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Sydney Tourist Traps

The Monorail - Sydney
The Monorail
by AnnikaW
Tips and photos of Sydney tourist attractions and tourist traps, posted by real travelers and Sydney locals.
Local Time 5:31 am Sunday, May 18, 2008
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Bridge Climb: Bridge Climb
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  • Yes, I succumbed to peer pressure. Good shot tho. - Sydney
    Yes, I succumbed to peer
    pressure. Good shot tho.
    by dracko
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    You've heard about it. You've seen the photos. You're all psyched about doing the bridge climb!! Well, it's about time you cooled off a bit. The climb, unfortunately, isn't all it's drummed up to be. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely an experience, and you learn a lot from the climb leader/tourguide. In fact, it's pretty cool to be able to say later that you climbed the bridge, and the views are very nice. But it will likely be an anti-climactic experience when you're all done with it, when you remember how much you paid for it. The A$175 climb price was just too much for what you get out of it. Especially, if you have visited the Pylon Lookout using the free pass that was given to you when you booked the climb. Now, I don't want to imply that it's all bad. The Bridge Climb staff are absolutely superb and they make the best of what they have to work with. They are knowledgeable, friendly, and very safety conscious. For the climb itself, you're supplied with a special jumpsuit, safety harness, radio so you could hear the guide easier, a hat, a hankie, a raincoat if rain is expected, and a head light if you're climbing around dusk or later. EVERYTHING is secured either to the harness or to your suit, and you are not allowed to take ANYTHING of your own with you on the bridge short of your underclothes. The only other exception is glasses, and you are given a special lanyard for those that also clips to your suit. Reasoning behind it is that if something were to accidentally fall, it could cause some major damage to cars or pedestrians below. This, of course, means that you will be leaving your precious camera in the locker back at the base as well. So the only way to preserve the spectacular views from up top is to buy one or more of the photos of yourself that are taken by the guide during the climb.

    The climb might be worth it, however, if you do it during dusk or at night, but then you get charged even more. Sydney can be quite spectacular at night from up high.

    Still, unless you got money to burn, my recommendation is to spend the A$8.50 and go to the Pylon Lookout (see my tip on that) instead.

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    Souvenirs / Shopping: Van Brugge House
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  • Updated By b1bob on February 22, 2004
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  • Before returning to the hotel, there was a fifth stop. We visited Van Brugge House, which sells Australian opals (no doubt some collusion went on between this store and the tour company). I sure enough couldn't buy anything in there even if I wanted to- which I didn't. They showed us a film of how they extract the opals from the Earth in an effort to justify their exhorbitant prices. Grandma bought some opal ear rings. That was a good thing because since they are so expensive, she couldn't go shopping for the rest of the trip.

    Feign interest in the opal mining process and make a mental note that it's not worth all the trouble to buy one.

    Ring the tour company on getting home and let them know you're hip to their collusion. It may not help you if you get roped in, but it might show these tour companies we were born in the dark but it wasn't last night.

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    The Rocks: The Rocks, pricier than diamonds, duller than coal
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  • The Rocks is an incredibly expensive section of Sydney (FYI, the priciest city in Australia) that specializes in haute and faux couture art galleries, overpriced souvenier shops, the usual run of McRestaurants and, on Saturday and Sunday, a market. From what I could tell, there is nothing here that can't be had, better, cheaper, and easier in other parts of the city. You can look around, but its boring.

    Proceed up the steps to the Glemore Hotel and have a beer on the rooftop, soak up the view and some suds and have a laugh with the friendly folks who seem to frequent it.

    The entry to the bridge isn't far from the Glenmore, you could walk along that, see some of my travelogues for the view.

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    Souvenirs / Shopping: QVB and Centre Point Shopping Centres
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  • All the shops in these two downtown shopping centres caters to the international tourist crowd. A great selection of shops and worth visiting, but if you are interesting in buying anticipate high prices.

    Should you need to shop downtown, Pitt Street Mall is for the locals. For a greater variety of shops, try one of the Westfield Shopping Centres outside the city centre. Bondi Junction, Chatswood, and Hornsby are all great shopping centres a short trip from the CBD by train.

