Aki’s on Finger Wharf: One of the best Indian meals outside of India, this place is not to be missed! As good as Vij's in Vancouver! The menu is a mix of north and south traditional enough for the true Desi, but modern enough for first timers. Well adapted fusion menu encorporating local seafood. Try the calamari salad, chicken kebabs, okra, and dal. Yummy with a capital Y. The waiter could be dish himself :)

Australian Hotel: Historic hotel and pub in the Rocks serves up delicious pizza with crazy toppings such as emu, kangaroo, and tandoori chicken, all recommended with a different beer. The inside takes you back to the time when scruffy sailors and convicts came here after a hard day. It is quite a lunch favorite for locals and tourists wanting a leisurely outdoor lunch. The pizza itself had a thin and crispy crust highlighting the toppings above. Favorite toppings: Tandoori chicken with yogurt sauce (raita) and the grilled vegetables with goat cheese.

Doyle’s by the Beach: Casual seafood dining on Rose Harbor. Beautiful views of Sydney skyline. This place has been around forever and is popular with locals and tourists. Great for big groups and families.

Golden Century: Family Style Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. Open late. Don’t miss the green means in special sauce and the salt and pepper tofu.

Iceberg’s Dining Room & Bar, Bondi Beach: Perched above one of the oldest swimming clubs in Sydney, this chic eatery is all about location, location, location. Floor to ceiling windows and a wraparound balcony with outdoor seating open out to the best views of semi-circular Bondi beach and its hilltop homes. This is hottest table in Bondi. The place to see and been seen - (personally spotted Jerry Seinfeld on a power lunch with studio execs), so it’s really not about the food – which is just a hint above mediocre. The modern Mediterranean cuisine is served by snooty waiters with bow ties and rumpled white jackets. The innovative cocktails and salads are worth a try.

The décor is a palate of cool aqua blues and greens mirroring shades of the pacific outside. Mod light fixtures hover above in form of giant overlapping circles. Aluminum, steel, and colored plexi panels make for linear icy-cool furniture. One tip – Dress upscale casual lest you want indifferent service – fanny packs, coach bags, white sneakers are not welcome J Verdict: Not to be missed. Best for a lazy afternoon lunch. $$$$ but worth the view.

The Mix: Restaurant at the Shangri-La. Excellent breakfast and lunch buffet. Better than most places in Vegas, the buffet capital of the world, in terms of quality of food. Very geared towards asian food - chinese, japanese, and Indian. The Indian was especially good --- best Indian as part of a hotel buffet. The cappucinos were to die for.  

Sailor’s Thai: partly owned by David Thompson, award winning London restaurateur, of Naam fame, this two part eatery occupies the historic Sailor’s house on George Street overlooking Circular Quay. Casual dining is at the Canteen on the street level and downstairs is better for a lingering dining experience. Dominated by a communal table and open kitchen, the dimly lit but naturally airy canteen is ideal for lunch on a hot day. The food at $20 and up for an entree, though pricier than your average lunch at the neighborhood Thai takeout, is worth it (20$ up for an entrée). Favorites: Papaya salad with mini prawns and pork (ask for it on the side if you’re veggie); minced chicken with chili, kafir lime leaves, and basil run, and deep fried chicken with chili, lime, and ginger dipping sauce.

Zaffraan: traditional Indian fare on Darling Harbor. Touristy place with average food. Give this a miss and try Aki’s instead.

Other recommendations:

Tetsuya’s, Pier, Summit, Est, Quay, Longrain

Top Must Dos

Sydney Harbor Tour: Harbor tours are one of Sydney’s top attractions and a must do. You may not have a great view from your hotel room, and even if you do, taking a tour helps you get a lay of the land and see the prettiest parts of the city and its waterways from the comforts of a moving vessel. Tours run the gamut from relaxing to exhilarating and your experience can be as private or touristy as you wish – so chose carefully.

