Review of Sydney Tourist Attractions
Table of Contents
- Top
- Landmarks
- Opera House - ☆☆
- Harbour Bridge - ☆☆
- Darling Harbour - ☆☆☆
- Sydney Observatory - ☆☆☆
- Haymarket - ☆☆
- Mrs Macquarie's Chair - ☆
- Angel Place Birdcages - ☆☆
- Zoos & Aquariums
- SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium - ☆☆☆☆☆
- Taronga Zoo - ☆☆☆☆
- Art Galleries & Museums
- Madame Tussauds - ☆☆☆☆
- St Mary's Cathedral - ☆☆☆☆
- Museum of Contemporary Art Australia - ☆☆☆☆
- Reserve Bank of Australia Museum - ☆☆☆
- Art Gallery of New South Wales - ☆☆☆☆☆
- Museum of Sydney - ☆☆
- Gaffa - ☆☆☆
- Parks and Botanical Gardens
- Hyde Park - ☆☆
- Royal Botanic Gardens - ☆☆☆☆
- Barangaroo Reserve - ☆☆☆
- Food
- Yummy Pepper House - ☆☆☆☆
- Basket Brothers - ☆☆☆☆
- Ippudo - ☆☆☆☆
- Suzie Q Coffee & Record - ☆☆☆
- Game Centers
- Transportation
- Airplane
- Train
- Light Rail
- Bus
- Accommodation
- Donation Box Collection
- Notes
- Summary
I went sightseeing in Sydney for 3 days and 2 nights. I visited many tourist attractions and wrote reviews with recommendations to help future visitors. These reviews are filled with personal opinions and biases from a solo trip, so their usefulness may vary. Includes convenient transportation tips for sightseeing.
Landmarks
Opera House - ☆☆
This spot is synonymous with Sydney, or even Australia. If you are not watching an opera or dining at the restaurant here, it's just a strangely shaped building. It might be Instagrammable due to its fame, but because of its size, photos taken up close might not be recognizable as the Opera House. Essentially, it's a building to be enjoyed from a distance. Combining it with the Harbour Bridge below is recommended.
Close
Harbour Bridge - ☆☆
A representative structure of Sydney. Naturally, it is used daily and has considerable traffic. While the bridge itself is unadorned, it offers great views of the Opera House, making it a good spot for photography. The combination of these two landmarks creates a nice effect. You can walk on the east side of the bridge for free, which takes about 15 minutes one way. It is accessible 24 hours a day, so it’s a good place to visit at night when there’s nothing else to do. However, reaching the pedestrian path is quite challenging. I read a detailed guide, which was quite entertaining. The directions, which should only take a few lines, are interspersed with explanations of landmarks, causing delays. Additionally, there is an option to quit midway, making it unclear if they really intend to guide you. There is also a tour to walk the Harbour Bridge Walk frame, but it costs around A$300, so you need a strong purpose to participate.
Harbour Bridge from Opera House
The Bridge itself
Opera House from the Bridge
Darling Harbour - ☆☆☆
Essentially a pier. It’s not only a tourist attraction but also a major ferry terminal. It’s convenient for transportation and a place to relax, but there isn’t much to do here. It seems like it would be beautiful to take night photos, so capturing both the Harbour Bridge and this from the Opera House at night would earn high points.
Sydney Observatory - ☆☆☆
An observatory on a small hill. You can see telescopes and astronomical photos for free, and enjoy the view. It’s in a remote area, so it might not be a common tourist destination. I would have preferred not to go if I could, but I had nothing else to do. The exhibits are quite small, but there are fun activities like switching telescope lenses and models of celestial bodies. If you love space, you might enjoy it more.
Observatory
View from the Observatory
Haymarket - ☆☆
An underground market. Many shops sell miscellaneous items. There are many T-shirts and hats that seem to ignore copyrights, creating a lively atmosphere. It takes courage to buy things here, but it’s quite interesting to use it as a passageway.
