Chasing Dolphins at Port Stephens, Sydney

Sydney . 2013 . May 22

This post is part of our Sydney 7 days 6 nights Trip Itinerary and Report. Do check out the full itinerary and our reviews here.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come out and have a look at the dolphins?  There are plenty of them around”.

Bottlenose Dolphins (Credits: http://true-wildlife.blogspot.sg/2011/02/bottlenose-dolphin.html)

I peered up from my vomit bag to look at Tommy as another wave of nausea washed over me.  Silently, I berated myself for ignoring the rational side of me which warned me not to come for this dolphin-watching cruise. Extremely prone to sea-sickness, I had a most uncomfortable experience at a whale watching cruise at Gold Coast, Australia last August.  But as always, the enthusiastic and irrational part of me took over my brain while planning for our Sydney getaway.

“It will be ok!”
“The water will be calm!”
“The whale watching cruise at Juneau, Alaska was fine!” I told myself. 

Excuses, that’s what they all were.  Overwhelmed by the prospect of seeing bottlenose dolphins in their natural environment, it did not occur to me that the rough Australian waters were always too much for my weak stomach to bear.

The day started out fine enough.  The Grayline Port Stephens Dolphin Watcher Cruise that we booked through Grayline picked us up at the Mercure Sydney in the morning, whisking us to the surf beach resort of Terrigal, where we had a morning tea break.  En route, we had a glimpse of the magnificent Sydney Harbour Bridge for the first time, passed through the North Shore suburbs and crossed the Hawkesbury River, renowned for its oysters.

Leaving Sydney City for Port Stephens.

Crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Crossing the Hawksbury River.

The resort town of Terrigal where we had a refreshing morning break.

After leaving Terrigal, we followed the Pacific Coastline towards Williamtown Air Force Base where we had a lunch break at Murray’s.

Food here was expensive and frankly tasteless, and we regretted not making the effort to prepare our own picnic lunch.  Well, if I had known that my expensive lunch was going to end up in the vomit bag, I might have decided not to eat at all.

 We eventually settled for a pot pie to share.

The surrounding area around Murray's.

Port Stephens - A Place of Natural Beauty

Situated at a 2.5 hours drive from Sydney City, Port Stephens offers a breathtaking view of the natural beauty of unspoiled sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and blue skies.  Home to a population of about 80 wild bottlenose dolphins, the gem of Port Stephens is actually Nelson Bay where the daily Dolphin explorer cruises depart from.

On board the Dolphin Explorer cruiser, I was proud to be the only one on board to spot a pair of dolphins frolicking at the water surface before diving into depths beyond our visibility.  That moment of euphoria did not last long and at that point, I did not know that those would be the only dolphins I see for the entire cruise.

As soon as the cruiser leaves the bay and begins its journey to the outlying islands where bottlenose dolphins were known to play at, the seasickness began to play up, leaving me feeling crippled and trapping me in the inner cabins of the cruiser where it is most stable.  Popping the seasickness pills that I kept close to me did not help at all, since they needed to be taken at least an hour before hitting the water.

Tommy and the rest of the cruise had a most enjoyable time exploring the 360 degrees outdoor deck of the cruiser, watching the dolphins play near the shore.   After a most uncomfortable hour chasing the dolphins, the captain turned the ship around to Port Stephens.  On the return journey, Tommy pointed out a live video footage from our cruiser’s underwater videocam.  It showed dolphins swimming underwater around our ship, a perpetually grin on its face.  At least I got to see some dolphins in action!

Peering around the cabin, I found another lady in a similar situation as mine and passed my pills around to another in need.  Well, I didn’t see much of dolphins, but at least I made a new friend. And the next time I take a cruise, I’ll be sure to pop those seasickness pills at the prescribed time and dosage.

How to Get to Port Stephens

To get to Port Stephens, you may want to refer to the Port Stephens website for more information.


By Car: Check out the driving directions from Sydney to Port Stephens.

By Bus: Check out the bus routes.

Day tours from Sydney City to Port Stephen

Many tour operators offer day tours to Port Stephens.   Some of them, like the one we took include a trip to the sand dunes as well. Do check out the options provided by the various operators below.

Grayline - Port Stephens Dolphin Watcher
Imagine Cruises - Port Stephens Day Trip
Sydney Day Tours Australia - Port Stephens Dolphin Watch
Beautiful Tours Australia - Port Stephens Dolphin Watch

Do stay tuned as we bring you our review of the sand dunes in the second part of the tour!

This post is part of our Sydney 7 days 6 nights Trip Itinerary and Report. Do check out the full itinerary and our reviews here.

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Paddy’s Markets, Sydney

Sydney . 2013 . May 23

This post is part of our Sydney 7 days 6 nights Trip Itinerary and Report. Do check out the full itinerary and our reviews here.

Sydney’s Paddy’s Markets at Haymarket is located just beside Chinatown’s main street Dixon Street, on the ground floor of the Market City Building.  Paddy’s Markets is one of Sydney’s largest markets with a wide variety of goods ranging from fresh produce to souvenirs and cheap imported clothing and accessories.

Paddy’s Markets is a great place to get cheap souvenirs, clothes, imitation bags and gifts.  You’ll get lost in the rows and rows of shops all selling similar stuff.   In a way, this is similar to the Pasar Malam (or literally night market) we have in Singapore, but in an enclosed and air-conditioned place.  As Paddy’s Market is popular with the tourists, remember to bargain with the storeowner to avoid getting ripped off.   Nevertheless, it is an excellent one-stop centre to get all the souvenirs you need.

