Sydney/City South

The district has some of the cheapest hotels in the city, and is full of good value restaurants, Internet cafes, pubs, markets, and discount shopping. The area also stays open relatively late compared to the rest of Sydney, which makes it a good place to find a late supper.
Sydney's current Chinatown moved to the Haymarket area in the 1920s, and its official status was recognised in 1980 when the community raised funds to erect the traditional archways found at both ends of the pedestrianised Dixon Street. While it is the biggest Chinatown in Australia, the original enclave is noticeably small due to limited immigration during the White Australia Policy era, and has rapidly grown outwards past the old boundaries because of booming immigration from Hong Kong in the 1980s/90s and now China in the 2000s. Nowadays Haymarket is no longer the main Chinese-majority neighbourhood, with satellite Chinatowns popping up in Ashfield, Eastwood, Hurstville, and Chatswood among others.
Other small immigrant communities have also emerged around the area, from the Spanish Quarter on Liverpool Street, to Thai Town on Campbell Street and Korea Town centred around Pitt Street and Liverpool Street.

Walk

• From Darling Harbour Chinatown is on the southernmost edge. Walk past Tumbalong Park and the Entertainment center. About 20 minutes from Harbourside.
• From Town Hall walk south on George Street.

By train

Take the train to Central or Town Hall stations. Walk north (towards the harbour/city) along George St from Central, or south (away from the harbour/city) along George St from Town Hall. Turn onto Hay St for Chinatown.

By light rail

The light rail stops at Haymarket. It's a good option if you are coming from Pyrmont or the Star, but from the City or Darling Harbour it is probably just as quick to walk.

By bus

No buses running along George Street as road works for light rail during 2017

• Buses running from Railway Square north to the City all stop along George St. Get off near Hay St.
• Some buses running south from the city up George St stop along George St adjacent to Haymarket. Not all George St buses take this route. Check the details on the stop and check with the driver. You will want to press the button to get off when you see World Square on the left. George St buses leave from Stand C at Circular Quay.

By car

Some streets in the Haymarket area gets extremely congested on weekends and at peak hour. One wrong turn at these times can add 15 minutes to your journey. However, there is plenty of parking in and around the area. Parking in Darling Harbour. Parking is around $25 a day in Market City. Look for $15 all day deals on weekends in some of the lots around the south of the area.

Walking is the best way to explore the crowded streets of Chinatown. Be sure to watch out for traffic and the light rail.

• Central StationWhile you can't compare it to New York's Grand Central Station, this Sydney landmark is the busiest and largest station in Australia. The building facade, clock tower and main concourse are the highlights of this station. If you are travelling around on public transport, odds are you may come along the station as it is a major interchange for trains, busses and light rail.

• Chinatown

  address: Dixon St and surrounds
  Starts in front of the markets on Hay St and runs just over two blocks to Goulburn St in the north. Dixon St is a malled pedestrian area and closed to traffic. It is decorated in traditional Chinese style and is home to many shops and restaurants. Be sure to explore the surrounding streets for the full experience of Chinatown.

• Powerhouse Museum

  phone: +61 2 9217 0111
  address: 500 Harris Street, Ultimo
  The Powerhouse Museum is a large museum, essentially of popular culture. It has displays on the history of fashion and transport, decorative arts, music, and space exploration exhibits. It also partly plays on a sci-tech theme, with interactive hands-on and discovery displays of technology, design and industry There is usually a special exhibition on as well. There are in-depth displays for all ages, but also displays especially created for young children to discover and play.
• Ignatzschatz

  White Rabbit Gallery

  phone: +61 2 8399 2867
  address: 30 Balfour St
  An Australian gallery dedicated to showing contemporary Chinese art, and claims to have one of the largest collections of it in the world. The teahouse serves an excellent selection of exotic teas along with dumplings and scones. The gallery is often closed in February and August to prepare new installations.

