Sydney travel guide: Travel tips, reviews, photos, & videos from real travelers.

Reviews(Average Rating: 95% for 7 reviews)

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callmeishtarReviews: 1
Posts: 0
Kanga-What? Kanga-Who?
10/14/2009
Rating
98%
Sydney, Australia
When the plane was landing at Sydney Airport, I was already excited, because I could see the Opera house as the plane descended. Not wanting to just simply enjoy the moment, when I could capture it for posterity, I took out my digital camera and began snapping away. Before I could say or do anything else stamping me as a complete yokel, the lady next to me said "first time in Sydney?" And based on the huge grin on my face she didn't need me to answer her question. She gave me a list of bars and clubs and stores to check out, (a list I didn’t make it all the way through Next year perhaps…) before checking her watch and running off. It was just a subtle reminder that while this was a vacation for me, it was business as usual for everyone else. Everyone I met was accommodating and patient when I was fumbling through the currency or asking for directions. After getting settled in at the hostel I went to look for Kangaroos and Koalas. I didn't find any, because unlike the cockatoos these other animals don't run rampant in Sydney. So in order to see them I was going to have to go the zoo or into 'the bush'. I rejected the two options and chose to see more of what Sydney had to offer. What I found was a vibrant art and music scene, one of the coolest bookstores in the world, and one of the world's most famous (and in my case most improperly pronounced) beaches Bondi (Bon-Dye). While there were many highlight from this trip BBQing for every meal, Museum Trips, Scenic Hikes, drinking my way through The Rocks, nothing tops walking along Bondi Beach at night with a few friends, listen to the surf crash against the sand. Oh and before I forget, let me say that all four pictures, with this review were taken by me. I just mention this because I am exceedingly proud of them.
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llworldtourReviews: 4
Posts: 0
Bridge and Tunnel Girl
09/14/2009
Rating
85%
Sydney, Australia
“Please remove all jewelry, loose articles of clothing, and accessories. Please make sure there is nothing in your pockets. No cameras will be allowed. You must wear closed toed shoes. Put on your jumper, fasten your safety harness, and sign this form stating that if you fall into the harbour, we basically don’t care.” I was about to experience one of the “must dos” in Sydney—the Bridge Climb. At a whopping $130, it was a little, er, steep, in more ways than one. But I'd heard it was worth it and doubted I would be climbing many more bridges in my life. If you want to climb at sunset—you have to pay nearly $100 more! Wow—they don’t own Mother Nature, do they? The Sydney Harbour Bridge was built in 1932 and is the world's largest (but not the longest) steel arch bridge with the top of the bridge standing 134 meters above the harbour. Fondly known by the locals as the 'Coat Hanger', the Sydney Harbour Bridge recently celebrated its 75th birthday. When the Bridge opened, it cost a horse and rider three pence and a car six pence to cross. Now horse and riders cannot cross, but you can bicycle or walk across the bridge for free. Cars cost around AU$3.30 for a southbound trip and it is free to go northbound. In 1932, the average annual daily traffic was around 11,000 and now it is around 160,000 vehicles per day. The whole climb operation ran like a well oiled machine. One of the first things they actually do is a breathalyzer test! Alcohol readings over 0.05 will exclude you from the climb. Yeah, I’m thinking you do not want to be stumbling onto the top of a 450-foot-high bridge. I’m assuming one of the reasons the climb is so expensive is they must have a huge liability insurance policy, so having tipsy climbers probably isn’t in their (or your) best interest. The climbing crew herded twelve of us from room to room gathering our specially made, bridge climbing suits, harnesses, headphones and radios, clipping on various accessories like rain shells, handkerchiefs, and fleeces (in case it gets cold at the 900 foot summit!). After a small demo of what we needed to do on the bridge we were on our way. The whole experience lasted three hours. It was a surprisingly gentle walk, and perfectly safe, as long as you aren’t drunk, of course, and don’t have a problem with heights…because it is high. We went up several ladders and then ascended the eastern arch of the bridge. We were literally walking on the top of the bridge. Most of the areas we scampered across were formerly only accessible to bridge workers. Halfway into the tour it started to rain (of course!) and as we donned our special “bridge climb” rain gear, we reached the ‘summit’ of the bridge. This was pretty damn cool. We had amazing 360 degree views, in between raindrops, of the harbour and stunning Sydney skyline. Looking down, you could see the rush hour commuters whizzing by to get home after a long day’s work. Every few minutes the bridge would rumble with the sound of the commuter train that also crossed the bridge. Our guide snapped some photos of us (costing $15 a pop!), then we crossed over the top of the bridge and began our decent down the western arch. Again, when I say descent, we were literally just walking down steps, so it was not like we were scaling the bridge or repelling down its side—this was all very tame, but cool just the same.