Mrs Macquarie's Chair - ☆
A rock and waterfront. It’s a beautiful rock, but accessibility is poor. It’s at the tip of a peninsula that connects to nowhere else, so you’ll end up walking a long way just to see a rock. It’s perfect as a turnaround point for jogging.
It’s a rock
Rock and waterfront
Angel Place Birdcages - ☆☆
If you go down a back alley, you’ll find many birdcages floating. It looks like a scene from a fantasy movie, but it wasn’t as charming as I expected. It might be better to look only upwards, as the shops operating directly below might be the problem.
Looks interesting in photos
Zoos & Aquariums
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium and Madame Tussauds are run by the same company and are located right next to each other. Buying a combined ticket is cheaper, so I recommend visiting both.
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium - ☆☆☆☆☆
An aquarium in a good location in the city. It seems small... but it’s Australia, so it’s big. You can see various rare creatures up close, including colorful fish, jellyfish, sharks, mantas, and dugongs. But what makes everything else irrelevant is the penguin colony. You can see them jumping up stairs, carrying stones, and swimming at high speed—a true paradise. There’s even a 2-minute boat ride attraction to watch the penguins, making it a complete experience. They should build a café here to boost revenue.
Sense of distance
Not a living creature
Taronga Zoo - ☆☆☆☆
A zoo about 25 minutes by bus from the city center. Being in the suburbs, it’s very large... You can observe animals like giraffes, elephants, koalas, and kangaroos, as well as colorful birds and aquatic creatures. There are many timed events, including sea lion shows. Additionally, you can enjoy themed exhibits such as tropical rainforest zones and dark zones, taking advantage of the vast grounds. It might take more than a day to thoroughly explore. If you rush, you can finish in 2-3 hours. The penguins were so cute that it made everything else irrelevant... but the penguin zone is smaller compared to the SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium above. Let’s also pay attention to other animals.
Alpaca
Three elephants
Star-shaped turtle
Master aura
Python
Sea lion show
Aftercare is perfect
Art Galleries & Museums
There are both free and paid facilities. Check carefully before visiting. Also, most close around 5:00 PM, which can be quite tough.
Madame Tussauds - ☆☆☆☆
A wax museum. Famous people are nicely arranged. There are branches all over the world. Wax figures of interesting people (and non-humans), from real celebrities and sportsmen to movie characters, are displayed. It’s hard to put into words, but it’s quite interesting. The figures are arranged to be photogenic, making it a delight for Instagrammers. Personally, Depp’s intensity was the best. While it might not be the intended way to enjoy it, it’s also fun to take photos as if you were a professional photographer.
Depp’s intensity
Celebrity feel
Even non-humans
Too chaotic
St Mary's Cathedral - ☆☆☆☆
The church is twice the size I expected. Free admission. You can view many stained glass windows, sculptures, and items unique to churches. About halfway through, I thought, "In a regular church, this is where you'd turn back." It’s a great tourist spot that you can fit into your free time since it's free and located in the city.
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia - ☆☆☆☆
The title logo wraps around the wall, making it an interesting museum from the start. Free admission. As the name suggests, there are many incomprehensible paintings. The special exhibition seemed to be by Chinese artists, with many paintings and animations featuring people who look like Chairman Netero in his final moments. The permanent exhibits were also quite quirky. The video of continuously touching thumbs and the lonely bicycle made me ponder what emotions are.
Bicycle
Face like a criminal
Not something you'd place next to a kids' corner
Dynamism
Chairman Netero...
Material 1
Material 2
https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d3313.1534592799967!2d151.20684081561657!3d-33.85993578065884!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x6b12ae429481c6eb%3A0x1d6639c1a03d401d!2sMuseum+of+Contemporary+Art+Australia!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sau!4v1533432579302...