The Captain Cook Coffee Tour, departing at 10am and 2pm is a 2.5 hour tour of middle harbor. This is one of the most extensive tours through the multi-million dollar waterfront homes of the posh eastern suburbs. Though the 3 level vessels is a gigantic tourist magnet and the coffee/snacks suck, it is the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Drinks are served – just make sure you’re not hungry. It’s worth getting to the circular quay terminal 15-20 minutes prior to departure time, putting you front of line. Once on the vessel, head straight to the small, sparingly furnished balcony on the second level. The best spot on the boat is on that balcony on the left hand side facing the Museum of Contemporary Art as you head out.

Harbor Bridge Climb: After nine years of battling the state, an Aussie entrepreneur finally won the rights to a 20 year lease allowing people to ascend one of the busiest bridges in the world in the middle of rush hour traffic. Since 1998, over 2 million people have climbed up to the summit on the suspension arch of the bridge towering at a 134 meters above the Harbor.

The experience takes about 3 hours and is worth every penny of the $200 ticket. Groups of 12 leave every 15 minutes am to pm, in rain or shine. The mechanics of the climb from start to finish are incredible. You are equipped with shoes, socks, a one piece all weather suit, handkerchiefs, and hats, fleeces, rain jackets if needed. The suit has a key ring on each shoulder so you can clasp your sunglass lanyard (provided), hat, and headphones. Each person is equipped with a military quality headset to communicate with the leader. You also undergo a simulated climb before venturing on to the real thing. The most masterful piece of engineering is a metal ball with flexible grooves on the inside that makes for a harness. The ball slides through a wire lining the entire length of your journey on the bridge, but because the bridge curves in places, the wire varies in thickness. To accommodate this, the grooves on the inside adjust to slip through the various diameters. One end of the ball attaches to your waist by means of a thick plastic rope.

You enter through a tunnel and start off underneath the highway almost 35 meters off the ground on a really narrow walkway. You walk along the path for a good while, crossing the colossal blue granite pylons, and then climb through the heart of a bridge via an extremely steep and narrow three flight stairway. You emerge from underneath the highway to the ground level between two lanes with cars whizzing past. The third set of stairs puts you on the upper level of the suspension arch from which you climb to the summit.

Every bit of this experience is exhilarating. Climbing in your modern equipment, you begin to gain respect for the 1400 men who worked on this structure for 8 years in all weathers, most times without proper clothing and few safety precautions. The engineering buffs will discover nifty details, such as there are 6 million rivets on the bridge and not one has come loose in the 75 years since inauguration or that the bridge was built in two halves and joined together in the center. Also the journey puts you in awe of its visionary, Dr John Bradfield, the chief engineer who supervised all aspects of the design and construction.

Go early morning or late afternoon when the views are unbeatable. The afternoon sun makes the climb more strenuous but also the views maybe hazy.

Sightseeing Tour Bus: Starts at the Rocks by Circular Quay down George Street, Sydney’s busiest street with everything from malls, museums, banks, and restaurants. A left onto William Street to see some of the old pubs and then to College Street passed Hyde Park and the Australian Museum. Then ascend William St to Darlinghurst. A left at the gigantic Coke Sign and you’re onto Mclean Street and King Cross, now dominated by the city’s red light disctrict, and kebab houses, massage parlors, and Thai restaurants. Beyond the high-street of Mclean Street lie prime examples of Victorian homes, which were recently saved after a local preservation appeal. Passed the fancy homes, descend back to the water level and loop around to Woolloomoo bay and the finger wharf, which also risked demolition a few years ago. Now it is a complex of restaurants and high-end apartments. On from Finger Wharf to Macquarie Street past the consulates to the base of the opera house and botanical gardens. On from there to Surrey Hills, Chinatown, and the very touristy Darling Harbor. There, you’ve covered the city with 31 possible stops! Yes, the double-decker red bus screams tourist, but it is best way to make sure you see everything in 24-48 hours. Even if you don’t want to get off, it’s a nice 90 minute ride to get a sense of the city in a short time.

The Blue Mountain area is advertised as one of the 3-4 major attractions near Sydney. Some the other ones are Hunter Valley (wine country), drive to Wollongong (similar to PCH), and Royal National Park.