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catReviews: 6
Posts: 0
Max Brenner's Chocolate Cafe
03/10/2009
Rating
100%
Sydney, Australia
The company's tag line, 'Chocolate by the bald man' gives nothing away...and does nothing to suggest to you why you should come inside. It's not great marketing, but maybe they don't have to worry...maybe they can get by on word of mouth alone. 'Cause frankly I've told everyone I know about Max and his chocolate. I've had hot chocolate before – some good ones and some not so good ones, but the first time I went to Max Brenner's I had the best hot chocolate related experience of my life, because never before had I been served hot chocolate in it's raw form – hot milk and curls of chocolate. Someone – I don't know if it was the fabled Max, or if, like Santa, he's a magical chimera – has designed the perfect hot chocolate receptacle – a metal cylinder encased in china with an opening for a tea candle at the bottom, so you put your hot milk in there and the candle keeps it warm and to that you add the curls of chocolate to taste, which are melted by the candle on metal action – stirring with a metal spoon with a straw built into it. All that clever engineering, but it's totally worth it for the perfect cup of hot chocolate. Obviously anyone who goes to that much trouble designing something like that is going to take care in the production of their ingredients as well – and the chocolate is up their with the best I've tasted – and I've tasted quite a lot. As well as the chocolate for the hot and cold drinks and the drool inducing deserts there are also a selection of boxed and tinned chocs – all presented beautifully as well – these guys really take care of every detail. You can buy the paraphenailia as well – tear dropped shaped 'hug mugs' that keep your hands warm as well as your hot chocolate are a particularly lovely thing to have and lots of my close friends got one off me as a gift – along with a tin of hot chocolate curls of course.
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catReviews: 6
Posts: 0
Sydney Fish Markets
03/10/2009
Rating
92%
Sydney, Australia
You can smell the Sydney Fish Market before you can see it, but it’s not a pong, it smells like sea spray and prawns on a barbeque, probably because just outside the doors of the main market one of the stores has a grill going selling seafood kebabs. Once inside you’re assaulted by a whole range of smells and the air is thick with noise. It’s a busy atmosphere. The open fronted shops are lined along a central corridor with their glassed in counters facing on to each other and almost brimming over with the shiny white, orange and silvery bounty of the waters just outside the mouth of Sydney Harbour. There are supposedly 100 different kinds of marine life on sale (including octopus, shark and Balmain Bugs - a delicious Sydney shellfish) and most of the stores will sell it to you raw or cooked. You can also buy freshly prepared sushi, oysters, lobster and batted everything. Obviously the next bit is the highlight: You can sit out on rows of picnic tables with bright plastic umbrellas along the docks and watch the boats come in with more delicacies while you enjoy some of the best seafood you will ever taste. There’s also a bottle shop on site to pick up your Sauvignon Blanc or Sparkling White and a fruit and veg market where you can get your fresh lemon and avocado. On the picnic deck you’ll be dining with the sea gulls and pelicans, but if you’d prefer something more flashy you can dine on site at Doyles, a branch of one of Sydney’s classic fish restaurants (and home of the best take away fish and chips I have ever had - the batter is perfectly light and crisp.). Either way the view is great and the food is phenomenal and reasonably priced. You have never tasted a prawn until you’ve had one from the Sydney Fish Market - promise. The busiest time for the Fish Market is Christmas Eve as half of Sydney stocks up for the Australian Christmas tradition of a seafood Christmas dinner, so you need to get there early to get the choice haul, however most days you won’t have any problem picking up what you need and you’ll usually be able to choose from five or six different stores. My stomach is rumbling just thinking about it. This is truly one of the best and most quintessentially Sydney experiences you can have.
