If You’re Planning a Solo Trip, Melbourne’s the Place to Be

Melbourne’s got some of the best coffee and Aussie restaurant portions are huge, writes Shibaji Roychoudhury.

My Trip to Melbourne

The thing about solo trips is that while you may be apprehensive at first, once you take one, it seems better than going with company. In my case, the first one was so much fun that I couldn’t wait to go on a second solo vacation. And for what it’s worth, my second solo trip to Melbourne, Australia was just as much fun, if not more.

But the trip didn’t begin as well as I hoped it would.

My flight to Melbourne from Auckland took off and in 15 minutes, it had to come back to Auckland due to some technical difficulties. In fact, I didn’t get accommodated in a different flight until the next day.

After the initial glitch and a four-hour flight, I was back to Aussieland. Melbourne looked breathtaking and has a very Victorian era feel to it. The British Empire extended far and wide, but only a handful of cities among the commonwealth countries have Victorian style architecture. In India, Kolkata is one of them.

Trams in Melbourne

There aren’t many city tourism boards in the world that promote one of their modes of transportation over sightseeing or heritage buildings, but Melbourne is such a city. Trams are a dying mode of transportation globally, even in Kolkata. But in this Aussie city, trams are the highlight.

Melbourne has one of the most extensive tram networks in the world and connects nearly every place in this Aussie coast city. I got a whiff of its popularity the moment I stepped out of the airport.

Just a tip, pick up a journey planner from Public Transport Victoria – it’s extremely helpful in identifying the place you wish to visit as well as the tram number to get there. Also, get a myki card – a reusable smart card – it is really useful and cost efficient and can be bought at the ticket window booths at most train stations.

Cheap Accommodation and Large Servings at Restaurants

If you’re on a budget trip, skip the fancy hotels and check out The Greenhouse Backpacker – a three-minute walk from Flinders Street Station. Freebies include breakfast and Tuesday dinner in a cafeteria-style dining room. There’s also a communal kitchen, a BBQ grill and a rooftop terrace.

The best part is that the accommodation is located right in the middle of Melbourne City Centre, so everything is at an accessible distance.

Also, one thing that you must know about Aussie restaurants is that they serve food like you have a gorilla’s appetite. The portions are huge as if Matthew Hayden was eating. If you’re a fan of beef steak, check out The Mitre Tavern at 5 Bank Pl, Melbourne – a pub in a 19th-century building with a huge beer garden and a rustic bistro serving gourmet burgers and excellent steak.

5 Must Dos in Melbourne

I’m not particularly a fan of doing touristy stuff when travelling, but in Melbourne, I did exactly that.

1. It is always interesting to get a sky view of a big city. The Eureka Skydeck at 7 Riverside Quay, Southbank gives you an awe-inspiring view from the southern hemisphere’s highest viewing platform, Skydeck’s The Edge – a glass box that lets you look directly down into the cityscape.

2. For coffee lovers, Degraves Street is the place to be. There are a number of cafes there and while I haven’t been to South America, I can still honestly testify that Melbourne has some of the best coffee this world has to offer.

3. If you’re visiting Melbourne in the summer, like I did, be sure to check out the Outdoor Moonlight Cinema at the Botanical Gardens. It is quite an experience and brings all those Hollywood movies to life. Great place for a date too. I speak from experience.

4. Of course, if you’re visiting a coast city in Australia, you’ve got to go to a beach right? Well, the Great Ocean Road won’t let you down. The twelve apostles lie on this stretch of road and can arguably be considered a wonder of the world.

5. Finally, I went to the Yarra Valley. For a food and wine snob like me, there could have been no better place. The valley is quite cool, even in summers, which helps the wineries produce chardonnay, pinot noir, and sparkling wine.

All in all, Melbourne was a memorable trip. Not only because of the sights and the fun activities that I got to do, but also because I was travelling solo. The sheer sense of independence made my solo trip one of the best I’ve ever had.

(Shibaji Roychoudhury was named after someone who wanted to conquer and inspire. Unfortunately, he is far too ambitious for that. Based out of Delhi, he has travelled across the globe and has some pretty funny tales to tell. Watch out for his next one.)