On May 2017, I went to Australia for the first time (and haven’t got to revisit since then). I visited Melbourne and Sydney, two big cities in Australia. Previously, I shared my Melbourne travel diary and with this post, I finally pay my debt for this Australia trip series. I know it took five years, but it’s better late than never.
Sydney was a special place for me because many of my high school friends stayed in Sydney for studying back then. And I do enjoy the sea-city vibes. I flew from Melbourne with Jetstar Airlines. We took a morning flight and while waiting for the boarding time, I enjoyed some hot chocolate and cheesecake.
1,5 hours later, my brother and I arrived in Sydney. We took Hyatt Regency's shuttle bus from the airport to the hotel. Thanks to my friend, we got a special rate at this newly opened hotel. It was my first time staying at this hotel chain. Since it was newly opened, everything was brand new and I had a great experience. I got to get early check-in thanks to my friend and then my brother and I went outside to finally explore the city.
Queen Victoria Building
Hands down the best-repurposed building in Australia. Out of all shopping malls that I’ve visited, this mall has the grandest feature. The building itself was built in the 19th century and used as a Municipal Market. After some restoration, the building was reopened to the public as a shopping center in 1986. This beautiful and iconic building was designed by a Scottish architect, George MacRae. This shopping mall has more than 180 shops inside ranging from fashion, jewelry, and home decor, to restaurants and cafes. I didn’t do any shopping here because it will be such a nuisance to bring the things back to Melbourne and after all, I can still find the things back in Melbourne.
The highlight of this shopping center is located on the highest floor. It’s where you can see authentic European-style antiques and architecture. It feels like you are inside a European palace. Well, Australia was many influenced by Europe, but it feels different inside this building. I have some interest in history and that’s why I visited this building. I truly recommend for you visit Queen Victoria Building when you visit Sydney.
The more in-depth history behind this building can be read here.
Darling Harbour
After walking around the majestic Queen Victoria Building, we went to stroll around the Darling Harbour. This harbor is located just nearby our hotel. They even have an exit door connected to a bridge that connected to Darling Harbour. There is a SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium located on the front side of Pier 26. We didn’t get to visit the aquarium, but to kill the time, I took some photos there. After the photoshoot (?), we walk along the Darling harbor toward the Sydney Harbour Marina. I really love the waterfront scenery there. I visited and passed through Darling Harbour 3 times while I was there.
The harbor has several entry points, so make sure to check out all of them. My favorite spot was the King Street Wharf. On the opposite, you can see Macquire University. I think I would be very diligent if I see this kind of view from the university. I just love how they organized the harbor. You can see the Darling Harbour area as V-shaped. There are lots of restaurants and cafes, and even shopping centers along the harbor. It was really a fascinating place I've ever visited. Check out the map before you visit here. Not checking out thoroughly the map before visiting was one of the bad mistakes I made during this trip.
By the way, they held the Vivid Sydney festival again starting this year. During the festival, you can see fireworks show at Darling Harbour and some other light shows. So if you happen to be in Sydney from around the end of May to the middle of June, make sure to check out the Vivid Sydney Festival. More information regarding the festival can be seen here.
https://www.darlingharbour.com
Three Sisters of Blue Mountains
First road trip in my entire Australia trip. We rented a car and went to the Blue Mountains after breakfast. As far as I live with my brother, I know that my brother was not an adventure seeker or a nature-type of person, that’s why I’m not sure if he really likes going to this kind of place. But since it doesn’t need much effort to see this famous spot, he agreed to go. After 1,5 hour ride from Sydney, we finally arrived. The weather was so nice that day. It was bright, but not hot. We were not in a good condition that day, but seeing that marvelous scenery made all that sickness go away.
The Blue Mountains are a complex of different mountains. The famous mountain top is the Three Sisters. It was called “Three Sisters” because the mountain’s form is like a triplet. More depth information about this mountain can be read here.
