Last 2016, we went to Australia to visit my relatives and tour around. I was supposed to write a blog in late 2016 about it, but I became very busy! But before that… here’s a short story about my “Australian dream.”
Way back in 2000, when I was desperately crying and begging my parents & aunt to let me move to Australia instead of my elder sister. I have always wanted to live in Australia. I remember viewing the country and its places endlessly in our Britannica Computer Program back then. It was so clean, organized, serene… and, I should say, the perfect place to live!!!
Every girl’s dream is to live in New York, but not me! I have always wanted to live in Australia. I shifted course from Dentistry to Dental Hygiene so I can migrate to Oz (short for Australia) quickly and easily. Although, some things happened along the way and I decided to get back to study Dentistry. However, I’m not closing any doors… John knows that when the right time comes, I will still pursue my dreams of both living in Oz and practicing Dentistry. And good thing he loved Australia as much as I do after our first visit together!
Enough of the drama! So without further ado… I’ve listed a couple of To-Dos or To-Visits when in Sydney to help you plan your Sydney tour!
1. Chill at Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts center in Sydney, Australia. It is one of the 20th century’s most famous and distinctive buildings. We weren’t able to watch any scheduled performances at that time. However, we were able to roam around the opera house which is surrounded by substantial public spaces. Plus, there’s Bennelong Restaurant, a luxurious shell-like restaurant located at the heart of Opera House.
How to get there?
Take a train or bus to Circular Quay, and from there, the Opera House is just a short walk. You can bookmark NSW Transport to check bus schedules.
2. Climb at the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge is a world-renowned symbol of Australia. It is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic. In the 1950s, there were occasional newspaper reports of climbers who had made illegal arch traversals of the bridge. In 1998, BridgeClimb made it possible for tourists to legally climb the southern half of the bridge. Tours run throughout the day, from dawn to night.
Price ranges from $168-293/head, depending on time and type of climb. During our trip, we chose the BridgeClimb Day $591 for 2 adults which include a certificate, cap souvenir, and generic group picture. We paid an additional of $35 for 2 Personal 6×8″ photos. See more details here!
How to get there?
We usually use NSW Transport to input our current location (or Airbnb/hotel location) to our destination to see transportation options. But the nearest train stop is Wynyard Station, then from there, we had to walk to Cumberland St. where BridgClimb headquarters is located.
3. Relax with marine life at SEA Life Sydney Aquarium
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium houses over 12,000 animals from 650 species, including sharks, dugongs, turtles, stingrays, penguins, tropical fish and much, much more. Walk underwater through over 100 meters of glass viewing tunnels and see Australia’s marine life like never before! Come within inches of huge sharks, rays, and turtles and see some of the remarkable marine and freshwater animals that Australia is famous for, such as barramundi and Little Penguins.
Tickets?
It’s $44 at the door, but you can save $9 when you purchase your tickets online for only $35. Or save $5 more ($30) if you purchase a ticket online for after 4pm entry. It closes at 6pm. However, you may miss some attractions done during the day and some in the morning. You can also save money from buying multiple attractions’ promo if you like to visit attractions like Madam Taussauds, Sydney Tower, etc.
Click here for tickets info.
Best time to visit?
It’s best to check their website for attraction schedules, so you don’t miss anything. They have scheduled attractions for Penguin experience, Shark Dive, and a lot more. And be sure to purchase attraction slots ahead of your visit because it has limited slots per day only.
How to get here?
It is walking distance from Wynyard Station or Pyrmont Station. Click here for more info on how to get to SEA Life Sydney.
4. SkyWalk at Sydney Tower
Sydney Tower Eye is an integral part of the famous Sydney skyline for the past 30 years. It is Sydney’s tallest structure and the second tallest observation tower in the Southern Hemisphere with a height of 1,014 ft. It is ranked as one of the safest buildings in the world that is capable of withstanding earthquakes and extreme wind conditions. It has restaurants, a coffee lounge, an Observation Deck, and the SkyWalk.
Tickets info?
You can enter Sydney Tower for free with several shops and restaurants located at the lower levels. On the other hand, if you want to go up to the Observation Deck, it costs $28 onsite and $19.60 online.
For the Skywalk, at the time we visited, it’s $70 onsite and $50 online (Observation Deck+SkyWalk) and an additional $50-100 for photo packages. Upon checking now, Skywalk is closed until further notice.
Click here for more info.
5. Shop at Darling Harbour
Darling harbour is a harbour adjacent to the city centre of Sydney. Take a leisurely sunset cruise or just transfer from Darling Harbour to other points like Circular Quay. Stroll through a museum, race around a playground, or shop at harbourside! This is our favorite hangout place! We can stay here up until late at night and just walk our way home to our place without worrying about our safety. PH needs some open spaces like this.
6. Watch at IMAX Sydney
IMAX Theatre Sydney is home to the WORLD’S BIGGEST SCREEN! John and I were able to watch the movie Sully at that time. According to their site, IMAX Sydney is currently closed and will reopen in 2019.
7. Dine at Sydney Fish Market
This is John’s haven! We love eating here because of how fresh all the seafood are! Plus, this is so close to where we are staying at that time. It is similar to DAMPA here in the Philippines. But cleaner.
Here are some photos of the food we ate!
8. Shop at Queen Victoria Building
John and I were strolling around Darling Harbour and Sydney Centre when we decided to pass by Queen Victoria Building ––an iconic heritage building in Sydney. The building consists of four main shopping floors.
9. Swim/Relax at Bondi Beach
Of course, I wouldn’t end my Sydney trip without visiting Bondi Beach. We have no plan to swim because it’s so cold at that time because the winter season has just ended ––it’s springtime!
Also, try the self-checkout counters at grocery stores! It’s so much fun!
I can’t really explain, but Australia has a very special place in my heart… the people are so friendly, the place is generally safe, and I love how efficient their transport system is. We could walk on the streets until midnight without the fear of getting robbed or killed or whatever!
Just remember to book your attractions ahead of time, plus you can save money by buying tickets online. Also, don’t forget to bookmark NSW Transport to help you roam around efficiently!
Here are some more snaps of our Sydney life! HAHA!
BTW, I did plan everything from our daily attractions to booking everything. So if you need an example of how I plan our itinerary, feel free to comment down your email address or DM me (Instagram: @athleyyy). I have listed every single detail of each attraction and areas we can pass by like gardens, shops, or restaurants. Plus, we maximized using public transpo to fully feel like we’re locals and to not disturb my relatives from driving us around.
Up on my next blog is To-Do’s in Queensland, Australia ––where we had so much fun but got so tired the most! Don’t forget to subscribe, so you get updated on my next post. (Subscription form below for mobile users, while at the right side for desktop users)
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