Want to know the best backpacker hostels in Australia? This honest guide tells you all you need to know to find the perfect hostels along Australia’s East Coast.
Travelling around Australia is becoming increasingly popular. But with lots of information out there, it’s hard to research backpacker hostels in Australia from honest experiences.
Having travelled to Australia myself, I can honestly say that these are the best and worst backpacker hostels to stay in along the East Coast.
This post is all about the best backpacker hostels in Australia.
Hostels in Australia Sydney
Wake Up! Sydney
Best hostel for Sydney Central and socialising!
Rating: 4.5/5
Wake Up! Sydney is a great hostel for socialising as they make it an easy environment to make friends.
There are social activities every day. Whether you want to head to Glebe Market for a chilled morning or go on a bar crawl in the evening, there is something for everyone!
I also found everyone in my dorms to be super friendly and made more friends there than in any other hostel!
The kitchen is also a great place to strike up a conversation. The hobs were pretty hit or miss so asking someone for help or if you can use a pan after them was such an easy way to make friends.
The rooms have big windows and fairly comfy beds. There are communal gendered bathrooms on every floor which are convenient. Showers do get full at peak times so make sure you plan for this if you’re in a rush.
Wake Up! Bondi Beach
Chilled hostel on the beach front.
Rating: 4/5
Wake Up! Bondi is based on the doorstep of Bondi Beach. With a short walk to Woolworths for groceries and all of Bondi’s restaurants and cafes, the location of this hostel is unmatched.
It’s much smaller than Wake Up! Sydney and was a fairly quiet hostel when I visited. There are lots of social activities every day and free surfboard hire!
The rooms were small and a little dark but clean, which is my biggest concern in hostels. The communal bathrooms were tidy and convenient but, again, small.
The rooftop is a big perk of this hostel! It’s a great place to socialise or have some alone time whilst watching over Bondi Beach.
Byron Bay Hostel
Wake Up! Byron Bay
Best for a secluded and relaxed stay
Rating: 3.5/5
My rating for this hostel is a little harsh because of the location and my room. My friends were given lovely dorms in huts with en suites and comfy beds, whereas I was in a dark, dingy room with a bathroom a slight walk away that wasn’t very clean and we paid the same price!
The location of this hostel is out of the way which has its pros and cons. There is a free shuttle to the high street which is convenient but can have a queue at peak times.
The pool is a lovely place to socialise with events on daily and there is a beach opposite the hostel but it is difficult to get back to if you don’t want to wait for the shuttle. It is also a walk away from everything after a night out so make sure you have someone to walk back with!
There is a lovely restaurant next door with good food and live music, so I would recommend paying that a visit!
Surfers Paradise Hostel
Surfers Paradise Bunk Hostel
Rating: 4/5
Despite Surfers Paradise not being a favourite destination of mine on Australia’s East Coast, Bunk Hostel was a highlight!
It was a very clean backpacker hostel in Australia; each dorm was a good size with a private feel to the beds and en suite. The pool was a great place to socialise or relax and it was located close to the city centre.
The kitchen had an odd set up; you had to pay a deposit to reception (I think it was around $25) who would then give you a set of pots, pans etc to use. At the end of your stay you would return the items and in turn receive your deposit back.
However, if you’ve ever stayed at a hostel you know the chaos that can be a hostel kitchen. I didn’t know anyone who had paid the deposit, we were just all sharing the tiny amount of pots and pans that we could find.
It meant that it was super easy to make friends because everyone was sharing utensils but it was chaotic to say the least.
If you stay there, I wouldn’t recommend paying the deposit as I don’t think you’ll ever get it back!
Bunk Hostel Brisbane
Rating: 4.5/5
Bunk Hostel Brisbane was a very clean and sociable space. The kitchen was newly refurbished, with plenty of pans and cutlery. Everyone was very considerate in washing and drying their plates but teatowels were few and far between.
The reception area was welcoming. Dorms were clean and functional but a little small. Each dorm room appeared to have a slightly different layout but mine had all bunks along one wall so it felt more private than other dorms.
It was in a fairly good location for Brisbane, but others might be closer to the centre if you are looking for convenience.
Noosa Flashpackers
Rating: 4.5/5
Noosa Flashpackers is an experience to say the least!
The facilities at this hostel are incredible. There is free breakfast every day, a games room with tv and games console, guitars, hammocks, a pool and even a dog! It is such a sociable hostel and in a great location close to gorgeous beaches.
I stayed in an 11 person dorm and it was utter chaos. There was little to no privacy in the room and nowhere to put your bags so everyone’s stuff was absolutely everywhere. At one point I don’t think we could see the floor…
There are two bathrooms per dorm which was convenient and made shower timings much easier.
The staff at this hostel were also so friendly, I couldn’t recommend it more!
Rainbow Beach Hostel
Freedom Hostel Rainbow Beach
Rating: 2/5
My least favourite hostel on the east coast. It was fairly dirty, the kitchen was super overwhelming, dorms were big with only one bathroom and no separate toilet.
There were communal areas and a pool table but it felt very unwelcoming and overwhelming for me. There is also not much to do there at all apart from one beach and a cafe or two.
I believe this is almost the only hostel on Rainbow Beach and is used more as a stay before and after K’Gari experiences. I wouldn’t recommend more than a night here.
Nomads Airlie Beach Hostel
Rating: 4/5
This hostel is huge and a bit of a maze. There is a pool, lots of greenery and an air-conditioned communal area which was a great place to cool off.
Rooms were basic; beds were comfy enough but some showers didn’t work as well as others depending on the dorm.
The staff were incredibly helpful, with one member (called Ollie) helping my friend and I plan our next adventure in Fiji! He gave us tips and advised us on the best route to travel along.
Everyone was so friendly and the hostel had a really nice vibe.
Magnetic Island Hostels
Nomads Magnetic Island
Rating: 4/5
Dorms were very cute at this backpacker hostel. Most were in small huts with bunk beds crammed in, probably more than there should’ve been but it gave a lovely feel.
Communal toilets and showers were a short walk away from the hut which was inconvenient if it was raining but it worked.
The pool was small and overlooked the sea which was a lovely setting. Food was good and evening activities were a lot of fun here. It was a sociable hostel with a positive vibe.
The kitchens were TINY! I would recommend going to the beach and doing a BBQ with friends or eating out for the majority depending on your budget.
I would also highly recommend renting a car on Magnetic Island because this backpacker hostel isn’t within walking distance of anything.
If you are looking for a more convenient hostel with a more relaxed vibe, then Roamer Magnetic Island Koala Park may be more suitable (I visited this hostel for a few hours and it was gorgeous!).
Gilligan’s Hostel Cairns
Rating: 3/5
Gilligan’s Hostel is a notorious party hostel in Cairns. It has crazy events every night, mostly involving some form of sexualising women for prizes and left me feeling uncomfortable for most of my nights out there.
The hostel is clean and the dorms have balconies which is a nice touch. The bathrooms were moderately modern which was great but the constant night-out culture was not for me. Especially because of what the nights out entailed (wet t-shirt competitions and women wrestling for free drinks).
If you are looking for a few crazy nights out and want to see what the hype of Gilligan’s is then I would recommend a few nights here. However, I would suggest that any longer than 3 nights is too much.
Staff were ok but pretty unhelpful and I have an overall fairly negative opinion of both Gilligan’s and Cairns.
That is the end of my honest guide to backpacker hostels in Australia!
Be sure to check out this Australia East Coast Itinerary to make sure you’re seeing the best sights along your East Coast travels!
This post was all about backpacker hostels in Australia!
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