Situated only 60 miles from Sydney, but the single-lane highway for a good part of the trip combined with the traffic getting in and out of the city, make it a two hour drive. The entire area of the blue mountain is dotted with little towns – each with its high-street of cafes and newsstands, a mix of charming and seedy accommodations, and charming Victorian homes. Coming in from Sydney via the Great Western Highway you enter the region in Perinth, and if desire, could circle around in a giant loop dotted with rugged little towns forming the Grand Circular Drive.

The drive though country towns is, for the most part, unimpressive (if compared to French countryside). Gas stations, pop and pop retailers, diners, hotels, and such line the highway. One usually goes off down the main street of the town to get to the vista point overlooking the valley or waterfall, whatever the case.

The landscape, similar to Sedona or the Grand Canyon, is formed by a tableland torn apart to form a valley and some gorges. The big difference being that the Blue Mountains are covered with a green blanket of thick forest. They get their name from a permanently blue haze from the eucalyptus oil in the air. If you’ve experience the great American outdoors and are short of time, it is better to spend the extra time on one of the city’s beaches in downtown Sydney.

On the grand circular drive, the most popular towns (with the most sophisticated tourist attractions) are Leura and Katoomba located around 1000 meters above sea level. The former is the outback version of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Exact downhill slope flanked by boutiques and café on either side. The latter is where the famed Three Sisters are. Not to offend Aussie pride, but the three little conical mountains are dull compared to the vistas in Sedona and the Grand Canyon, but beautiful nonetheless. The main lookout, called Echo Point, into Jamison Valley is the kind of place that reminds you of how small we truly are, and how the world appeared to the ancient man many thousands of years ago. After viewing the Sisters, you can drive up to Scenic world, which is the mecca of tourist activity with railways and skyways. The railway, formerly used for mining, claims the steepest incline in the world and takes you down to the valley floor. If you have time, take a peek into the Jenolan Caves nearby.

For information on Blue Mountain, ask the hotel concierge for a copy of the Blue Mountain Wonderland Brochure or go to a tourist info center in Katoomba or Scenic World.

For a great meal in Katoomba, go to Echoes Boutique Resort and Restaurant, for a fancy early evening dinner or lunch. The views from the dining room of this historic 12 room hotel are pretty much the same as Echo Point. The hotel itself is worth a look - a beautiful Victorian mansion with sky high ceilings, gold and red oriental inspired wallpaper, and electric décor that mixes modern with traditional.

Verdict: Good if you haven’t experienced the outdoors in the US or New Zealand. Good for a day trip from Sydney or a few days depending on time. Plenty of outdoor activities and spas. Weather changes are constant, so take something warm even though Sydney maybe sweltering. I got stuck in a severe hailstorm that suddenly emerged from sunny skies just an hour ago.

Cairns, like Hawaii, can be very commercial with its yellow arches and Kmart superstores, but flanked on either side by mountains the ocean it does have that lazy island feel. Tropical flora - palms, ferns, banana, temple lily - in the foreground with sugar plantations stretching to the base of the hills somehow subdue the effects of hasty construction.

Cairns is ideal for transit to one of the reef islands but also good for 3-4 days to explore the area's various habitats.

Where to Stay

What to eat:

For fish and chips that the local favor, try Sheridan Gourmet Seafood or Captain Cook Fish and Chips, next to one another on Sheridan Street. Here you’ll get amazing burgers, sea food baskets full of calamari, fish, scallops, mussels, and the works. You can choose your fish and either get it battered or crumbled over heaps of fries and a variety of sauces. The ambience isn't worth a mention but the food is delish! Try the crumbed pineapple as a side. $

Award-winning ThaFish on the Marina next to Shangri-La’s Tides is great for seafood. The entire menu revolves around – yes fish and seafood, served in styles from all over the world – thai to English. Try the fish cakes with spicy sauce, fish crumbed with coconut sauce, and prawns in shallots with rice and papadum. $$$

Tides has a great spread for breakfast and Ba8 has fantastic bar food. Both at the Shangri-La.

