Chinatown

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Built in 1988 as a gift from Sydney’s sister city Guangzhou, this garden celebrates friendship and cultural connection between China and Australia.\n\nWhat you’re looking at is no ordinary park. This is a classical Chinese garden modelled on those from the Ming Dynasty. Everything here has meaning. The curved bridges, the lotus-filled ponds, and the rock formations all represent harmony and balance, following Taoist design principles.\n\nThe pavilion you see by the water is called the Hall of Longevity. It’s a great spot to take a break and enjoy the view. You'll notice that the garden isn’t symmetrical like Western-style gardens. Instead, it’s designed to feel like a natural landscape, with new perspectives revealed at every turn.\n\nKeep an eye out for the Dragon Wall, a highlight of the garden. It features two dragons, one representing China and the other Australia, meeting in unity. It’s a popular photo spot and a nice reminder of the garden’s origins.\n\nInside, there's also a small teahouse where you can grab a Chinese-style tea or snack, it’s worth popping in if you have time. And if you're lucky, you might catch a traditional Chinese calligraphy or Tai Chi demonstration.\n\nFun fact: the rocks used throughout the garden are real limestone from Lake Tai in China. They’re prized in Chinese landscaping for their dramatic, weathered shapes.\n\nThis garden might be right in the middle of Sydney, but it feels like stepping into another world, a peaceful reminder of the city’s multicultural spirit and long-standing ties with Asia.\n\n","type":"text"}]},{"address":"Matcha-Ya","location":{"latitude":-33.878118610662305,"latitudeDelta":0.09219986310369421,"longitudeDelta":0.12231848505090098,"longitude":151.201093},"placeId":null,"media":[{"content":{"partial_match":true,"plus_code":{"global_code":"4RRH46C2+PF","compound_code":"46C2+PF Haymarket NSW, Australia"},"address_components":[{"short_name":"NW.05","types":["subpremise"],"long_name":"NW.05"},{"long_name":"10","types":["street_number"],"short_name":"10"},{"long_name":"Steam Mill Lane","short_name":"Steam Mill La","types":["route"]},{"short_name":"Haymarket","types":["locality","political"],"long_name":"Haymarket"},{"long_name":"Council of the City of Sydney","short_name":"Sydney","types":["administrative_area_level_2","political"]},{"long_name":"New South Wales","types":["administrative_area_level_1","political"],"short_name":"NSW"},{"short_name":"AU","long_name":"Australia","types":["country","political"]},{"short_name":"2000","long_name":"2000","types":["postal_code"]}],"place_id":"ChIJzTgrQgWvEmsR4ijm1nI6e3Q","types":["cafe","establishment","food","point_of_interest"],"geometry":{"location_type":"ROOFTOP","location":{"lat":-33.8782279,"lng":151.2011763},"viewport":{"east":151.2024754302915,"north":-33.8767828197085,"south":-33.8794807802915,"west":151.1997774697085}},"navigation_points":[{"location":{"latitude":-33.8779172,"longitude":151.2010208},"restricted_travel_modes":["WALK"]},{"restricted_travel_modes":["DRIVE"],"location":{"latitude":-33.8783512,"longitude":151.2012338}}],"formatted_address":"NW.05/10 Steam Mill La, Haymarket NSW 2000, Australia"},"type":"place"},{"content":"Welcome to Matcha-Ya, a local favourite tucked away in the heart of Chinatown. This isn’t your usual tea stop. It's a sleek Japanese dessert bar dedicated entirely to matcha, the finely ground green tea powder used in traditional Japanese ceremonies.\n\nAs you step inside, you’ll notice the clean, minimalist design that reflects Japanese aesthetics. The menu is all about matcha. From smooth lattes to layered parfaits, nearly every item showcases the deep green colour and earthy flavour of this beloved ingredient.\n\nOne of the highlights here is the matcha soft serve parfait. Staff build it layer by layer with red bean paste, mochi, crispy rice, and matcha ice cream. It's a popular pick, not just for the taste, but for how beautifully it's presented. You might even spot regulars snapping photos before they dig in.\n\nIf you’re after something warm, try the matcha latte. It’s whisked in the traditional style and served in handmade Japanese cups, adding a nice touch of authenticity. There's also hojicha, a roasted green tea, for those looking for something less intense.