The thing about living in a small city-state like Singapore is that we often have to escape elsewhere for our full dose of nature. That’s where a getaway to Sydney and New South Wales comes in. Whether you’re travelling with a partner, a group of friends or the whole family, you’ll find a piece of nature that will delight and inspire.

Think sparkling ocean pools, awe-inspiring rock formations carved out by time and national parks with foliage that change colours with the seasons. You’ll even find the city clothed in purple jacarandas each spring. So shut down your computer, set that “out of office” notification and delve into the picturesque landscape of Sydney and New South Wales. 

Plunge into ocean pools

If you love the coast, then you must check out the ocean pools. These seaside bathing spots are beloved features of the New South Wales coast and almost unique to the state, with about 100 in New South Wales and 35 in Sydney alone. Cleverly constructed to take advantage of natural rock platforms, these pools provide all the benefits of swimming in the ocean within a safe environment, complete with fresh clear saltwater, sandy bottoms and marine ecosystems 

The most famous of these is the Bondi Icebergs Pool where you can take a dip or swim in the 50m lap pool. Alternatively, just chill and enjoy the ocean views from Bondi Club or the award-winning Iceberg restaurant. Along the South Coast, you will find Bermagui Blue Pool, notable for its astonishing opaline hues and for its marine life — anemones, fish, crabs and even a small colony of seals. For the largest ocean pool in the southern hemisphere, head to Merewether Baths in Newcastle. It’s Olympic-length, with 10 unroped swim lanes and it’s free. 

Breathe easy at the beach

With more than 2,000 kilometres of coastline, beach-lovers will be spoiled for choice when it comes to finding sandy shores to enjoy in New South Wales. Not only does it have beautiful beaches and unique ocean pools, Sydney also offers world-class surf, along with an array of rivers, harbour coves and bays. 

Venture beyond Bondi and Manly and head to Palm Beach, in the Northern Beaches region of Sydney. This narrow peninsula offers great surf at its northern end, delightful swimming at its southern end and a scenic trail all the way to a heritage lighthouse at its very tip — Barrenjoey Headland. 

Up in the north of Sydney, Caves Beach near Lake Macquarie is worth a visit. Known for its network of sculptural sea caves, this beach can only be accessed at low tide. If you’re going south of Sydney, Jervis Bay is the place to hit — this jewel on the South Coast attracts many with its turquoise water, rich wildlife and some of the world’s whitest sand. For more tranquil surrounds, head to Murrays Beach in Jervis Bay, tucked away in Booderee National Park. Take a dip in the sea cave or soak in some sun at the beach.

Savour the change of seasons 

Coming from the tropics, we love witnessing the glorious way seasons change in temperate countries. And New South Wales is a great place to experience this shift, whether you like watching spring flowers bloom bright after a long winter, or enjoy seeing trees turn red, orange and gold in autumn. 

Travel from September to November and enjoy Sydney in spring, coinciding with some of the colourful flower festivals that New South Wales is known for. The season starts early, with the annual Cherry Blossom Festival held in the Japanese Garden of the Auburn Botanic Gardens from August 19 to 27. Trees laden with clouds of pink blossom transform the gardens into a picture-perfect landscape, with activities, workshops and a variety of food. Head west to Leura in the Blue Mountains and you’ll also see these beautiful blossoms along the streets or at the Leura Gardens Festival from September 29 to October 2 this year.

As September approaches, make your way to Bowral in the Southern Highlands for the iconic Tulip Time Festival held at Corbett Gardens, which becomes a wonderland with 80,000 of these beautiful bulbs on colourful display. This year, the festival runs from September 19 to October 2.

 In late October to November, the city of Sydney turns a glorious purple as jacaranda trees flare into life. This visual spectacle can be seen near the Museum of Contemporary Art, Circular Quay, McDougall Street and Kirribilli.

Beyond Sydney, the annual Grafton Jacaranda Festival is a great way to celebrate with the locals as you enjoy live music, art exhibitions and a spectacular float parade. This year, the festival runs from October 27 to November 5. Throughout the season, you will also be rewarded with the sight of golden canola flowers stretching out as far as the eye can see as you drive on country roads around the town of Young.

