Taronga Zoo Sydney has the best views of any zoo in the world. Set on a hill, it looks out over Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, and the Harbour Bridge. It’s easiest on the legs to explore the zoo from the top down (admission includes a trip on the cable car from the ferry pier to the main entrance). The big attractions are the fabulous chimpanzee exhibit, the gorilla enclosure, and the Nocturnal Houses, where you can see some of Australia’s unique marsupials, including the platypus and the cute bilby, out and about. There’s an interesting reptile display, a couple of impressive Komodo dragons, a scattering of indigenous beasties—including a few koalas, echidnas, kangaroos, dingoes, and wombats—and lots more. Animals are fed at various times during the day. A 2-hour “Aboriginal Discovery Tour” is offered on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:45am; it costs A$99 adults and A$69 children, including zoo entry for the day (to book, call [tel] 02/9978 4782). Despite the quite steep entry price, the zoo can get crowded on weekends, so it’s a good idea to plan your visit for a weekday or early in the morning on weekends. Allow around 3 hours.