\n\nWhat makes Matcha-Ya special is how it brings Japanese tradition into a modern, urban setting. It's a reminder of Sydney’s multicultural food scene and how global flavours can find a home here.\n\nYou won't see this place listed on most travel guides, but it’s a quiet favourite for those who know where to look. A quick visit here adds something different to your Chinatown experience. If you’re curious, it’s worth stepping inside and seeing what all the fuss is about.\n\n","type":"text"}]},{"address":"Darling Square","location":{"latitude":-33.87871891066253,"latitudeDelta":0.09219986310369421,"longitude":151.20210920000002,"longitudeDelta":0.12231848505090098},"placeId":null,"media":[{"content":{"types":["establishment","food","point_of_interest","restaurant","shopping_mall"],"address_components":[{"types":["street_number"],"long_name":"35","short_name":"35"},{"long_name":"Tumbalong Boulevard","short_name":"Tumbalong Bvd","types":["route"]},{"long_name":"Haymarket","short_name":"Haymarket","types":["locality","political"]},{"long_name":"City of Sydney","short_name":"City of Sydney","types":["administrative_area_level_2","political"]},{"types":["administrative_area_level_1","political"],"short_name":"NSW","long_name":"New South Wales"},{"short_name":"AU","types":["country","political"],"long_name":"Australia"},{"short_name":"2000","types":["postal_code"],"long_name":"2000"}],"formatted_address":"35 Tumbalong Bvd, Haymarket NSW 2000, Australia","partial_match":true,"place_id":"ChIJGShY3CSuEmsRlgGgzAHgs2g","plus_code":{"compound_code":"46C2+MV Haymarket NSW, Australia","global_code":"4RRH46C2+MV"},"geometry":{"location":{"lng":151.2022227,"lat":-33.8782695},"location_type":"ROOFTOP","viewport":{"east":151.2034581802915,"south":-33.8800678802915,"north":-33.8773699197085,"west":151.2007602197085}}},"type":"place"},{"content":"Welcome to Darling Square, one of Sydney’s most exciting urban redevelopments. Just a few decades ago, this area was part of the old railyards, filled with tracks, warehouses, and industrial noise. Today, it’s been completely transformed into a sleek, modern precinct built for people, not freight.\n\nRight in front of you is The Exchange, the round timber-clad building that almost looks like it’s in motion. It was designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and wrapped in more than 20 kilometres of curved wood. Inside, it hosts a public library, a food hall, and shared spaces that bring together locals, students, and visitors alike. It’s a striking example of architecture that’s both functional and expressive.\n\nAround the square, you’ll notice open-air seating, smooth stone paths, and a blend of greenery and art installations. The design encourages movement and gathering, with plenty of spots to sit, eat, and relax. During the day, it’s a popular place for quick lunches, casual meetings, and quiet reading. In the evening, the lights come on and the energy shifts, with people spilling out of cafes and dessert bars.\n\nDarling Square reflects a broader shift in how Sydney is rethinking city spaces. It’s built for walking, built for community, and designed to be enjoyed at every pace. Whether you're here for a short break or just passing through, it’s a great example of modern urban life done right.\n\n","type":"text"}]},{"address":"In Between Two Worlds","location":{"longitudeDelta":0.17456507414299438,"latitude":-33.8783059606624,"longitude":151.20378190000002,"latitudeDelta":0.09219986310369421},"placeId":"ChIJVzq0mSSuEmsRUEBJ4fx8G40","media":[{"content":{"place_id":"ChIJVzq0mSSuEmsRUEBJ4fx8G40"},"type":"place"},{"content":"Welcome to In Between Two Worlds, a striking public art installation by Jason Wing, located right here on Little Hay Street in the heart of Chinatown. This laneway might seem unassuming at first, but look up and you’ll see thirty glowing spirit figures suspended overhead, each one floating between streetlights and sky.