10 Things to do in Sydney (Part 1)

I went on exchange to Sydney, Australia, from July to December 2013. It was super awesome. Of course I did more than these ten things since I stayed there for almost half a year, but I’m going to focus on what to do in the city, and not day trips to Blue Mountains and other places. (Perhaps that would be in a separate post?)

1. Bondi Beach

Ahh… Bondi Beach is just beautiful. I’ve been there quite a number of times. You can easily take public transport there from the city and be rewarded with this amazing scene. The perfect place to chill, or if you like, surf, swim and snorkel. Whatever floats your boat.

There’s this annual exhibition called Sculptures by the Sea, and as you can already guess, it is where we can admire sculptures that are along the coastal walks by the sea. For free. These are some of the many artworks that were on display in 2013.

I love this reflection of the sea!

This made me think of Sisyphus, the Greek story about some dude who has to roll / carry a boulder up a hill just to watch it roll back down, and he has to do this again and again for all eternity.

2. Darling Harbour

Sunset @ Darling Harbour

Another one of my favourite spots to just hang out with my friends and watch the sun go down. If you’re in Sydney for only a short while, I recommend coming here on a Saturday evening and having dinner at one of the restaurants nearby. (Some Pancakes on The Rocks, perhaps? Or maybe dessert at San Churro?) You can shop and explore your food options at Harbourside Shopping Centre. Then be sure to catch the fireworks!

There are fireworks every Saturday without fail. If you want the exact time, be sure to check their website. And of course, there might be other events or festivals going on.

Christmas, 2013.

Sydney International Boat Show, 2013.

3. Café Hopping

There are plenty of cafes in Sydney so I’m going to have to limit myself and choose a few. First of all, there’s Black Star Pastry at Newtown. This café is pretty well-known for its colourful and delicious cakes and pastries, especially its Strawberry Watermelon Cake with Rose-Scented Cream which is practically all over social media. Anyway, it is almost always full of people. Thankfully, my roommate brought home a few pastries for me to try.

The café I really liked in Sydney is just a few doors away from Black Star Pastry. It is called Barmuda, and my absolute favourite is…

Potato stack!

I just love this so much I wish I could fly to Sydney just to eat it again!

Okay one last café recommendation before I move on so that I will stop thinking about my beloved potato stack.

Pancakes @ Clipper Cafe

My friends and I also enjoyed going to Clipper Café, located along Glebe Point Road. It is also almost always packed, which is a sure sign of good food. There’s also another San Churro store along Glebe Point Road if your sweet tooth isn’t satisfied.

San Churros!

4. Museums

So many museums, so little time.

Hyde Park Barrack's hammocks

Hyde Park Barracks: The place to find out more about how convicts lived in the past. You can take a look at items that were used in the past, such as the hammocks people used to sleep in and the hats they used to wear. There’s a trunk of clothes for visitors to try on as well. It used to be a place for male convicts which operated under a strict system, before it housed free immigrant women.

Cockatoo Island: Accessible by taking a ferry from Circular Quay. It has underground passageways and granaries which were constructed by its prisoners.

There are tents for visitors who want to stay overnight but I don’t see the need to do so because you could finish exploring the island in a day. Also, for some reason, the seagulls there are more intimidating and territorial as compared to the usual seagulls in Sydney that are merely interested in stealing your food.

Reminds me of Hogwarts Express!

Powerhouse Museum: Where the past meets the present. The exhibits make you reflect upon about how we have progressed from typewriters to robots. It documents the evolution of musical instruments and various forms of transportation. There's also a Zero Gravity Space Lab!

There’s a machine that dispenses chocolate and one that allows you to create your own fireworks, just to name a few.

Justice & Police Museum: Filled with guns and weapons that were used by criminals. The museum traces the development of policing in New South Wales from 1788 to the present. If you're interested in how Europeans imposed their laws on the Aboriginal people, how a courtroom looks like, how prisoners were punished, or if you simply like to read about kidnapping and murder cases, this is the place for you.

Museum of Sydney: This museum gives an overview of the history of Sydney, including how the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House came into being.

Art Gallery NSW: Okay this would be the last one. (I saved the best for last. I mean, just look at that pretty building!)

There’s a mix of contemporary, classical, and Aboriginal art in there. Not to mention, general admission to the gallery is free.

5. Wildlife (Taronga Zoo / Featherdale Wildlife Park)

Taronga Zoo is just a ferry ride away from Circular Quay, and the admission fee is a little pricey but totally worth it. There are all kinds of animals at Taronga Zoo, not just typical Aussie animals like koalas and kangaroos. Although it’s always nice to get up close to a sleeping koala.

Awww.

The staff at Taronga Zoo said that we weren’t allowed to touch the koalas but it’s ok. It was sleeping anyway!

Look at that Seal jumping into the air! The animal shows demonstrate how clever these creatures are with their fancy tricks.

At the bird show. You can also see Harbour Bridge in the distance.

If you’re willing to travel a bit further (to Blacktown Station and then take a bus), visit Featherdale Wildlife Park. The admission fee is slightly cheaper and you get to have a more hands-on experience since you are allowed to feed and touch some of the animals. Yay! Just purchase kangaroo food for an extra dollar and go crazy.

Wallabies! So cute!

The owl refused to look at the camera. Oh well. And yes, if you look at that sign, you are allowed to get up close to a koala and stroke its fur a little. The koala I interacted with at Featherdale Wildlife Park was awake and super friendly.

Time for some farm animals. Hello, little goat!

Hello sheep!

Just smile and wave boys. Smile and wave.

My favourite – the wombat. Although they look cute and cuddly, they are dangerous creatures that should not be touched. 

Stay tuned for the next post about the five more things I did in Sydney!