• The Goods Line and The Dr Chau Chak Wing BuildingThe Goods Line is a modern horizontal urban parkland similar to the 'High Line' in New York. The space occupies an unused section of a historic freight line that connected the ports near Darling Harbour to the main railway lines near Central Station. At the park you will find many skaters practicing their tricks and also students from the nearby University of Technology, Sydney. Next to the park is Frank Gehry designed Dr Chau Chak Wing Building which is famous for resembling a scrunched up brown paper bag.

Stroll around the district exploring the colourful Chinese meets Australian culture. If in the mood to play, head to the upper floor of Capitol Square (adjacent to Capitol Theatre) to play an extensive set of Asian arcade games.

Shows

• Capitol Theatre

  phone: +61 2 9320-5000
  address: 13 Campbell St, Haymarket
  Housed in a 1920s historical building and host to many theatrical productions, from plays to ballet to musicals like Wicked and Mary Poppins when they come to Sydney.

Events

• Chinese New Year FestivalThe biggest holiday in the East Asian community, it is celebrated with lion dances, fire crackers and dragon boating in the nearby Darling Harbour. The highlight of the festival is the Chinese New Year Twilight Parade, where floats constructed by the local Chinese, Korean and Viet populations travel down George Street.

Chinatown is particularly famous for its Chinese stores, mainly in Dixon Street and Sussex Street, selling imported clothing and homewares, Chinese herbs, and exotic foodstuffs such as pressed duck, Asian greens and dried mushrooms.

Markets

• Brewery Yard Markets

  address: 28 Broadway
  A small market set on the green adjacent to Central Park shopping centre. This market specialises in street art, crafts, jewelry and clothing with smatterings of food stalls and live music throughout.

• Chinatown Night MarketsAn open air night market is set up in Dixon Street, selling Asian cuisine, jewellery, clothing, socks, lights, scented candles, sweets and many arts and crafts products. A pale shadow of the markets it is inspired by, but still enjoyable nonetheless.

• Paddy's MarketsA famous, large market place in the Haymarket. Lots of clothing, sunglasses, souvenirs, and food. Probably not too many bargains to be had, however. Closest station is Central. Closest bus stop is corner of George and Hay. Light rail stops just outside the door. Parking in Market City.

Shopping centres

• Capitol Square

  address: 730-742 George St
  A small mall that is best known for Technocity, a maze of over 20 retail stores that focus on electronics; a great option if the Sony store looks a little out of your price range. Many get most of their sales from web front ends or eBay, but it is a very competitive environment to buy computers and electronics. You can also find a few eateries within an arcade filled with games and Purikura photo booths to keep everyone entertained.

• Central Park

  phone: +61 2 8096 9900
  address: 28 Broadway
  This shopping centre is part of a larger complex that includes parklands and apartments. There is a wide selection of unique fashion and homeware stores along with general retail and a supermarket. Central Park is also great for its wide range of food and dining options, from cafes to restaurants. If you visit, be sure to check out their website for events which including workshops, art galleries, local markets and the BYO Cinema.

• Market City Shopping Centre

  phone: +61 2 9212-1388
  address: Level 3, 2-13 Quay Street, Sydney
  This mammoth place has a fresh produce market on the first level, factory outlets on the second level and more food from more places than you can imagine on the third level. You'll find Paddy's Markets here too.

• World Square

  address: Corner of George St and Liverpool St
  A large shopping precinct on George St, with many specialty stores, including a Sony Store. Avoid the convenience stores for food and supplies. Coles in World Square is a good place to shop for supplies.

This area has an incredible range of restaurants and is one of Sydney’s best dining precincts. There are over 60 restaurants and food court stalls around Chinatown and Haymarket, offering many Chinese regional specialities, plus Vietnamese, Thai, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese and Malaysian cuisines. Many establishments serve the ever popular yum cha, irresistible sweet and savory snacks that are wheeled around on trolleys, generally between 10AM and 2PM. As a rule, avoid any restaurant in Chinatown with touts outside begging you to come in - the food is more often than not overpriced and not good. For a complete contrast, visit near by Liverpool Street, where there are some excellent Spanish restaurants.

