Caribbean Riddim Weekend Info Pack 0.3

We are excited to bring the two worlds of Caribbean carnival culture and Australian culture together at the
Caribbean Riddim Weekend 2020.
Can you survive a weekend of Caribbean style events, in the land downunder, home to sharks, crocodiles,
snakes and our cute yet fearsome ‘Drop bear’ aka Koala?
Please review the following information to get you acquainted and help plan your trip to the last frontier of
Soca in Sydney Australia! Thank you for joining us on this journey!

1 OVERVIEW
The Caribbean Riddim weekend 2020 will be held from 4 th - 6 th December 2020.
Participants have the option of purchasing full weekend event passes, additional day tour or individual event
tickets.
1.1 EVENTS:
Friday 4 th – Day tour option*
Friday 4 th Evening
Saturday 5 th Daytime
Saturday 5 th Evening
Sunday 6 th Daytime sailing

3 ACCOMMODATION
International and Interstate guests are invited to stay at the 4-star Vibe Hotel Sydney for the duration of the
Caribbean Riddim Weekend. A fixed nightly discounted rate is being offered to international and interstate
guests visiting Sydney for the duration of the weekend (*while rooms last).
Centrally located in Sydney’s CBD, and only minutes from multiple public transport options and Sydney’s
central station, Vibe Hotel offers a perfect location from which to explore Sydney and its surrounds.
Special Rate: Fixed nett rate of $199.00 AUD per room per night for Standard Guest – King/Twin rooms.
Book Here – “Caribbean20”
Note: For any guests choosing alternate accommodations, you will be required to make you way to Vibe
Hotel. This is the designated pickup and drop off point for the bus journey to/from J’ouvert and Beach Bar.
3.1 PROPERTY FACTS
Address: 111 Goulburn St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
4-star hotel
24-hour front desk
“Very good”- 4/5 customer review rating on Trip Advisor (Based on 4000 reviews)
2-3 min taxi / 8 min walk from Central station. (For guests travelling using the Airport link train).
Location rating 100% for walkers

3.2 AMENITIES
Rooms at Vibe Hotel Sydney offer a flat screen TV, air conditioning, and a refrigerator
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Fitness Center with Gym / Workout Room
Rooftop pool and terrace
Ground floor bar & lounge
Business Center with Internet Access
Paid public parking nearby
3.3 CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT
The Sydney Central Business District is abuzz with energy. Power brokers run to and from high rise buildings
and after-work drink places, high-end shoppers tour venues like the QVB, fine diners frequent the many
celebrity chef restaurants and foodies eat from the many and varied food options from China town, to
Korean BBQ’s to Spanish restaurants. For a dose of culture, walk to the NSW Art Gallery, or visit the Sydney
Museum. To escape the hustle and bustle, reconnect with nature at the Sydney Botanical Gardens or picnic
lunch at High Park. No matter your interest, be sure to check the full calendar of events hosted by the city of
Sydney.

4 TRANSPORT OPTIONS
4.1 AIRPORT LINK TRAIN
The Airport link provides easy access to the city CBD from the domestic/international airport terminals.
Price: Approx. $19.40 AUD each way | Duration: 13min
4.2 AIRPORT TAXI / UBER
Price: Approx $50 AUD | Duration: 15-30 minutes
4.3 PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Sydney transport now offers contactless payment on Sydney public trains, trams and buses. If you have an
American Express, Mastercard or Visa credit or debit card or a linked device, you can use it to pay for your
travel by tapping on and tapping off at Opal readers.
https://transportnsw.info/tickets-opal/opal/contactless-payments

Taxis are readily available throughout the city.
5 AUSTRALIA - GENERAL FACTS
5.1 VISA AND ENTRY
Please refer to the Department of Home Affairs for visa and entry requirements for your own circumstances.
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder/visit
Please note: Whilst certain visas such as the ETA, and eVisitor are processed quickly, other tourist visas may
take more than 30+ days.

5.1.1 ETA
An Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) provides authorisation to travel to and enter Australia and is
electronically linked to your passport. The ETA has a service fee of $20 and is available to citizens of the
following countries:
United States | Canada | Japan | Singapore | Malaysia and more.
5.1.2 eVisitor visa
The eVisitor visa allows certain passport holders to stay up to 3 months for a vacation. This is free and
processed within approx. 2 days.
The full list of eligible countries is listed on the home affairs website but includes; UK | The Netherlands |
Belgium | Germany | Sweden | and numerous other countries across Europe and the Mediterranean.
5.2 POWER
Voltage used in Australia = 220-240V
Note: Adapters can only be used for US appliances that accept BOTH 240V and 110V.
If your devices do not support 240V, you will need a transformer to convert the current or risk
damaging your device.
Socket type
5.3 MONEY
Currency = Australian Dollar ($)
Australia is largely a cashless society, supporting chip cards and contactless technologies.
Approximate conversion rates
o 1 USD = 1.5 AUD | 1 GBP = 1.96 AUD | 1 CAD = 1.12 AUD | 1 EUR = 1.70 AUD | 1 YEN = 0.014
AUD
Tipping is not mandatory or customary in Australia. Tipping is often provided when service exceeds
your expectations.
5.4 MOBILE PHONES, SIM AND DATA
If you have a compatible phone/handset, a Vodafone network SIM card can be purchased and
utilised for the duration of your stay.
https://www.vodafone.com.au/support/sign-up/visiting-australia
E.g. $30 AUD Combo starter pack. Valid 28 days and 25GB data.