Since it’s a quite famous tourist spot in Sydney, the infrastructure has been neatly installed. There are paved roads for the trail. It was a very convenient track for all ages. Make sure to visit here if you come to Sydney.
Sydney Fish Market
I am not a big fan of raw seafood, but visiting Sydney Fish Market, changes my perspective on it. I slowly start to find the goodness in eating raw seafood. The fish market is pretty spacious, neat, and clean. I hardly could smell a fishy smell.
After some research, this fish market has been operated for more than 70 years! Well, they did some remodeling and currently, they are reconstructing to be a very sophisticated fish market in the world. Look at the developer site here and you will be very excited to visit here later on.
Read the complete history of this mega fish market here. And the complete progress of the redevelopment here.
CIRCULAR QUAY
After a fulfilling brunch, I went to meet my friend at the Circular Quay, and then we took the ferry to Taronga Zoo. I am not a very animal person, but I like going to the zoo. Going to the zoo by ferry was very fun and it was a unique experience. I got to see the Opera House and Harbour Bridge on the way to the zoo. It was killing two birds with one stone.
TARONGA ZOO SYDNEY
After getting off the ferry, we took the free shuttle bus to the zoo entrance. The front gate was very grand and classical, not a very “zoo” kind-of entrance. My friend bought the tickets beforehand so as soon as we arrived there, we went directly to the entrance. I forgot how much was the entrance fee because my friend bought it. Check the rates here for the updated one.
What makes Taronga Zoo different from other zoos that I’ve visited is they let visitors volunteer at the zoo. Also, they are really concerned about conservation and sustainability instead of showcasing the animals. Reading what are their focus and vision will help you have a greater experience when you visit here. Read it here.
I think this zoo has a good layout and a variety of animals. Not only wildlife animals but also a mini farm and a variety of pets. I’m not sure now, but when I went there all the animals there were well-fed, unlike some zoos that I’ve visited. Well, as far as I saw it, Taronga zoo has a very well-managed system. In summary, I have had a great experience with this zoo.
BONUS!
The Grounds of Alexandria
I went to the Grounds of Alexandria after Sunday service for brunch with my high school friends. I really loved this place! I wish there are lots of this kind of place in Indonesia. The Grounds of Alexandria is an open space with a wide selection of restaurants and shops that are located in Alexandria area. It was first opened in 2012. Even after 5 years, it was still pretty and neat. The place is very instagramable and the ambiance was what I’d been dreaming of.
I took the advantage of the good weather by taking lots of pictures. I looked like I have a very natural blush thanks to the great lightning that day. I really liked the photos I took here.
I really recommended you to visit here. They also opened in the Sydney city center too, but it has different vibes from the one in Alexandria. I haven’t visited there personally, but seeing from the photos, I still love The Grounds of Alexandria more than The Grounds of City Center Sydney.
Bondi Beach
After brunch with my high school friends, I went to Bondi Beach. I have been wanting to see the Bondi Icebergs Club, but since it’s fall and I don’t bring any swimming wear, so I just got to see it from afar.
It was bright and warm in the morning, but suddenly it became quite cold. Even so, I still enjoyed walking the down the sidewalks with my Boost smoothies. After some people-and-dog-watching and taking some photos, my friend and I become quite hungry. We stopped by a burger shop nearby Bondi Beach and have a quick bite. Then, we went back to the city center by bus. In Sydney, every Sunday, people can use any kind of public transport for a $2.80 flat rate all day long. Now the regulations have changed and you can see them here to help you do some budgeting before visiting Sydney.
I have a tremendous experience in Sydney even though it was just a short time. I think both Sydney and Melbourne have their own charm and I don’t mind living in either of the two cities. Australia is surely a good idea. I will definitely back to this continent and explore the other cities next time.
How about you? Have you been to Australia before? Which city have you visited and what’s great about it? Leave it in the comment box below.
Stay tuned for the food frenzy part next time.
Thank you and have a great day, mate!
