On the third day of our trip to Australia, and it was our last day in Sydney. We had planned to visit one of the most beautiful and renowned zoos in Australia, Taronga Zoo, which is also an important landmark in the city of Sydney. We visited the zoo from morning until afternoon, and in the evening, we headed back to the city to explore Chinatown and indulge in some delicious food.

Before we arrived, we had already purchased tickets for Taronga Zoo online, using this link.
https://taronga.org.au/taronga-zoo/hours-rates/hours-and-rates

The advantage of buying tickets online is that we didn’t have to risk long queues on the day of our visit, and the price was cheaper than buying at the entrance of the small zoo (we saved about 4.70 AUD per person for a one-day ticket). Another benefit of buying a one-day ticket online is that it’s valid for six months from the date of purchase, so we could use it on any day within that six-month period (but only for one entry, not for multiple entries). After paying for the tickets online, we received them via email. All we had to do was print them out and present them to the staff for barcode scanning at the entrance (or show the tickets on our phone screen, no need to print). It was a smooth process.

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Sample of online ticket of Taronga Zoo

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Today, we woke up at 7.30AM, took a shower, and got dressed to head out to Circular Quay (Opera House) ferry terminal to cross the harbor. It was only 500 meters away from our hotel, and we felt like we could come here every day during our stay in Sydney. We arrived at the ferry terminal around 10 o’clock and checked which wharf our ferry to Taronga Zoo was departing from and its scheduled time. Today, our ferry left from wharf number 4 at 10.20AM. Boarding the ferry here was just as easy as using the OPAL card, which allows for travel throughout Sydney!

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The view of Sydney Harbour Bridge from the ferry

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The ferry ride took about 15 minutes to reach Taronga Zoo Wharf, which was located at the lower part of the zoo and not the main entrance. We had to take the cable car up to the main entrance (called the Sky Safari) first. The cable car service was free, and even though the line was long, it moved very quickly since each car could accommodate up to 6 people. We shared a cable car with an Iranian family of 4. As the cable car moved up and down through the zoo, we passed by the elephant area where the family made some excited noises upon seeing the elephants. Maybe they don’t see them very often at home, but for us, we’ve seen elephants many times before so it wasn’t as thrilling.

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After we got off the cable car, it took about five minutes to get up to the main entrance. There was a coffee shop in front of the entrance, so we decided to have breakfast there. I noticed that the prices of the food here were cheaper than in the city. For example, a cup of coffee cost 4 AUD, while in the city, it cost 6 AUD. Perhaps it’s because this location is outside the city in a non-CBD area, so prices are cheaper (just my guess). However, we had to watch out for the birds that would come to steal food from our table or even stand right next to us and beg for food like cats and dogs. 🙂

After we had filled our stomachs, we were ready to explore. We started by walking to the main entrance and picking up a free map. Then, we scanned the online tickets that we had bought. The staff pumped a stamp on our wristbands as a symbol, and we could enter and exit as many times as we wanted in one day. We only needed to show our stamped wristbands. The zoo here is not too big or too small, so we could comfortably stroll around without getting tired. Plus, the weather was not hot during this time, around 15 degrees Celsius.

 

The map of Taronga Zoo

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After entering the zoo, we unfolded the map and headed straight to the nearest point, which was the “Australian Walkabout.” It was a zone that showcased unique Australian animals that could only be found in Australia, such as the famous emu, kangaroo, wallaby (which we called “little kangaroo”), and koala. Additionally, this zone had a dark room where Australian nocturnal animals were on display (photography was not allowed, as it would startle the animals). We saw kangaroos and koalas up close for the first time here. They mostly just rested, but the wallabies loved to run around and play. We took pictures and had a blast

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After spending almost an hour taking pictures in the Australian Walkabout zone, we continued our exploration in the “Kids Trail” zone. This area is home to small and friendly animals, making it perfect for children to get up close and personal with them. We noticed that many of the animals here were familiar to the kids, as they often appear in storybooks, such as rabbits, horses, alpacas, chickens, and ducks. We had a great time observing and interacting with these cute animals.

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We didn’t spend much time in this area because we felt familiar with those animals. The highlight of the zone was just the cute of small animals. We spent about half an hour there before continuing on to another zone called the “Rain-forest Trail“. This zone showcased animals from the tropical region, with the star attraction being the “Thai elephant” which was a must-see for tourists.

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This zone wasn’t particularly large, and we didn’t spend more than 20 minutes there. Afterward, we walked on to the adjacent small zone called “Aquatic Zone,” which was home to cute otters, seals, penguins, and other marine creatures. This zone also had a scheduled show featuring the seals, which we could check the timing on the map given at the entrance of the zoo.

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As we strolled through Taronga Zoo, we made sure to stop by the Marine Zone, where we spotted dugongs and penguins and were delighted by a mesmerizing marine animal show. Moving on to the Aquarium Zone, we found it to be the smallest section of the zoo and soon hunger pangs set in. We decided to grab a bite to eat in Chinatown. Although we knew there was much more to explore in the zoo, we were content with what we had seen, having only limited time. We concluded our visit by taking a leisurely walk down the hill and hopping on a boat to Circular Quay, a quick 10-minute jaunt away. We bid a fond farewell to the charming Taronga Zoo and looked forward to our next destination.

After we crossed over to Circular Quay, we took the train to Town Hall station. Our intention was to go to the KFC restaurant (this is my personal preference, wherever I go, I want to try KFC in every country I visit and compare the taste 😛 ). The KFC restaurant was located near the exit of the Town Hall station.

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After we had finished our meal, we walked for about 700 meters to “China Town,” which is a hub for Asian shops and food. Nearby, there is Thai Town, a shopping area for Thai people with many Thai products and food for sale. Next is Korea Town, a district for Korean products. If anyone comes to Sydney and wants to find Asian products or food, they can come to this area where there is an abundance of options. We can guarantee that it won’t disappoint you.

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We walked around and looked for something to eat for dinner 🙂 and ended up at Market City, a shopping mall with a vast selection of Thai, Chinese, Korean, or Japanese food. We noticed that the prices of products and food in Chinatown were cheaper than in the CBD area, so it was a great place to find inexpensive food.

After we had walked and played around until we were exhausted and had grabbed some dinner, the sun had just set and the sky was dark. We headed back to the hotel to deal with our luggage and get ready because we had to wake up at five in the morning and check out to catch our flight at 8.30AM to Melbourne, the most livable city in the world for seven consecutive years.

After spending three days in Sydney, we can say that it was well worth our time and met our expectations. We saw and did everything we had hoped for, making it a relaxing and enjoyable trip. It was a great opportunity for us to capture the atmosphere and experience of a foreign land through our own planning. Our journey gave us a sense of achievement and elevated our travel experience to the next level. We now know that there is still so much to discover in this world and that Sydney is a city worth visiting at least once in a lifetime.

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Written By : SHIPY SIWARIT TIASUWATTISETH
https://www.facebook.com/shipyshipdotcom