Book Cheap Flights to Sydney for the 2018 Vivid Festival

Sydney’s 2017 Vivid Festival has just passed and what a scene it was! Those who managed to get flights to Sydney on time were treated to an extravagant display of lights, music and ideas. 

Art, technology and commerce converge at the Sydney Vivid Festival each year and 2017 was one for the books. Those who attended the festival were exposed to somewhat mesmerising outdoor lighting sculptures and enjoyed contemporary music programs that can be aptly described as cutting-edge. Best of all, the 23-day festival is absolutely free to attend each year.

The 2017 Vivid Festival attracted a whopping 2,33 million visitors, which is a 35% increase to the previous year. Statistics show that as a result of cheap flights to Sydney being made more readily available, a large portion of the festival visitors were from Japan, but the number of South African visitors attending the festival each year is certainly increasing.

Book Flights To Sydney To Attend Vivid Festival 2018 Early To Avoid Disappointment

With the numbers rising for attendance to the annual Sydney Vivid Festival, event organisers are urging travelers to book their flights to Sydney early and to avoid missing out on the opportunity. 

If you are traveling from South Africa, the following airlines offer flights between Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Sydney: Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Virgin Australia.

The Sydney Vivid Festival 2018 - What You Need To Know

The next Sydney Vivid Festival is set to take place from the 25 May to 16 June 2018 and takes place across the city. Travelers are encouraged to book their flights to Sydney prior to the festival start date to ensure that they don’t miss out. 

The line up is quite extensive, but in short, here’s what to expect: 

• Vivid Light will see artists, designers and manufacturers transforming Sydney’s urban spaces into a wonderland of light art. 
• Vivid Music will see local and international musicians and bands playing at the Sydney Opera House and various other venues and bars. 
• Vivid Ideas will host various speakers and innovators at a variety of venues where they will present their ideas and concepts in terms of technology, design, architecture, visual arts, performing arts, advertising, animation, lighting and VFX.

While the detailed 2018 line up and venues are still being decided, the following venues were utilised in 2017 (attending the festival will provide a great way to see all of these great sights in the city): 

• Sydney Opera House
• Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
• Barangaroo
• Royal Botanic Garden
• Taronga Zoo
• Circular Quay & Sydney Harbour Bridge
• Cadmans Cottage
• Chatswood Shopping District
• Martin Place (Food & Drink)
• Darling Harbour
• Carriageworks

Top Tips For South African Travelers Attending The Festival in 2018

First time travelers to Sydney and the festival will need a few tips for getting the most out of their stay. These top tips will help you to thoroughly enjoy the festival: 

• Shop around for cheap flights to Sydney so that you have more to spend during your stay. Making use of flight comparison websites can help you to cut back on travel costs.
• Before you get started, download the Vivid Sydney app to your smartphone, so that you can keep up to date on the latest locations and what’s happening on each day.
• Time your visit to the festival wisely. The most relaxed time to visit is during the first few days of the festival and during the early evening. The lights are turned on at 6pm.
• If you’re traveling with kids, you can get an early start at Taronga Zoo and Chatswood where the lights go on at 5.30pm. This gives you enough time to stick to your regular dinner and bedtime routines. All of the information booths stock child safety wristbands. Make sure that you collect one for each of the kids.
• Don’t waste money on car hire and taxis. Many of the roads will be blockaded and closed anyway. You can make use of the public transport system which is stepped up to offer more services during the festival. If you’re looking for the best stations to access and travel across the festival precincts, try Town Hall, Martin Place and Chatswood.
• Ask for help if you need it. All event officials can be recognised by their bright pink jackets. If you need assistance at all, simply approach one of these officials.

Start Planning Your 2018 Trip To Sydney Today - Are Visas Required?

As a South African traveler you will need to apply for a VISA to enter the country. This VISA must be applied for with the Australian consulate and it can take anything from 5 to 15 days for the consulate to decide whether to grant the visa or not. Visas are available for 3, 6 and 12 months and the consulate advises applicants on how many times the traveler can enter the country on the visa granted. To avoid hassles along the way, one should not apply for a visa less than 3 months prior to travel.

With the Sydney Vivid Festival 2018 just 8 months away, now is the perfect time to start looking for cheap flights to Sydney as well as suitable and affordable accommodation.