The last of the blooms are the sunflowers, which are in full glory at the height of summer and last until early autumn. You can pick your own bouquets of these magnificent golden blossoms at sunflower farms like Hunter Valley Sunflowers, Glenbernie Family Farms and Pine Crest Orchard. 

With the year moving toward fall, attention shifts from flowers to trees as lush green leaves turn into a blazing symphony of yellow, orange, gold and red. One of the best places to catch the full splendour of autumn foliage is the Southern Highlands, especially the picturesque heritage villages of Bowral, Mittagong, Moss Vale, Robertson and Berrima. 

Stroll along the shoreline 

As a waterfront city by the sea, Sydney offers up a wealth of different walks for those who want to explore its coast on foot. Whether you’re into birdwatching, spotting whales, picnicking or historical sightseeing, you’ll enjoy the coastal walks along the North Shore, in the Eastern Suburbs or the Inner City itself.  

A popular coastal walk runs from Bondi to Coogee; taking you 6km along beaches, parks, cliffs and bays. The Manly to Spit walk is a more challenging 10km jaunt but rewards you with stunning views of Sydney Harbour while leading you through Sydney Harbour National Park. If you like the idea of discovering a hidden gem, then head to Parsley Bay, an inlet tucked away into Sydney Harbour’s reserve. There is an enclosed swimming area, a short bushland walking circuit, as well as a beautifully engineered cable suspension bridge constructed more than a hundred years ago.  

Look up at starry skies 

Living in a city means we don’t often have a chance to take in vast, starry skies. But New South Wales offers more than a few options for those who love spotting constellations, and even boasts Australia’s first Dark Sky Park in Warrumbungle, complete with an observatory equipped with the largest optical telescopes in the country. 

You don’t have to venture too far for that astronomy experience either. Popular destinations like Jervis Bay and the Blue Mountains (west of Sydney) also offer stargazing tours, where astrophysicist guides share navigation tips and offer viewings of space stations, star clusters, spinning planets and distant galaxies through telescopes and binoculars.

Go off the beaten track 

A mere 90-minute drive away and boasting dramatic sandstone ridges covered in native bushland, it’s no wonder that the Unesco World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains is a popular destination for travellers. With its eucalyptus-scented fresh air, local flora, wildlife, waterfalls and cliffs, there is much to see. It might be worth considering offroading in this rugged region as 4WDs can take you beyond the usual tourist haunts to see truly unique sights — like the hidden Dry Canyon, the breathtaking Lost City rock formations as well as abandoned railway tunnels filled with thousands of glow worms. You might even want to drive 90 minutes southwest from the Blue Mountains to explore Jenolan Caves, with its network of five impressive caves.

Fans of 4WD adventures can also head to Port Stephens, 2.5 hours north of Sydney. Boasting the largest coastal dunes in the southern hemisphere, this town doesn’t just offer 4WD tours of its famous 32km stretch between Stockton and Birubi Beach, it also provides quad biking, and sand boarding as thrilling alternative ways to have fun on this famous sandscape.  

Get behind the wheel for the Grand Pacific Drive

Take an epic road trip along the Grand Pacific Drive, one of New South Wales’ most famous scenic routes. This takes you from the Royal National Park – Australia’s oldest national park – across the overwater Sea Cliff Bridge, through dramatic coastal cliffs, open grasslands and rainforests, to the charming seaside towns of Wollongong and Kiama. Highlights include spotting the uniquely shaped Eagles Rock in the Royal National Park, doing world-class skydiving in Wollongong and watching the largest blowhole in the world in action at Kiama. When conditions are right, the plumes of water jetting out from that 2.5m opening in the rock can reach a height of over 30m. 

Whether you have whiled away the hours with sunflowers, sea caves, suspension bridges or stargazing, your time spent with the sea, sand, stars and skies of Sydney and New South Wales will surely have you fully rested and recharged by the end of your holiday, leaving you with plenty of memorable experiences to cherish.

Find more travel inspiration at www.sydney.com/sg.