular activities include pub crawls, sporting events, free market tours, movie nights with free popcorn and BBQs.

Sydney sees millions of tourists each year and with good reason - year-round sunshine being a major draw. While there spend some time on the beaches of Bondi and Manly, both offering excellent diving and scuba thrills. Picnic in Centennial Park, popular for cycling, walking, rollerblading and chilling out.

Climb Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of a larger group for spectacular views, or explore Darling Harbour with its many fine restaurants and bars. The Rocks at the foot of the Harbour Bridge is the closest thing to an old town Sydney has, and it was here that the first settlers came to live. There are several well-preserved houses and plenty of souvenir shops, so don’t forget your camera.

Make a stay at Sydney Central YHA your first stop on your own Oz odyssey. With more than 4,000 YHA hostels across Australia, it's easy to explore Australia without spending a fortune. The majority of YHA's hostels are clustered around Australia's East Coast, from Cairns to Adelaide. Most are at least 3+ rated with self-catering kitchens, and cafes and landscaped grounds.

Not forgetting the outback, YHA Australia has four hostels in the wild, with the Uluru hostel near Ayers Rock coming in at just £12 per bed per night. It’s anything but roughing it at Uluru, with 24-hour air-conditioning, a pool, restaurant, internet, laundry facilities, and car rental company on site.

There are more than 10 star-rated YHA hostels along the Great Barrier Reef from just £11 per bed per night. Other YHA Australia deals at the moment include the YHA hostel at Sydney Bondi Beach, which includes free snorkelling and surfboard gear, rooftop balcony, internet café, with doubles from £28 per night.

To book, visit Yha.com.au.