Budget

• Dixon House Food Court

  address: Corner Little Hay & Dixon Sts, Haymarket
  This food court offers a selection of about 20 vendors, with low prices.

• Chinese Noodle House

  phone: +61 2 9281-9051
  address: Shop 7, Prince Centre, 8 Quay St
  At this intimate, busy eatery decorated with grapes and Persian rugs, the noodles are handmade in traditional northern Chinese style - and the crowds are glad of it.

• Menya Noodle Bar

  phone: +61 2 9212-1020
  address: 8/8 Quay St, Haymarket
  A great restaurant that specialises in ramen. Serves a broth that is not too thin and not too rich; just right. Long queues during weekday lunch hours.

• Satang Thai Takeaway

  phone: +61 2 9280-0956
  address: 20 Quay St, Haymarket
  Cheap, tasty and large portions, no need to be picky. There's a reason why a branch with expanded seating has opened right across the street. Particular favourite would be the Pad Thai.

• Mamak

  phone: +61 2 9211-1668
  address: 15 Goulburn St, Haymarket
  Serves Sydney's best roti canai paired with a mouth-warming curry. The teh tarik (pulled tea) and dessert roti are recommended. No reservations are taken, be prepared for queues for up to an hour.

• Emperor's Garden BBQ & Noodles

  phone: +61 2 9281-9899
  address: 213-5 Thomas Street
  This is a popular Chinese eatery specializing in meat and poultry dishes (marinated duck tongue $6) and has a great little window area where you can choose your takeaway goodies.

• Eating World Food Court

  address: Cnr of Dixon & Goulburn St
  Part of the pagoda-style Harbour Plaza, this food court has a wide range of cheap Asian meals available. Try Gumshara, which sells Japanese tonkatsu ramen, rich with pork collagen.

• Sussex Centre Food Court

  address: 401 Sussex St, Sydney
  The food court here has a range of cheap, tasty dishes, making it a sensible choice for those who want to eat and run.

Mid-range

• Chat Thai

  phone: +61 2 9211-1808
  address: 20 Campbell Street, Haymarket
  This restaurant is very busy but offers the very best in Thai cuisine in the city south area. Lines will often stretch out of the restaurant down the street. There is also another branch on the Manly ferry wharf and upstairs in Westfield Pitt Street. Best buys include Pad Thai (sweet, salty & peanuts with lemon juice and rice) and Pork Skewers (ask for pork sticks).

• BBQ King

  phone: +61 2 9267-2586
  address: 18-20 Goulburn St
  As the name suggests, you come here for barbecue, and a lot of people would agree that this place is king. It's old-school (somewhat dirty), with laminex tables and folding chairs. There may be a queue, but it won't last long, and the great duck is worth the wait. Try the spinach with garlic, too.

• Golden Century Seafood Restaurant

  phone: +61 2 9212-3901
  address: 393-99 Sussex St
  With lots of fish tanks displaying your nervous-looking dinner, this place is a favorite late-night eating spot for many of Sydney's chefs and hotel workers. The flavours are exotic and engaging, the service fast and slick.

• Marigold

  phone: +61 2 9281-3388
  address: Levels 4 & 5, 683-9 George St, Haymarket
  This 800-seat restaurant is a Sydney institution. Serves the hordes yum cha daily for lunch, with service brisk, bordering on rude. Make sure you have a seat close to the centre, or you'll get the leftovers. More laid-back vibe in the evenings. Go for the experience, not the service.

• Zilver

  phone: +61 2 9211-2232
  address: Level 1, 477 Pitt St, Haymarket
  Something of a yum cha mothership on weekends, this place offers a mind-boggling array of dishes from the a la carte menu too. Get a group together and have a feast.

