Sydney is voted as one of the most livable cities for a good reason. And Sydney leaves great impression on me with its beautiful landscape, great coffee, plentiful selection of fusion food, nice trails & walks alongside the coast, beautiful waves wading through the beaches.
Circular Quay – Sydney Opera House & Harbour Bridge
The most visited & photographed icons of Sydney are just opposite each other. At the end of the tram route at Circular Quay, it is a short walk from the tram line, which also connects to other transportation including the wharf for ferry (to other nearby islands) and train.
A short walk away further from Sydney Opera House is The Rock, a nice city neighbourhood with lots of restaurants & quirky stalls to pick a souvenir or two.
Along the tramline, it is easy access to shopping streets in Chinatown, Townhall & Queen Victoria Building (QVB). Very different vibes along these 3 places. Capitol Theatre illuminate the nearby Chinatown, in 2023 showing the Beauty & The Beast musical. Chinatown almost never sleeps, at any point of time full of visitors either queuing up for some delicacies or just strolling to shop. On the other hand, QVB exudes old charm with its signature architecture. Townhall is dotted with seats for waiting people. And in all the places, buskers are a great addition to the vibes of the city. And how talented these buskers are, playing instruments & singing comes rain and shine amidst the cold Sydney breeze.
Travel tips #1 – Public transportation options are plentiful for visitors. Tram lines, buses, trains, Uber private cars, Beam scooters & Lime bicycles. In 2023, almost all the public transportations are able to take contactless cards for payment, making it extremely easy to move around. The system even recognises the daily limit. The old Opal card (which I still have) is almost rendered useless, although I still top-up the card for use.
Coastal trails from Coogee to Bondi
Easy to track, take a slow walk along the elevated platform to walk the coast from Coogee to Bondi. Soaking in all the coastal sceneries – rocks, beach, villas, waves, small cliffs.
Travel Tips #2 – There are a number of trails from beginner to serious trekkers that will suit anyone at any age. I find the Coogee to Bondi trail easy to access by taking a bus direct to Coogee before walking towards the coast towards Bondi beach. Take a pick of your own walk…
Ferry to Manly Island
The wharf at Circular Quay accesses many different islands & other suburbs of Sydney. We took a fast ferry to Manly Island on a weekend, a quirky place with access to Manly Beach. During weekend, there are stalls selling DIY by locals. Take a slow stroll, drop by one of the many cafes before heading towards the beaches – both Manly and Shelly beach.
Travel tips #3 – Fast ferry takes 20 minutes from Circular Quay wharf to Manly. As the spring day was breezy, we hid inside the ferry rather than taking the open top.
Aerial View of Sydney via Helicopter Ride
The aerial view of Sydney is fantastic via a helicopter ride. With a qualified helicopter pilot, a small copter brings maximum of 3 guests to fly over the city on a good weather.
Sydney has more offerings in the form of other tourist attractions including museums, aquarium, a climb up the bridge. But we are happy taking a stroll along the city, soaking in all the city has to offer.
Cheng's Musings 