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catReviews: 6
Posts: 0
Tropfest
03/10/2009
Rating
92%
Sydney, Australia
From its very humble beginnings in 1993 showing short films projected onto a bare café wall, Tropfest has grown in to one of the world's largest short film competitions and now attracts support from big names in the film industry looking for emerging talent. The numbers of entries grow each year (there were 700 in 2006) as well as the audience who attend the final showings now broadcast live from Sydney to large events in other parts of Australia and the world. The sixteen finalists attend the Sydney event, also attended by VIPs from the film industry and an audience of about 100,000, and the winners are selected by a panel of renowned industry judges. The audience is able to vote on site for the people’s choice awards. As well as a night of great short (the time limit is seven minutes)film, audiences enjoy a balmy out-door evening of music, comedy and unique entertainment. Get there early and bring a large rug to stake out your territory, bring a picnic (as the food is always expensive) and an umbrella (as two of the last five events have seen heavy rain.). Also bring your mobile so you can find your friends if you lose them and vote on the audience choice award.
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catReviews: 6
Posts: 0
My Perfect Sunday
03/10/2009
Rating
99%
Sydney, Australia
Though most people now think Bondi is a bit over rated compared to some of Sydney’s other beaches, it’s still a great place to visit on a Sunday for the markets. They’re held in the grounds of the local primary school, which is across the road from the beach and have a mix of Sydney market staples: handmade jewellery and fashion, second hand books, clothes and antiques, art, photography, plants, food, shoes… It varies depending on the time of year, but the quality is pretty good and most people will find something to tempt them. The school runs a typical Australian primary school sausage sizzle to raise money, which, like the suburb of Bondi itself it a bit nicer than most (They’re always cooking in time for Sunday breakfast - or you can treat yourself at Too Fatz café around the corner, where you can have a big breakfast served on two plates, or one of the myriad of Bondi cafes.). Though the school grounds aren’t that big it’s surprisingly uncrowded, though it’s always busy - it must be that the temptation of the sparkling green ocean across the road that stops shoppers lingering. On rainy days it’s probably not worth coming down, nothing is covered, go to Paddington Markets instead. After you’ve had a wander around the markets you can go an sit on the grassy hill looking over the beach or walk along the promenade, followed by an afternoon bevy in one of the open air bars (Icebergs, the local RSL is expensive but well worth it for the view. My perfect Sunday.
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tashReviews: 1
Posts: 1
A hidden beach in Oz
07/29/2008
Rating
100%
Sydney, Australia
Dee Why beach is half an hour north of Sydney when traveling by car. I didn’t plan on living there for six months but the idea of staying ten minutes away from the beach seemed too good to pass up, especially during an Australian summer. I also accidentally fell in love with a local. Dee Why has fewer tourists than other dozens of Sydney beaches so to truly experience Aussie culture, this is where to head. After work I’d cool off by swimming a couple of laps in the 50-meter ocean pool. The lap pool is just what it sounds like: a pool that gets its water straight from the ocean, which means two great things. First, you can swim comfortably in generally warmer water. Secondly, you have a great view of the beach and all the marine life that jumps into the pool. Yes, you can swim with the fishes without the barrage of waves. Surfing is mandatory, at least once. Lessons are pretty easy to find. If I felt like watching the surf instead of being in it, there was always grommets (young surfers) cutting threw waves a couple of feet away from the rocks. The street that mirrors the beach is lined with restaurants where the dress code is swimmers and the mood is casual. A word of caution: The sun seems to burn faster over there so slap on sunscreen every four hours.
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