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    Transport: Avoid the Sydney Explorer Pass
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  • Several guidebooks mention the Sydney Explorer Pass as a tool to reduce the expenses of getting around Sydney. You can buy these passes online (www.sydneypass.info) or at booths at the Circular Quay. They're not cheap, and they are a waste of money. Through the pass you can use myriad means of transportation while in Sydney - the ferries, buses, airportlink trains - as well as get discounts on major attractions. However, the pass is "activated" after you use it for the first time and will last for however long you have purchased it for (currently 3, 5, or 7 days). Even if you use it once, it will automatically deactivate itself after the preset time, regardless of how much money is left on it. The ONLY way you recover the exorbitant cost of this pass is if you are a maniacal tourist with the boundless energy to see 20 sites each day (I exaggerate a little, but you get the idea). You are much better off purchasing transportation seperately.

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    Souvenirs / Shopping: Circualr Quay - Disposable Cameras
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  • For my trip I was using disposable cameras, I bought one from a Circular Quay shop, which was amost $10 over-priced (I was in a hurry, so I payed the ridiculous price), and later found out that it was very close to its expiry date.

    Go to one of the shopping centres on Pitt St, and buy your camera from somewhere like Priceline, they are very reliable and cheap.

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    The Monorail: Hovering above the streets...cool, but so what?
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  • Can you spot the Monorail from above? - Sydney
    Can you spot the Monorail
    from above?
    by knerten
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    $4 for a 15 minute ride, for a different view of Sydney. Alright, you get to see the city, but so what. Scratchy and dirty windows make photographing impossible. This thing is best avoided.

    Don't expect too much.

    If you need to get from one end of the city to the other, walk! If you just want to take this trip as a nice intro to Sydney and don't mind the price, fine.

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    Tours: The Three Sisters
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  • Updated By dlandt on December 24, 2003
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  • This is nice in theory, but the crowds are just awful. I admit the rock formations are lovely, but fighting for elbow room at the rail was just ungodly. There are veritable legions of tourists piling on and off buses, overpriced souvenier shops and the inevitable cry of "Back on the bus!"

    Take the train up very early in the morning and beat the crowds. You can ccatch it at Circular Quay. Once you're up there, there is a kind of tractor and carriage arrangement that runs the loop of the attractions. I think its free.

    Stay away and have a beer in the Glenmore. Or... make bad poetry on the bus!! "Back on the bus!!" The driver cried As he helped us aboard with care Supporting each one by the seat of the pants And a finger entwined in our hair "Back on the bus!!" the driver cried Avoid the natural allure I've told you twice and after thrice I leave you here for sure! "Back on the bus!!" There I've said it thrice and off we go at a lurch Telling another stale old joke while barely concealing his smirk

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    Beaches: Avoid the beautiful but crowded beaches
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  • I have travelled to many countries around the world and I can easily say I experienced the least troubles in Sydney than I have ever experienced in any other country. Everyone is so helpful and so friendly. The one thing was that whenever you think about Sydney beaches the first beach that comes to mind is Bondi. However, I found that Bondi even though it is beautiful, is not necessarily the nicest because it is so packed with people. I found it quite invasive.

    Park your car on top of the hill going down to Bondi and walk down. Big hike back up but chances are you won't find a park anywhere. Not too easy to get to with public transport. Also whilst there ask people about the Bondi to Bronte walk along the lciffs. Well known amongst locals. Absolutely beautiful and you can walk to the next beach along within 10 minutes.

    If you would like to escape the masses of tourists try the Northern Beaches e.g. Palm Beach, Whale Beach or Avalon. Another alternative is the Southern Beaches such as Coogee or Bronte. All of these beaches are packed with hot bronzed Aussie boys. However on Bondi you get the feeling that the boys are competing with the girls in a swimsuit modelling competition.

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    Souvenirs / Shopping: Don't spend all your money...
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  • At Sydney Airport, because as most International airports are, its ridiculously over-priced. The food there is also pretty ordinary. Rather save your $$$ for the culinary delights all over Sydney!

    If you don't have choice but to spend some hours at the airport, then probably best to head to any of the huge windows over-looking the runways. Its always fun plane & people watching from here!

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