Reserve Bank of Australia Museum - ☆☆☆
An exhibit attached to the central bank. You can learn about the history of Australian money. Free admission. Stories about the transition from pounds to Australian dollars and the switch to polymer banknotes are told. I didn't know until now, but new polymer banknotes have been issued since 2016... I was puzzled by the unusually transparent bills I saw, but the mystery has been solved.
Art Gallery of New South Wales - ☆☆☆☆☆
Probably the largest art gallery in NSW. It has an extremely rich collection. Free admission. The main exhibits are European paintings, and most of the ground floor is occupied by vivid nude paintings and landscapes. Descend to the basement, and you enter the realm of modern art, where you suddenly encounter bus seats, an abnormal number of bullet curtains, and a forest made of carpets. If you don't understand what I'm saying, look for images. There are also plenty of canvases with just paint as usual. I'm not here to choose wallpaper.
A lot of balls. It's quite overwhelming in person
Actually scary
Seats, right
It's a shell
Looks like a character from a Fukumoto Nobuyuki manga
There was a material collection
Shut up
There was a VR exhibit...
There weren't many people
There were landscape paintings.
Simply beautiful
Anyway, it's recommended. You'll surely find a piece you like.
Museum of Sydney - ☆☆
A museum built on the site of Government House. It introduces the history of Sydney. Personally, there weren't any exhibits that caught my eye, and since there's an admission fee, I don't particularly recommend it. It might be interesting if you are into history or archaeology. The guy at the reception was very friendly. For some reason, he asked about my nationality, and when I answered, thinking he was asking out of curiosity, he gave me a pamphlet in Japanese.
Looks delicious
Gaffa - ☆☆☆
A small art gallery. Perfect for using up leftover time. A small art gallery occupying one floor of a building. Since it's free admission, it helped me adjust my schedule on the last day. The exhibits were quite artistic (in a modern sense), but since the exhibits change relatively frequently, there might be hits and misses.
Parks and Botanical Gardens
You can visit parks anytime, but note that the Royal Botanic Gardens close at 17:30.
Hyde Park - ☆☆
A landmark park in the city. It's a relatively small (in comparison) park, so I didn't feel it was necessary to visit for sightseeing. It seems to be a place of relaxation for citizens.
Fountain
Royal Botanic Gardens - ☆☆☆☆
A huge botanical garden almost in the city. ... It's so big that it's easy to get lost. It feels like a mix of a botanical garden and a large park. Besides the greenery, you can also view the wharf and the Opera House, making it a valuable spot. Also, you pass through it on the way to the Opera House or Mrs Macquarie's Chair, so the entry barrier is low. There might have been other things, but I probably missed them because it's so big.
Not real
Feels unnecessary
Guardian lion
Guardian lioness...?
Barangaroo Reserve - ☆☆☆
You can get a beach-like feeling. It might be good if you don't have time to go to the beach? The sound of the waves and the smell of the tide give it quite a beach-like atmosphere, so it might be good for relaxing. It's somewhat remote, so you probably won't go if you're short on time.
Quite authentic
Food
Prices are generally high, but since it's a trip, I decided not to worry about it.
Yummy Pepper House - ☆☆☆☆
A shop near Haymarket. Authentic, or rather, truly authentic. The wall paintings are cute. I wanted to eat authentic noodles, so I wandered in. Since it's a Chinese restaurant, I thought real noodles would come out, but the ramen that came out used hot pot soup (probably), which was beyond my imagination. It seems this place is a hot pot restaurant, but using the same soup for ramen is genius. This area seems to be Chinatown, so you can easily eat authentic Chinese food. If you're craving noodles, definitely try it.
Spicy...
Basket Brothers - ☆☆☆☆
You can enjoy a luxurious and elegant breakfast here.
I ate scrambled eggs mixed with truffles and other mushrooms. Of course, it was delicious, but it costs A$18. I recall that all menu items were over A$15. As an ordinary person, I was shocked to pay this much for breakfast, but I've come to accept it since it's a trip.
Other menu items also looked delicious from their descriptions, so I'd like to visit again if I have the chance.