\n\nThese figures are at the centre of the installation. They’re part human, part spirit, and they honour both ancestors and the cultural forces that shape this place. Jason Wing, who is of both Aboriginal and Chinese heritage, created this work in 2011 as a reflection of dual identity and cultural connection.\n\nThe street and surrounding walls are layered with symbols. Look closely and you’ll see blue clouds and silhouettes painted on the ground and buildings around you. These represent water and wind, key natural elements in both Aboriginal and Chinese storytelling. Every part of this space, from the murals underfoot to the figures above, has meaning. It’s a conversation between cultures, brought to life through art.\n\nThis was one of the first major laneway commissions supported by the City of Sydney, and it set a new tone for how public art could speak to heritage. The installation has become a quiet landmark, not just for its beauty, but for the message it carries. It brings together old and new, visible and invisible, and invites anyone walking through to pause and look a little closer.\n\nYou’re standing in a place where two cultures meet, not in conflict, but in dialogue. In Between Two Worlds captures that space perfectly, floating between stories, between times, and right here in the middle of the city.\n\n","type":"text"}]},{"address":"Spice Alley","location":{"latitude":-33.88464846066495,"longitudeDelta":0.12231848505090098,"latitudeDelta":0.09219986310369421,"longitude":151.20158885},"placeId":null,"media":[{"content":{"formatted_address":"Kensington St, Chippendale NSW 2008, Australia","place_id":"ChIJMWdcBCeuEmsRpr9CDsS4-nc","address_components":[{"short_name":"Kensington St","types":["route"],"long_name":"Kensington Street"},{"short_name":"Chippendale","types":["locality","political"],"long_name":"Chippendale"},{"long_name":"City of Sydney","types":["administrative_area_level_2","political"],"short_name":"City of Sydney"},{"types":["administrative_area_level_1","political"],"short_name":"NSW","long_name":"New South Wales"},{"short_name":"AU","types":["country","political"],"long_name":"Australia"},{"short_name":"2008","types":["postal_code"],"long_name":"2008"}],"geometry":{"viewport":{"south":-33.8859974302915,"east":151.2029378302915,"west":151.2002398697085,"north":-33.8832994697085},"location_type":"GEOMETRIC_CENTER","location":{"lng":151.2015134,"lat":-33.884469}},"types":["establishment","food","point_of_interest","restaurant"],"partial_match":true,"plus_code":{"global_code":"4RRH4682+6J","compound_code":"4682+6J Chippendale NSW, Australia"}},"type":"place"},{"content":"Welcome to Spice Alley, a hidden laneway filled with colour, culture, and some of the best Asian street food in Sydney. Located just off Kensington Street in the heart of Chinatown, this open-air dining strip celebrates the flavours and traditions of Southeast and East Asia in a modern setting.\n\nAs you walk through, you’ll see rows of hawker-style stalls and kitchen counters serving everything from Malaysian noodles to Thai stir-fries, Chinese dumplings, Vietnamese barbecue, and Japanese fusion. Each vendor brings their own story, with family recipes and street food favourites that reflect generations of culinary tradition.\n\nThe alley itself is part of a larger revitalisation of this historic part of the city. You’ll notice restored terrace houses lining the laneway, with red lanterns strung overhead and murals tucked between the buildings. It’s a deliberate blend of heritage and modern design, creating a setting that feels both nostalgic and current.\n\nSpice Alley is more than just a place to grab a bite. It’s become a community hub where students, city workers, tourists, and locals all come together over a shared love of food. Many of the stalls are cashless and BYO, which keeps things simple and accessible.\n\nOne standout dish to try here is Char Kway Teow, a stir-fried noodle classic from Malaysia that’s packed with flavour and a local favourite among regulars. Dishes like this capture the spirit of Spice Alley, authentic, generous, and full of personality.\n\nThis laneway may be small, but it reflects a much larger story. Spice Alley is a tribute to Sydney’s multicultural identity and the ongoing influence of Asian culture in shaping the city's everyday life.\n\n","type":"text"}]}]