Playground for all ages

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SYDNEY

Stimulating, scintillating activities to inspire and excite the young

Mei Lin

traveller@newstoday.com.sg

BESIDES the urbane sophisticates it draws, Sydney, the glam cosmopolitan city in Australia, is also a gigantic playground for school-going travellers. Festooned with attractions, it has become a magnet for families with children and even children on school excursions.

Settle in

A good place to get them in the right mood for play is the Swissotel Kids Room, which is specially set up for children below the age of 10.

Connected to the parents' room, the kids' universe is dolled up with colourful bed linen, cuddly toys, wall posters and drawing tables. It also has kiddie confectionery in the mini bar fridge, special menus and a mini play area. The bathroom comes with footstools, toiletries and bath toys.

Swissotel is situated above Myers Department Store adjacent to the Pitt Street Mall, so sightseeing is easy on foot or via public transport.

Start your engines

Oz Jetboating

Introducing young children to this bustling city is best done on a Sydney Harbour cruise. A boat ride around the harbour with its landmark attractions never fails to thrill them.

Older children will probably prefer a wind-whipping trip on a powerful jetboat. Get off at Luna Park, a retro amusement park featuring old-fashioned rides such as the Ferris Wheel and exhilarating rides such as the Ranger, Flying Saucer and Spider.

Wake up to a safari

Alternatively, stop at Taronga Zoo, whose latest resident, Luk Chai, made headlines for being the first Australian-born elephant in July this year.

Darling Harbour

For a nocturnal adventure, the zoo's Roar and Snore Programme lets you sleep over in purpose-built safari tents overlooking the Harbour. Imagine waking up to the roar of a lion or the trumpet of an elephant - all from a safe distance, of course! You will also be the first to greet the animals before the rest of the crowd is admitted.

For close encounters with local creatures in a natural bush garden and red earth setting right in the heart of the city, the Sydney Wildlife World at Darling Harbour is a convenient stop.

Capture more than 100 species of animals in some 65 different habitats. If you are lucky, you might even get to caress a newly-hatched emu or pat a koala.

Then saunter over to the Sydney Aquarium next door, home to more than 11,000 Australian marine creatures spanning 650 species. Check out the Dugongs in the Mermaid Lagoon - legend has it that the graceful mermaid descended from these gigantic sea mammals.

Next, hop aboard the Shark Explorer glass-bottom boat on Australia's largest Great Barrier Reef Oceanarium and join in the feeding of reef sharks. You can also communicate with divers in the Oceanarium through the latest technology.

Sydney Aquarium Reef Theatre

Science for fun

While still in the Darling Harbour vicinity, pop into the IMAX Theatre, which houses the world's largest cinema screen (29.42 metres high, 35.73 metres wide) for a screening.

Getting to Darling Harbour aboard a Metro Light Rail or Monorail from various points in the city is a delightful family activity. While at the harbour, the People Mover Train is another fun scenic ride for families to get around the large precinct. Shopping options are plentiful with clothing, games and toys from W.A Jacobs Toymaker to titillate little ones.

On the edge of Chinatown lies the Powerhouse Museum, which explores history, science and design. With over 385,000 objects displayed in 22 exhibitions and 250 interactives, there is never a dull moment. From steam engine and horse drawn carriages to ancient archaeological finds and modern scientific discoveries, the Powerhouse has just the right amount of stimuli to arouse young minds.

Step on clouds

Swissotel Sydney Kids Room

Take in a 360-degree bird's eye view of the city from 250m high in the air at the Observation Deck of Sydney Tower, just a few metres higher than Singapore' Swissotel.

For a totally enlivening experience, go for a "Sky Walk" over Sydney. In this breathtaking 45-minute activity, participants step on a glass platform while clad in safety suits to catch awesome views of the famous Sydney beaches to as far as the rustic Blue Mountains. For those 10 years old and above only.

Not brave enough? Embark on a no less mind-blowing adventure but in the confines of a theatre. The brilliantly-designed simulated ride "OzTrek" takes you on an intense virtual adventure across dynamic landscapes where Australian history, culture and geography come to life with special 3D holographic technology - "experience" white water rafting or be "swallowed" by a crocodile!

Boasting inspiring views of the Harbour, the 30-hectare Royal Botanic Gardens is a bountiful showcase of diverse flora spanning aboriginal, begonias, bush, ferns, roses, rare plants, pines, herbs, desert, native plants and more.

Chance upon flying foxes, native birds, ducks, possums, lizards and other animals and insects. If not for anything, the Gardens is simply a very relaxing and pleasant vista for families with young children to roam and be in tune with botanical nature - a perfect opportunity for bonding.

From TODAY, Traveller – Thursday, 17-Sep-2009

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Wonders of Nature

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Among them: The Grand Canyon, The Matterhorn and the Great Barrier Reef

GENEVA - The Grand Canyon, the Matterhorn and the Great Barrier Reef are competing with 25 other spectacular natural landmarks in the final phase of the global poll to choose the "New 7 Wonders of Nature".

The New 7 Wonders organisation, led by Swiss adventurer Bernard Weber, released its list of finalists on Tuesday. Among them are the Amazon rainforest, the Dead Sea and Ecuador's Galapagos islands.

People can vote by Internet or phone. The winners will be announced in 2011 and share in the glory already enjoyed by the seven man-made wonders chosen two years ago.

Over 1 billion people are expected to vote. Mr Weber said he was happy the nominees included places that lie in more than one country, such as the Dead Sea or the Amazon rainforest, which makes people work together across borders.

Africa, where most people vote by mobile phones, has had the biggest increase in votes over the last few weeks, said Mr Weber.

No Wonder: Niagara Falls will not be among the wonders due to cost concerns.
AP

Niagara Falls will not be among the wonders because United States tourism officials have worries their cash-strapped community might have to pay for costly promotional activities.

Finalists are picked depending on geographical balance, diversity and the importance to human life.

Around 100 million people voted in the selection of the seven man-made wonders in 2007. The winners included the Colosseum, the Great Wall, the Taj Mahal, Petra in Jordan, Christ the Redeemer Statue in Brazil, Machu Picchu and the Pyramid at Chichen Itza, Mexico.

Choosing world wonders has been a continuing fascination, with Unesco constantly updating its list of World Heritage Sites, which now totals 890 places. AGENCIES

From TODAY, World – Thursday, 23-Jul-2009

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