For the three hours between the end of my orientation and my flight out of Sydney, I really wanted to go up CentrePoint tower and get a look at the city from above, so I could compare it to what I saw from the Harbour Bridge. However, the weather didn’t agree with those plans—the day was drizzly with incredibly low-hanging clouds—but luckily, the free voucher I received from orientation could be used at the Sydney Aquarium as well, so to the Aquarium I went.

The Aquarium was surprisingly packed for a Monday morning, although I guess it was understandable since the majority of the children looked well below school age. The line to buy a ticket stretched nearly to the door, but I luckily got to bypass this, already having a voucher. All I had to do was walk up and get my hand stamped, indicating that I could come in and out for the rest of the day, and walk on in.

Some of the Aquarium was pretty typical—animals that you would see at most aquariums, like seals and catfish. However, there were plenty of Australian wildlife to see, including the platypus (platypi?) tank. There were a couple platypuses swimming frenetically around the tank, never staying more than a second anywhere. They really are bizarre creatures. I stood a while and watched; I was really happy to see it since it was the only Australian animal I had missed on my previous trips out.

There were plenty of interesting, less heard of Australian animals, like the Australian long-necked turtle and the Port Jackson shark, in the many aquariums following the platypuses. I also saw a lot of fluorescent coral and some jellyfish that glowed a really bright red. There was a whole section on the Great Barrier Reef at the end with more coral and reef wildlife, including plenty of Dorys and a couple (although not many) Nemos to keep the children screaming.

My favorite part of the Aquarium was the Oceanarium, where you literally walk through a huge tank full of ocean wildlife. You are surrounded on all sides, except the bottom, by the tank, which makes it pretty interesting when a 3m long shark is swimming above you! Definitely makes you happy that there is a large sheet of glass between you and those giant teeth. I spent a lot of time here, sitting on the railing and watching the different animals swim over and around me. Besides sharks, there were enormous string rays and sea turtles (just waiting to give you a high-5 and say "You have serious thrill issues, dude!). There was a smaller Reef Oceanarium later on, where you could see water below your feet as well, but wasn’t nearly up to the level of the original Oceanarium.

Overall, I thought this was a good way to pass the time, although I’m not sure if I would have paid the $27 to visit if I hadn’t had the voucher.

IF THE FALL DOESN'T KILL YOU, HE WILL

That sign is above the "Saltwater Crocodile" enclosure and shows a lovely Aussie sense of humour.

The fall itself is 20ft straight down into the jaws of a true monster. Australia has the biggest crocodiles in the world and the biggest of these live in the river strips/coastal territories of Queensland and the Northern Territory. The Aquarium had one such brute - a lethargic reptile over six foot long. He looked fearsome enough from ground level, but you could climb a set of steps and see him and his pool from above. Hence the warning to be careful. He looked quiet enough but no doubt he'd be as quick as a flash if someone fell in. And I noticed the walls were too high to climb out as well.

When you wander around the harbour you can treat yourself to at least one museum/attraction and I would pick this one above all. They do say if your trip doesn't include the Barrier Reef then this is a good alternative. Certainly a lot of expense has been ploughed into it and thought has been spent on how to incorporate it into the harbour. In fact, the water is so clean in the harbour that it is used naturally for some of the enclosures. Admittance is a steep $25 per person and you enter through an artificial sharks mouth.

First off is the wildlife of Australia's river system and I immediately failed to spot a platypus. I did, however, get to see what yabbies looked like (small blue crayfish) and the mud skippers were amusing with just their eyes peering out of the yuck. Next was where wharves had been converted into the aquarium and the sea lion pool was washed with fresh seawater constantly. You could walk around the pool or travel in a perspex tunnel and watch the sea mammals twist and spin underwater.

But best of all was the tropical section.

The corridors were pitch black making the lighting in the tanks more pronounced. One tank took my breathe away - it was stuffed to the brim with jellyfish. Red lighting lit them from underneath making their pulsating more ethereal and magical.. But the climax was The Great Barrier Reef Tank which was simply colossal. It was full of artificial reef life as well of shoals of hundreds of brightly coloured fish. The tank actually extended underneath the glass floor, and fish moved beneath your feet. It was rather unnerving to have a giant grouper glide above you, while a sawfish swims beneath you. A shoal of fish had taken the last 30 feet of tank as their own and were very close to the glass. The Aquarium provided classical music as you watched this tank. It was so enchanting it was like watching something out of "Fantasia"..

The Aquarium is open 9:30-10pm daily. The entrance fee is expensive (US$14 for student discount!!, full price is probably closer to US$20) but there are discount coupons in every tourist pamphlet I saw in the tourist office so grab a pamphlet from the tourist center in Darling Harbour before you go. I know the price is high for a family but I think its well worth it. There is a lot to see and the kids I saw walking around were MEZMERIZED by the place. So was I!!

If you can't get to the Great Barrier Reef while in Australia, definitely go to the Sydney Aquarium. You will get an approximate experience that is uniquely cool unto itself. Beyond regular aquarium displays of small fish tanks full of marine life the Sydney Aquarium offers three giant underground tanks: one for seals, one for sharks and stingrays, and one that recreates the reef environment. You get to walk through the tanks and watch sharks, seals, and fish swim above you and around you.

If you are not traveling with kids, you can go at night when things are calmer. It's open until 10pm every night (last ticket sold at 9pm). The seals may be asleep, but all the other tanks are full of life at night and prove to be eerier after dark. I think the Aquarium is a MUST-SEE when in Sydney.

The Sydney Aquarium is the best aquarium I have ever visited. While many aquariums now offer a walk-through tunnel, Sydney's offers three of these immersion exhibits. One takes you down with seals and sea lions. Another takes you through the coral reef. Probably the most popular surrounds you with sharks and rays.

For me, the highlight was the platypus exhibit. One of my must-dos for the trip was seeing a platypus, and I got to do this right inside the entrance to the aquarium. The exhibit was roomy and allowed these unique creatures to show their natural behaviors. In these ways and in visibility, it was superior to the small tank at Taronga Zoo.

Nemo has been a boon to the aquarium and is highly celebrated. Kids really enjoyed the anemone fish exhibit, and the gift shop carried tons of Nemo-inspired items.

The Sydney Aquarium is one of the finest aquariums I have visited. The displays are well laid-out and contain a good deal of information, which is well-written and interesting. There are three big exhibits: sharks, Great Barrier Reef, and seals. These are all well displayed, and the seal exhibit, for example, offers above-water and underwater viewing points, and the shark exhibit is a walk-through aquarium.

A typical aquarium visit lasts a few hours. The aquarium is open late (10pm) and is fun to visit at night. The crowds are also smaller at night. You can take the ferry to the aquarium, which is a lot of fun. Discount adult ferry/aquarium tickets are available at the ferry terminal at Circular Quay. There are also combo ticket packages available (Sky tower, aquarium, etc.), which would be worth looking into if you plan on visiting many places in Sydney.