My only tip is to give Surfers Paradise a miss if you're travelling around Oz. The people are rude and the place is just tacky. The beaches are ok, but you can find nicer.
Hostels in Gold Coast
Looking for the best hostels in Gold Coast? You are in the right place!
On this page, we have listed every city in Gold Coast with backpacker hostels and budget-friendly stays. Hostelz.com makes it easy to find your ideal Gold Coast hostel by comparing prices across major booking platforms. Save money while backpacking Gold Coast and sleep comfortably on a budget.
All Backpacker Hostels in Gold Coast
We have got you covered with a complete list of every hostel in Gold Coast, across 5 cities! Not all cities have hostels, but many offer alternative budget options like guesthouses and affordable hotels. Use our filters to quickly find cities with hostels or other budget accommodations to simplify your trip planning.
All Gold Coast hostels on a map
Alright, you are more the visual type? Planning your trip with a map is always handy.
Therefore, this map shows you all cities with hostels in Gold Coast. It will help you to plan your trip. Just zoom in the map and click your destination for more details. Just so you know: If we do not have a hostel in a city, it is likely that there is no hostel in that city.
All Top Hostels in Gold Coast
We help you pick your hostel like no one else. Check our detailed guides to:
Our handwritten guide on Backpacking Gold Coast
The region considered to be the Gold Coast covers the expansive area from Tweed Head on the New South Wales border to Southport. There is so much to see and do within this region and it is one of the most touristy spots in Australia, which plenty of hostels. The main hub of the Gold Coast is Surfers Paradise, where you will find Cavill Avenue and the Cavill Mall right off the Surfers Paradise beach. Here is where you will find all of your major shopping, nightclubs, and pubs. They also have markets along the beaches. You will find an abundance of things to do just walking around and enjoying the scenery.
Most people come here for the beaches. The beaches here are well known for their world-class surfing and you can find multiple businesses along the stretch of coast, which offer surfboard hire and surf lessons for beginners.
The Gold Coast area is also home to majority of Australia's best-known amusement and water parks. You can find them just north of the coast and your Gold Coast hostel should be able to give you information about how to get there and deals on multiple park passes for SeaWorld, MovieWorld, Wet'n'Wild, and Dream World.
Hostels in Gold Coast are scattered along the coast; all of them will be close to whatever amenities you will need during your stay. Gold Coast hostels in Surfers Paradise will be massive party hostels but if you are not as into the partying, Gold Coast hostels further north or south of this should be more chilled out and relaxed.
Handwritten by local expert for Gold Coast hostels Globetrotter
Travel Tips for Gold Coast - from the Community
Hey fam! Here are a few more tips from the community, from them to you, and you to them. This space is dedicated for travellers to share their best tips on backpacking Gold Coast. Have a closer look - the Hostelz community share real hidden gems, insider knowledge and overall impressions of Gold Coast. Everyone is welcome to add something useful, funny, unexpected and the "absolutely necessary to know before you go" - share, share and then share a little more!
FAQ on Hostels in Gold Coast
There is a lot of travel planning to do. So let us help you once again by putting together the frequently asked questions:
Finding Hostels and Prices
What hostel booking sites are best to use?
There is several hostel booking sites, such as Hostelworld.com, Hostelsclub.com and Booking.com. While every platform has its pros and cons, there is a universal truth you as a traveler should be aware of: Not a single booking site can always offer the best prices.
This is where Hostelz.com comes in. You can compare all major booking portals with one click.
For you as a traveler, Hostelz.com is the best booking site to actually save money.
How much are hostels in Gold Coast?
Prices always vary, depending on various factors. Weekends tend to be more expensive, same goes for special holidays. Please also take into account local vaction time.
You can search for exacty hostel prices in Gold Coast here on Hostelz.com. Pick your destination and pick a date. The system will track down the prices to give an idea of what budget and prices you can expect.
When to book hostels?
If you want to stay at the best hostels, it is a good idea to have your hostel booked around 1 month before you travel. For the regular hostels, booking one week before should be okay. Yet again, this always depends.
We dedicated a full article to the topic of when to book hostels.
Safety and Packing
Are hostels in Gold Coast safe?
Generally speaking, hostels are as safe as you make them. We highly recommend always to bring your own padlock, using the lockers and taking care of your belongings. Make sure you pick a safe hostel, offering lockers and a safe location. Please always pay attention to the reviews; they can give you a great insight on what to expect and safety tips.
What to pack when staying in hostels?
There is a few basics you should always pack when staying in hostels.
There is more actually. We wrote a complete guide with more details. Read our full hostel packing list.