Chinese Garden of Friendship

The Chinese Garden of Friendship in Sydney CBD is one of those places that genuinely surprises you with how tranquil and beautiful it is, especially given how close it sits to the busy city around Darling Harbour. The moment you walk through the gates, the noise drops away and you are suddenly surrounded by waterfalls, winding stone paths, pavilions, and perfectly framed views that feel like moving through a painting. Every corner feels intentional, from the bridges and koi-filled ponds to the bamboo groves and rock formations, it is incredibly photogenic without ever feeling artificial or theme-park like. What stood out the most was how calm it felt. You can just sit by the water watching the koi and turtles, or listen to the sound of waterfalls and wind rustling through the trees. It’s the kind of place where time slows down. The architecture and landscaping are beautiful on their own, but the symbolism behind everything – balance, friendship, nature, and harmony – really adds to the experience once you start reading the plaques and explanations. It’s also a wonderful place to take a quiet walk, reflect, or just step away from the city for an hour or two. Families, couples, solo visitors, it suits everyone. If you enjoy gardens, Chinese architecture, or simply peaceful spaces, this is absolutely worth visiting. Despite being right in the heart of Sydney, it feels like you have travelled somewhere completely different. Truly beautiful, relaxing, and one of the CBD’s hidden gems.

The Chinese Garden of Friendship in Sydney’s Darling Harbour is an absolute gem—a serene oasis that feels worlds away from the city’s hustle and bustle. Stepping through the entrance, you’re immediately transported into a beautifully designed traditional Chinese garden that perfectly balances nature, architecture, and philosophy. The meandering pathways wind past shimmering koi-filled ponds, cascading waterfalls, lush exotic plants, and elegant pavilions that invite you to pause and simply breathe. The attention to detail is incredible: from the striking Dragon Wall (a gift symbolizing the friendship between New South Wales and Guangdong) to the hidden rock formations, penjing (Chinese bonsai) displays, and graceful willow trees swaying gently. What I love most is how peaceful it is—despite being right in the heart of Darling Harbour, the garden creates a genuine sense of tranquility and escape. It’s the perfect spot to recharge, whether you’re wandering alone with your thoughts, feeding the vibrant koi, or spotting a water dragon basking on the rocks. The yin-yang balance and feng shui principles really come through; every element feels thoughtfully placed to promote harmony and calm. The entry fee is very reasonable, and there’s even a lovely teahouse where you can enjoy traditional Chinese tea, dim sum, or afternoon tea while overlooking the garden—highly recommended for extending your visit. If you’re in Sydney and craving a quiet, cultural, and visually stunning experience, this place is a must-visit. It’s not just a garden; it’s a little pocket of peace that leaves you feeling refreshed and appreciative of the friendship it represents. Highly recommend to locals and visitors alike—5 stars! 🌿🐟

A very tranquil, beautiful Chinese landscape garden. Definitely one of the best designed and best maintained I've ever seen outside of China. Maybe the largest I've been ever seen as well, although I'm sure it's not the largest outside of China. Lots of lizards enjoying it here as well. Only downside: on a hot day, it's a bitter hotter in the garden than outside of it, but there are plenty of shaded spots and there's some wind despite the walls and buildings surrounding it. It took me around 1 hour to very leisurely walk through the whole garden, take in the views and take scenic pictures. And another hour to really enjoy it, sit down here and there, etc. So if you're just here for sightseeing, 1 hour will be plenty of time, everyone else should probably plan 2-3 hours or more if you plan to enjoy a meal or some afternoon tea in the tea room.

The Chinese Garden of Friendship is a beautifully crafted oasis that serves as a tranquil escape, despite being surrounded by skyscrapers & busy urban life. I haven’t been here in a few years, but I love to visit & wander through the lush area with winding pathways, serene ponds & stunning pavilions adorned with intricate designs. The landscaping integrates various plants, water features & stones that creates an environment that exudes peace & tranquility. It’s a well designed & well maintained garden & if you enjoy history, culture, or just beautiful landscapes, it’s a little slice of serenity worth exploring next time you’re near Darling Harbour!