• Covent Garden Hotel

  phone: +61 2 9211 1745
  address: 102-108 Hay St, Haymarket
  A local institution. Usually busy, a mix of the after work crowd, tourists, and people in town for a night out. Gets very busy before some shows at the Entertainment centre. Recently renovated in modern style, and struggling a little to recapture the former vibe.

• The Bavarian

  phone: +61 2 9259 5680
  address: 385 Pitt St
  Reasonable selection of German craft beers though it gets noisy and crowded at peak times.

Budget

The area around Central Station and Haymarket has many choices of backpacker accommodation, including Wake Up and two YHAs at Sydney Central and Railway Square.

• Base Sydney

  phone: +61 2 9267 7718
  address: 477 Kent St

• Maze Backpackers Hostel

  phone: +61 2 9211 5115
  address: 417 Pitt St

• Nomads Sydney

  phone: +61 2 9211-4588
  address: 412 Pitt Street

• Sydney Central on Wentworth

  phone: +61 2 9212-1005
  address: 75 Wentworth Ave
  In a landmark heritage building. 24 hr reception, coin-operated laundry, guest kitchen, free guest internet kiosk, and subsidized payment for parking in the nearby Wilson Car Park in Goulburn Street.

• Sydney Central YHA

  phone: +61 2 9281-9111
  address: 11 Rawson Place
  Beds in a dorm room for non-members are $36 per night, private rooms for non-members are $120 with ensuite.

• Wake Up

  phone: +61 2 9288-7888
  address: 509 Pitt St
  Side Bar is open from 4PM until late every night of the week. The onsite cafe serves budget conscious breakfasts, lunches and dinner. A/C rooms, internet cafe, 24 hr reception, security key card access, storage lockers in dorms, coin operated laundries and a guest kitchen.

Mid-range

• Ibis World Square

  phone: +61 2 9217 6666
  address: 382 Pitt Street
  Located in Chinatown, a 5-minute walk from Central. Very clean rooms and generous breakfast. World Square shopping centre is right across the street.

• 28 Hotel

  phone: +61 2 9102 2828
  address: 28-30 Regent Street, Chippendale
  Has an espresso machine in the foyer which any guest can use to make coffee.

• Mercure Sydney Hotel

  phone: +61 2 9217-6666
  address: 818-820 George Street
  4 star Sydney hotel with 517 rooms, adjacent to Central Station. Easy access to Darling Harbour, Sydney's shopping and retail center and major attractions.

• Rydges Capitol Square Hotel

  phone: +61 2 9211 8633
  address: Cnr George & Campbell Streets
  Incorporated within the Capitol Theatre complex. Near Darling Harbour, the Sydney Entertainment Centre, Central Station and Chinatown. Popular with Japanese travellers.

Splurge

• Novotel Sydney Central

  phone: +61 2 9281-6888
  address: 169-179 Thomas Street
  Designed for both business and holiday travellers. 255 guest rooms and 13 meeting rooms.

The George St area between Town Hall and Central can be a little rough very late at night. It's always busy though, so the usual precautions should see you stay out of trouble. Try to avoid Belmore Park (on Eddy Avenue in front of Central Station) at night as it seems to attract a lot of drug addicts and homeless people.
Central Bus Station isn't the best introduction to Sydney at any time of day, and is unpleasant after dark. If you are arriving late, have plans for how you are getting away safely.

There are many Internet cafes around the area. Newsagents have terminals, internet stores advertise high speed and gaming access. World Square has coin operated terminals, along with a couple of the other shopping centres. Around central station there are several options (although not on the station itself). Expect to pay a couple of dollars to check email, or try to get around $6 for an hour of usage.
In addition the public libraries in the area offer Internet access.

Wander westwards to Darling Harbour. Take a long walk (more than 30 minutes) up George Street to get to Circular Quay.