The surrounding sauce is delicious too
Ippudo - ☆☆☆☆
No need for a special explanation.
The differences from Japan would be that prices are about 1.5 times higher, energetic music is playing throughout the floor, there are no bean sprouts, and the staff is multinational. The menu is very close to Japan's, and the taste was the same.
By the way, it's located in a stylish building in an area with high-end brand stores like Chanel and Dior (similar to Ginza). It feels out of place.
Reliable
Taste remains unchanged
Suzie Q Coffee & Record - ☆☆☆
Used for breakfast. It's a unique shop with menus designed like records and staff wearing Mexican hats.
I was served something I couldn't identify consisting of bread, egg, leaves, and pickled carrots. Well, I ordered it myself. The menu was complex, and with my English skills, I couldn't understand what I would get. I'm sure even native speakers wouldn't know what it was. Anyway, it was delicious. Especially the carrots.
The coffee was Mexican, with strong acidity and bitterness. So that's why they were wearing Mexican hats.
Pepper is optional
Game Centers
I found DDR Extreme, In The Groove, and PIU, but couldn't find other KONAMI-like rhythm games. As expected of the largest city, there were many game centers similar to those in Japan, but the environment wasn't as well-equipped as in Japan.
Transportation
The first thing you should do is buy an Opal Card at the airport. It's easy to find as it's prominently displayed at train stations. You can decide how much to charge initially; A$35 should be enough. This single card can be used for all public transportation.
It's almost the same as Brisbane's Go Card, but this one makes a more fun sound when you tap (perhaps because it's Opal, it has a crystal-like sound). Like the Go Card, you can exit the station even if your balance is negative.
Note that I didn't use the Ferry this time, so I'm omitting it.
Airplane
Sydney Airport isn't particularly interesting.
I used Jetstar, and there were no cancellations or delays, so it was peaceful. Depending on your schedule, you can get a round-trip ticket for BNE-SYD for under A$200. In terms of distance, it's similar to Tokyo-Osaka.
Train
The train is the most convenient way to get from the airport to the city. It's convenient, but you'll be charged nearly A$13 just for using the station at the airport. Dirty Clever. By the way, this is the same in Brisbane. For group travel, it might be cheaper to take the train to a nearby station and then use UBER. Consider your options carefully.
The large double-decker trains give a "The Transportation Power" kind of feeling and are wonderful.
Light Rail
It's a small train, what you might call a tram. It's cheaper compared to the train. You probably won't notice much difference.
Bus
The bus system isn't particularly different. But it seems rougher. There were times when the bus stopped about 20m away from the bus stop, and we had to hurry to catch it.
There were stop announcements on the bus to Taronga Zoo, but not on others, so it's better to assume there won't be any.
Accommodation
For a private room within walking distance of the city center, A$50 per day on AirBnB would be considered cheap. It might be even cheaper for multiple people. In any case, it seems overwhelmingly expensive compared to Brisbane.
Surry Hills is about a 20-minute walk from the center, but it's cheap and has many shops around, so I recommend it. If you have money to spare, it might be good to stay in central areas like The Rocks.
Donation Box Collection
As a bonus. At zoos and aquariums, there are donation boxes with ingenious designs.
Notes
- Many people smoke while walking. Perhaps because of this, there are quite a few cigarette butts on the streets
- Prices are indeed high. However, the prices of items at our beloved Woolworths seemed (visually) unchanged. If you want water, go to Woolworths
- Conveyor belt sushi is A$3.5 per plate. There are many unique menu items which look interesting. What's scampi?
- I walked around the city all day and recorded 42,000 steps in one day
Summary
As Sydney is both a city and a tourist destination, there are plenty of tourist options. They are particularly concentrated in the city center, making it possible to visit many attractions in one day. However, the downside is that options become extremely limited after 17:00. It might be more enjoyable to either not go out at night or visit night view spots during the day.
I'd like to visit Sydney Tower Eye and WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, which I didn't go to this time, someday.