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city life lies this stunning hidden gem. Surrounded by not only its spectacular trees and ponds, but also the intriguing wildlife making my experience 11/10!

Lovely garden, very tranquil and relaxing with several small waterfalls. Around the paths there are many different types of flowers and trees, some ducks, turtles, dragonfly, koi fish and lots of lizards. That would be 5/5. However at exactly 4:29 a staff walked up and said that they were closing in 3 minutes. I noted the time and rushed through the final area and took a few more photos, he came up and said "Well get a move on" so I checked the time, it hasn't even been 1 minute. So I'm reducing a star for not telling us they close early, no reason given, and rushing us out in less time than he said. This happened on Saturday 27 Sept 2025.

Beautiful garden walking distance from Darling Harbour. $12 entry fee for adults. Function rooms available inside. Very clean.

Such a beautiful and peaceful place. An abundance of plants with Information signs about them. Pavilions to sit in and relax, ponder. A pavilion for dining is there and I highly recommend it. The food is extremely tasty.

They pack so much into this little piece of land! The paths wind through different boulders and trees and mini pagoda-like-patio-things and streams! There isn't much to do, of course, besides calmly walk through. But there is a lot of detail packed in that you won't get bored too soon. It's conveniently located in the middle of the city right by one of the biggest tourist attractions - the darling harbour. I wouldn't say it is a must visit, but if you have been in Sydney and the city for a while, this is a great place to unwind and relax.

We decided to stop by an oasis in the middle of Sydney: Chinese Garden of Friendship. The garden is a 1 hectare garden built by Guangzhou Landscape Bureau. It represents the collaborative efforts of Sister States, New South Wales, Australia & Guangdong, China. The space is super chill and inc a lake, koi pond and waterfall. At the end of the tour, you can stop by the tea shop for yum cha and real tea service. The area w/ the restaurant also has an upstairs space for private events. The entrance fee is only $12 AUD (~ $8 USD), and you can take advantage of a free guide. I highly recommend visiting CGF for a relaxing thing to do while staying in Sydney.

Breath taking and worth the visit. I always thought this would be a small garden but it's quite substantial. There's also a restaurant connected where u can book tables with beautiful views.

Mesmerizing! Very peaceful tranquil started out with coffee and then came to this relaxing place full day in Sydney. We're moving onto the sea life.

Built according to Taoist principles this garden is an oasis of tranquility. It was designed by architects from Guangzhou, Sydney's sister city for Austrailia's bi-century in 1988. We passed pavilions, waterfalls, lakes, paths and lush foliage. There is a tea house and tours are available.

Beautiful spot to walk around. Wonderful architecture and great green space. Take some time to get a pot of tea at the tea house. Some interesting ibis like birds with long black bent beaks. A few lizards sunning on the rock. Definitely worthy of a stop and restful area to relax.

I was not expecting such a beautiful place when I headed over late on a Tuesday afternoon. I paid $6 to enter ($3 for Australian students) and went to do what I do best, which is to wander aimlessly. There is first a plaque explaining that the Chinese built this garden to celebrate Australia's bicentennial, and to commemorate their relationship with China. You keep going and you see a garden filled with various trees and flowers, and a koi pond, too. It's seriously so pretty, and makes for some gorgeous photos. The are some tables by the pond, so I sat down and read a book while taking in the peaceful atmosphere. There's also a café where you can get both food and beverages. Dumplings were $5.50, so prices were not bad. It's a small garden so you could see it in thirty minutes, but I spent a couple hours here. Must come here if you're in Darling Harbour!

For $6, Chinese Garden of Friendship is worth visiting if you have a 2 hours or so to spare and on a nice sunny day. Smallish garden but conveniently located in the Central area easily accessed by public transit. There is also a tea room if you want to have a pot of tea and some snack. Grounds is A-OK. Good if you want to take some nice photos.

