City Centre

There are various inexpensive public transports to get around the city such as buses, trains, ferries, and the monorail. Exploring the most beautiful natural harbour in the world, the Sydney Harbour, by boat is a wonderful way to get a feel for this beautiful city and its scenic foreshores. Captain Cook Cruises has daytime and evening tours from Circular Quay ranging from one-hour foreshore explorations to extravagant dinner-dance and Showtime cruises during the evening.

Circular Quay, the hub of Sydney Harbour, is situated at a small bay called the Sydney Cove, which is also the founding site for Sydney and Australia. The quay is a busy one with ferries departing for Manly, Watson's Bay, Mosman, and Taronga Zoo almost every minute. On the southern side of the quay is Sydney's pride, the Opera House. On the northern part of the quay is The Rocks, which is the oldest part of Sydney.

Darling Harbour

Situated just minutes from central Sydney is one of the world's greatest waterfront destinations. Main highlights of Darling Harbour include the Sydney Aquarium, the Australian National Maritime Museum, the Chinese Garden, the IMAX cinema, and the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney's most spectacular museum.

The Sydney Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world with over 5000 species of marine life displayed in their natural habitat. Visitors will be mesmerized by the 145 meters of underwater tunnel that takes you through an unforgettable underwater adventure and experience.

Experience how the sea had shaped the lives of Australians from the National Maritime Museum, which is situated on the waterfront of Darling Harbour. Here, you get to view screenings of documentaries, see displays of articles, participate in a sail with an experienced skipper, shop for souvenirs, as well as eat in a restaurant when you need something to chew on.

The Chinese Garden designed in China in celebration of the Australian Bicentenary is a gift from Australia's Chinese sister, the city of Guangdong. Its landscape architecture reflects the 5th Century design and is unique among other gardens in Australia. Walk through the gardens to enjoy lakes, waterfalls, pavilions and if you are tired, enjoy Chinese tea at the Chinese teahouse.

Built from the shell of an old power station constructed in 1899-1902, the Powerhouse Museum aims to promote science, technology, decorative arts, design, and Australian social history. This is done through interactive learning such as lectures, video screening, computer games, demonstrations, and research. There are more than 25 exhibitions of the strange and bizarre from around the world and an extensive research library housing more than 27,000 books, 1,500 journal titles from a total of 400 subscriptions, as well as a wide range of audiovisual and electronic materials. The Sydney Observatory, also part of the Powerhouse Museum, is a museum dedicated to astronomy and its history. Here, you get to watch the heavens through the museum's powerful telescopes, join in film shows, talks, and exhibition visits through the new state-of-the-art 16 inch mirror telescope.

For shopping, the Habourside Shopping Centre houses a variety of shops including fashion, arts and crafts, gifts, and toys.