5.5 WEATHER
December is the beginning of the Australian summer period.
Temperatures will start to climb across Sydney and can get very hot, however the CBD temperatures
generally remain moderate.
The average high-temperature is 25.2°C (77.4°F), and the average low-temperature is 17.5°C
(63.5°F).
Average rainfall in December: 77.6mm
o The wettest month (with the highest rainfall) is June (131.9mm). The driest month (with the
lowest rainfall) is September (68.3mm).
Average relative humidity during December is 59%
The use of sunscreen and limited sun exposure is recommended between 10am-2pm
5.6 LANGUAGE
The official language of Australia is English.
Sydney is a very multicultural city with many residents speaking other languages ranging from
Cantonese, Japanese, Korean, Greek, Italian, Arabic, Hindi, Spanish, French and more.
5.6.1 Australian Slang
Aussies utilise a fair amount of slang and have the tendency to abbreviate almost everything. Here are a few
words that you may hear during your trip and what they mean;
Australia
Arvo
Airy fairy
Barbie
Bloody oath
BYO
Chook
Dunny / Loo
G’day
Grog
Pissed
Pissed off
To take the piss
No worries
Thongs
Too right
Your shout
Stuffed
Straya / Oz
Afternoon
Vague
Barbecue
True
Bring your own alcohol
Chicken
Toilet / Restroom
Hi
Alcohol
To be drunk
To be annoyed/angry
Make fun of someone/thing
Not a problem / No issue
Beach Flip flops
I agree, you are correct
Your round / turn to buy drinks
Tired

6 FOOD
6.1 FOODIES
Sydney CBD offers a large variety of eating options.
o City central (Chinatown/Central/George St) has a huge number of Korean BBQ restaurants,
Thai, Chinese, Spanish, food courts and more.
o The Sydney fish markets (Pyrmont) offers a vast range of fresh seafood.
If you are a foodie Sydney’s suburbs offer an incredible array of authentic international cuisines.
o Sydney’s Western Suburbs (20-30min train from CBD)
• Auburn/Granville - Turkish, Lebanese, Afghan cuisine
• Harris Park – A strip of homes converted to Indian restaurants featuring dishes from
across India and Pakistan. Casual and fine dining.
o Sydney’s Inner West (10 min from CBD)
• Newtown / Marrickville - Thai, Greek, Various
Note: Portion sizes in Australia are relatively small compared to USA sizes.
Many suburban restaurant kitchens close by 10.30-11pm.
6.2 FOOD PRICES
The price of food can vary greatly across Sydney.
Cheap eats - $10-$18 for fast food, such as food courts, cafes and burger places.
Mid-range dining options – Main courses approx. $24

High-end dining – Main courses $34-$50
o Prefer fine dining? Try one of the many acclaimed restaurants in Sydney harbour, The rocks,
Surry Hills and Eastern Suburbs.
6.3 COFFEE
Sydney is known for being a coffee city full of coffee connoisseurs. Most Australian’s must start their
day with a cappuccino or latte. Be sure to try a coffee or two while in Australia!
6.4 DRINKS
Alcohol at pubs/clubs - Approx $10 per drink.
Water - $2-$4
Fresh juice - $7-$8
Coffee - $3.50-$5

7 CARIBBEAN RIDDIM WEEKEND EVENT DETAILS
7.1 FRIDAY 4TH DECEMBER -

7.2 SAT 5TH DECEMBER -

7.3

7.4 SUN 6TH DECEMBER -

8 WALKING DAY TOUR
An optional walking day tour is available for purchase and includes:
✯Aboriginal Botanic garden tour
✯Walk via circular quay, to the historic rocks precinct
✯Lunch – A unique Aussie tasting, featuring Kangaroo, and a beverage.
✯Wildlife park entry
✯Koala Encounter with 3 photographs
✯Sydney Aquarium entry
8.1 SAMPLE ITINERARY
9:15 AM
10:00 AM 11:30 AM
Meet and greet.
Walk to the Botanic Gardens
Aboriginal botanic garden heritage tour
The Garden Shop, Botanic Gardens
11:30 AM 12:00 PM
Walk to the Australian Heritage Hotel for lunch
The Australian Hotel. 100 Cumberland Street,
The Rocks, Sydney 2000
12:00 PM 1:30PM
Lunch - Emu and Kangaroo Pizza
Glass of Craft beer or Wine
*If you have any food requirements please notify
caribbeansydney@gmail.com
1:30 PM 2:00PM Walk to SEALIFE aquarium / WILDLIFE
2:00 PM 3:30 PM View the Sydney Aquarium
3:30 PM 5:00 PM View the WILDLIFE Sydney Zoo
5:00 PM Meet. Return to hotel.