What to do:

Day trip to the Reef: Ocean Freedom takes small groups (25-30) on a spacious and well maintained bi-level 20 M luxury cruiser. Leaving at 8:00 am from Cairns Marina, they are the first one to get to the Outer Edge of the Upolu Reef, one of the better spots for sightings. You’ll reach the first destination in just over two hours and see the waters miraculously turn a tempting aquamarine blue vs. the more sinister indigo around the harbor. Snorkel or dive until lunch time at your leisure and come back to a decent smorgasbord lunch. $90 scuba lessons with a personal instructor are available for first timers. This is truly a great mini-dive experience if you haven’t done it before. The instructors are amazing and will literally hold your hand throughout the ½ hour in the water. They are so exceptional, that by your second $40 dive, you may feel brave enough to go hands free with the instructor by your side. You’ll go down to about 9 m to the floor, lift a few sea cucumbers with your bare hands, and spot at least 50 different varieties of marine life from fairly large to miniscule, and feel a part of God’s most prized aquarium. After lunch, relax on one of the multiple decks, while whizzing off to the next destination – a tiny white sand island which emerges everyday for a few hours during low-tide. It’s a beautiful and unbelievable sight; a small patch of cream surrounded by progressively darker blues. You’ll be transported the island via a small motorboat and then snorkel back to the big boat. The most amazing thing in this half of the trip is seeing how the ocean shelf develops. At first you’re in less than 6 feet of sand, swimming amongst the fish, and by the time you reach the boat the bed is at about 30 m. Enjoy the beautiful ride back home while munching on an assortment of deliciously fresh fruit, cheeses, crackers, and pastries. You’ll be back in Cairns at 4:30.

Verdict: exceptionally attentive staff, great for mini-scuba/dive experience, good spot on the outer reef, young crowd, lots of above average food, spacious and clean boat! Mostly attracts Americans and Europeans under 30. This is a company that’s not just in it for the money – their people love what they do and it shows! Try and get Hailey, Lee, Jason or Beck. Local Booking 40514066/ www.oceanfree.com.au

Wilderness Eco Safari with Steve Watt: if you like to travel in a small group with a highly passionate and knowledgeable guide, then pick this for a tour of the rainforest. You’ll travel with Steve, in one of his Toyota 4WDs (for the best views, try and get the front seat if you’re traveling solo). A passionate travel manager turned nature freak, he talks non-stop from 8-5pm from everything about ecosystem and all that makes it to the Australian version of Lassie. You’ll pass through sugarcane plantations at the base, before ascending through the semi-dry bush (type of vegetation) which suddenly turns to a lush rainforest. At the top is an agrarian tableland where you’ll stop lousy breakfast of muffins and coffee. See a few giant stranger figs and cedars before heading onto some thicker rainforest. Steve will point out hundreds of different plants and animals the course of several intermittent walking tours. See the planet’s first plants dating to over 300 million years, along with giant Iranian ferns, red cedars, stinging trees, silver pines, black bean trees and more. Have a smorgasbord lunch on lake in a pine plantation before heading of further into the rainforest. Steve will take you where no other tour company is allowed – and truly we didn’t see any tourists after lunch. All the while telling you stories of the forests – some scary ones too. Leaving the thick jungle at about 4000 feet, start descending on the other side again encountering the bush. Once on flat land, you’re sort of in the outback with temperatures soaring to about 10 C hotter just minutes after leaving the tropical canopy. See massive termite nests in martian forms, lizards, and kangaroos. leaving the outback brings you to the farming community known as Mareeba that grows mangoes, citrus, melons, and most regular veggies. Stop at a farm from some produce before heading back into cairns via a different route.

Verdict: small group of 7-12; extremely knowledgeable guide; great for seeing how th

Sailing to the Low Isles: this is recommended only if you haven’t sailed before or you cannot engage in activities like snorkeling or diving. Sailaway is brand new boat but the owners are just interested in recovering the cost. They booked 35 people on a boat meant for 10. Not to be discriminatory, but most of them had silver hair. While a company cannot chose its client based on age they can tailor the words to attract a certain demographic. anyways, nobody wants to be stuck on a boat -- its the worst feeling. the sail itself to the low isles is nice. The snorkeling sucked. you're lucky if you see two fish. Lunch was nice but expected for the price. Go with another company if you're there for what's underneath the ocean not for what's over it.