jimy Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 G'day TF'ers!! About to make my first trip down under in July. I know its not the best time of year, but its business, don't have a choice in the matter. I will be staying in the CBD/Rocks area. Just looking for a few hints/suggestions of places to see. Specifically nightlife. I think I know all the local attractions - Harbour Bridge, Opera House, etc. I will be there Thurs-Sun before going on to Canberra. So have the prime Fri/Sat nights to go out. Looking for nice places to hang out, have a beer, listen to music...I heard about the Chinatown area. Lots of asian places in there..any specifics? Thanks for any info... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laragirl Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 i love pancakes on the rocks. open 24hrs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grezzzy_greer Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Well I am not really a Sydneysider, but my brother lives there and I see them whenever Grezzzy and I go to Oz. As I recall there are a few bars and places in Chinatown, but I think you may find more interestig and fun places in the Rocks area (so called because of being built on the rocky tip of land under where the the south end of the Harbour Bridge now sits - of course there was no bridge there when they named the place! (edit - I see laragirl likes Pancakes on The Rocls - great spot yum!) One thing you could do is to catch a ferry from Circular Quay (between the bridge and the Opera House) and go to Manly one afternoon - the ferry takes about 45 minutes, while the high speed hydrofoil takes 15 minutes. Manly is a great spot to get away from the city, and the ferry terminal is right at one end of the Corso; the other end (about 300 metres away) is at the ocean beach. Shops pubs a couple or three Thai restaurants (no comment on the food quality - but there are HEAPS of Thai restaurants in Sydney) - a bit of night life at a couple of the pub/club places around there. Warning - cab fares are high - don't leave Manly so late that you need a cab - they run around $40 to $50 from Manly to The Rocks - maybe more now. If you are driving - be very careful of speed traps and also Random Breath Tests by police. When at the rocks, you are only about 10 minutes walk from Darling Harbour - lots of restaurants, bars, and clubs - its a tourist haven, and worth seeing. The Maritime Museum is there if you enjoy that sort of thing. There are a few pubs/clubs in the main streets of the city too, but I cant recall the names of the streets - have a word with the concierge at the hotel - also a couple of pub/club type places around Circular Quay too. You will hear of Kings Cross - and yes they have restaurants, and there is night life, but it's a bit sleazy for my liking - I don't mean anything as up-market as Soi Cowboy or anything... The Cross was a tourist type destination, and in some peoples eyes, still is, but the prostitutes, drug pushers, rip-off joints, and sex shops (sorry - ADULT shops) make it very low on my list of places to go in Sydney...even late at night...or especiially late at night! If you feel like it, for about A$180 (maybe less) you can do the Bridge Walk - where you actually get taken up onto the top of the bridge itself - all with safety harnesses etc (if its too windy or bad weather it is closed). A real once-in-a-lifetime thing. Hope this is a bit of help - also hope you have a great trip, and the weather is kind!If you get a window seat, and the weaher is clear - Sydney Harbour is really lovely as you fly in over the city - assuming they don't do an approach from the east. Another place for Asian food and Asian atmosphere is Chatswood on the north side - the main shopping centres there is so full of Asian people that I feel like I am at home when we go there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave40 Posted June 23, 2008 Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 Good luck in Canberra it's bloody cold at night there so take a warm coat with you, plenty of dvd's in Fishwick, and say gidday to my old mates Kev and Julia!!! When you get to Canberra!!(I believe Kev can speak pretty good Mandarin!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grezzzy_greer Posted June 23, 2008 Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 Yes, there are not many Australians who would go to Canberra by choice - it's completely soul-less. 2 out of every three people work for the government, the only tourists that go there are the ones who have never been before - and are unlikely ever to go back - and the poor sods who are stuck with living there for business or whatever...cold in winter, hot in summer and with a huge population of flies in summer (as it's all sheep country around there). As Dave said - DVD's from Fishwick - as an Australian National Territory, and NOT a State, Canberra falls under federal law, which allows the production and distribution of pornographic material. Places to see - the Telecom Tower (there is a restaurant up there too, but check for opening times), the houses of Parliament, the ANZAC Memorial, Lake Burley Griffin (named after the designer of Canberra), oh the Fountain, umm...National Library...um...um.......... hmm... maybe other things, but I have no idea what. For a photo I took from the Telecom Tower, have a look at my journal about my Australian trip in April. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimy Posted June 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 Thanks for all the info. Sounds like a good start. What you all say about Canberra is pretty much what I have heard also - but like I said I dont have a choice. That's where the embassy is - so that's where my work is...Sydney should be fun though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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