In addition to Paddy’s Market at its ground floor, levels 1 to 3 of Market City Building houses a supermarket, food court, restaurant, cafes and specialty shops.  There are also established brand names such as Esprit, Cotton On, and Giordano where we found great bargains.  It is excellent for those who prefer a good bargain without compromising on quality.

How to Get to Paddy’s Markets Sydney

By train: Catch the train to Town Hall or Central Stations. If you are staying like us at Mercure Sydney near Central Station, it's only a five minute walk to Paddy's!

By bus: The Sydney Explorer stops right outside the door.

By LightRail: Alight at Haymarket, right at the door of Paddy's.

By car: Parking is available in Wilson Parking Station off Quay Street and in the Entertainment Centre

Before you go, you might want to take a virtual tour of Paddy's Markets here.

Paddy’s Markets Sydney
Corner Hay Street and Thomas Street,
Sydney NSW 2129,
Australia

Opening Hours
Wednesday to Sunday, 9 – 5pm.
Closed on Monday and Tuesday.


This post is part of our Sydney 7 days 6 nights Trip Itinerary and Report. Do check out the full itinerary and our reviews here.

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Restaurant Review: Satang Thai Exclusive, Sydney

Sydney . 2013 . May 24

This post is part of our Sydney 7 days 6 nights Trip Itinerary and Report. Do check out the full itinerary and our reviews here.

I am a great lover of Thai food and cannot resist going into a Thai Restaurant when I see one, even when we are at faraway Blue Mountains in Sydney.  What caught my attention this time round and brought me to the popular Satang Thai Exclusive was actually the Satang Thai Takeaway Restaurant. 

We passed by this takeaway station two nights in a row on our way back to the Mercure Sydney from dinner at the Menya Noodle Bar and the Chinese Noodle Restaurant.   On both nights, this takeaway station was bustling with long queues and satisfied looking customers.   We reckoned that such good business must mean good Thai food, so we popped into the Satang Thai Exclusive located just opposite the road from the takeaway station to give it a try.

For the record, the Satang Thai Exclusive was just as packed as the takeout station during meal times, with long queues outside the restaurant.   To circumvent that, we arranged for a really early dinner at 4.30pm to beat the crowd!

Thai Tom Yum Soup is the must-try at any Thai Restaurant you walk into.  It is like an indicator of the authenticity of the Thai food they serve there.  For me, it is also because Tom Yum Soup is one of my favourite dishes.

This one doesn’t disappoint.  Just like the version we had at Gasiinsamut Thai Fusion Restaurant at the Blue Mountains, this bowl of Tom Yum Soup had some cream added into it.  Despite this, the sharp taste of spices is still prevalent and the serving is packed full of ingredients.   At AUD$7.90, this one is a steal.

Chicken and Corn Fritter (AUD $7.90).  Something special and unique which we had never encountered before - chicken fried with corn.  This is an unforgettable dish done to perfection. 

Thai Fried Rice (AUD $9.90).  Another great dish, we actually get to choose the meat to be included (chicken, beef, pork, tofu, prawn, calamari or seafood) with the fried rice.  This is a little too oily to our liking, but as with the Tom Yum soup, it is packed with ingredients and big enough to serve two.

Total Bill

Total bill for two of us was AUD $25.70 after taxes.  It is pretty affordable for a restaurant setting.  Only upon further research did we realize that we were actually paying the prices for the lunch menu.  Not too bad for an early dinner!  However, do take note that prices are higher for the dinner menu.

Verdict:  This is one of those places where the long queues outside the restaurant are fully justified.  Satang Thai Exclusive serves excellent food in a clean and tastefully done up restaurant, topped with good service.  A must try if you are in the Haymarket or Chinatown area in Sydney.  

Check out the Satang Thai Exclusive Facebook page for more details on the menu and opening hours.

Satang Thai Exclusive
203-204/107-121 Quay Street,
Haymarket,
Sydney,
Australia 2000 


This post is part of our Sydney 7 days 6 nights Trip Itinerary and Report. Do check out the full itinerary and our reviews here.

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Restaurant Review – Old Vienna Coffee House, Queen Victoria Building, Sydney

Sydney . 2013 . May 23

This post is part of our Sydney 7 days 6 nights Trip Itinerary and Report. Do check out the full itinerary and our reviews here.

In its golden age, Vienna, the capital of the large Austrian empire, was famous for its coffee houses that were frequently the meeting place for professional and intellectual classes from every corner of the empire. Old Vienna Coffee House in Sydney continues the custom within the elegant and inspiring atmosphere of the heritage listed Queen Victoria Building (a shopping mall nowadays!).

There is a nice and romantic setting within the café itself, but we chose to sit outside, just next to the railings for some people-watching and great views of the interior design of the Queen Victoria Building. 

Prices are a little on the high side, but given that this is Queen Victoria Building, the other dining options are equally or more expensive.

Raisin Toast which comes with choice of Cappuccino, Long Black, Espresso and Macchiato at AUD $10.50.  This is about the cheapest set meal we could find in the menu.  Although the toast did taste above average, we were slightly disappointed with the serving size and its sloppy presentation for a dish of that price.

 Carbonara at AUD $24.  Once again, this is pretty steep for a dish of such presentation and serving size.  It’s not the best carbonara either, but it’ll do for a hungry person.

The only saving grace was its coffee, but you could hardly go wrong with coffee in Australia.

Verdict:  Nice ambience but average food.  It has a great atmosphere for some afternoon tea and finger food.  Otherwise, its main dishes are average and comes with somewhat elevated prices.

This post is part of our Sydney 7 days 6 nights Trip Itinerary and Report. Do check out the full itinerary and our reviews here.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. To receive notifications on updates, subscribe to our blog via RSS feed and email.

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