I was very disappointed by the attitude of the staff on my recent visit. They were rude, so our trip there was ruined. Save your money for a better place.

This is one beautiful garden! You walk around and experience wonderful views all over. Our niece living in Sydney took us here, and insisted that we do the Chinese dress-up for an additional fee...and I sh-t you not...this you have to try when you're visiting the garden. Tons of fun and lots of laughs! If I lived in Sydney...this place would be a nice end to the day or work week...to relax and get to recharge the body, mind and spirit especially after a tiring time...

What a beautiful garden!! The spring flowers were in bloom, and the waterfalls and ponds create such a peaceful atmosphere. The lizards and birds that live in the garden add to the experience. The rock features are even interesting; shapes were carefully chosen. This was the perfect place to come after we stumbled bleary-eyed off our flight from the US. The tea room was very nice, and the combination ticket for admission plus tea and scones is an excellent deal! The scones, cream and jam were fresh and delicious and the selection of teas was excellent. The only reason this review isn't 5 stars is that there was a lot of maintenance going on including painting and tree trimming that detracted a bit from the atmosphere, due to noise, and led to some areas being closed.

It's my first time in Sydney. Matter of fact, it's my first time Down Under. On my first day in the city, I had time to kill while waiting to check into my hotel. I was near Darling Harbour so I wandered around until I found this gem: A replica of a garden from Guangzhou, China. It's not the first replica garden I've visited. And there's always a hint of cheese when you spend a few bucks to visit a site that's both totally man made and totally out of place. But there's something about the Garden that just works. It's so well managed and maintained. And so peaceful. I found myself picking up garbage I didn't drop just to help keep it "unspoiled." While I don't recommend coming just for the garden, if you find yourself in Darling Harbour, look for the signs and stop by. Use it as a lily pad to decompress from all of the other high-energy tourists traps sprinkled around the area.

Beautiful garden right in the middle of the city! If I have time to kill in darling harbour I'll come here. for lunar new year they had a treasure hunt type thing with the symbols for the years as well a tea tasting which I thought was a great idea.

We came here on a rainy day and these gardens were absolutely stunning!!! So worth making the trip to see!!! They are kept up so well and there is so much to see. We spent easily 2 hours there just looking at all of the garden.

I had some free time in Sydney before I was able to check-in to my hotel. So while I was wandering around darling harbour I decided to pay the very decent price of $6 to enter. I've been around darling harbour many times and seen this place but never bothered to take a closer look. All I can say is that it is so worth it! I spent nearly an hour just wandering around and I wasn't going as slow as I could have been. The views and the tranquility is very calming. There's so many areas to explore I could easily have spent hours here on another day. It was a busy Saturday morning and a few guests were around but there were still some peaceful areas that were secluded. All the different trees have signs explaining what they were and in my dawdling I caught a few people dozing on park benches, reading books, and meditating. I can hardly blame them. This place is a great place to unwind and relax. There is a restaurant that I didn't stop to try and the options for a paid tour guide. If you're passing by I reccomend stopping here.

Going to these magical gardens is a great way to spend any day - especially if it is spring and sunny! Unfortunately, I went about a week before spring was due to start so many of the flowers weren't in full bloom but I do fully intend to go back to experience the full magnificence of the garden. Once you step through the doors of the garden you are instantly transported to a serene and tranquil garden right in the heart of Darling Harbour! I was amazed by the beauty and the walk through the gardens. Entry is very cheap - only $6 for adults and less for children (I think $4 from memory). You can play dress up too for only $10 and be "made-over" with traditional Chinese robes - something I fully intend to do next time I visit. They also offer tea and food - something I also intend to try upon my return. I highly recommend this for families who want to take their kids out on a relatively inexpensive day. Definitely memorable and a fun experience! I cannot wait to go back in a month and experience the garden in full bloom.

I hadn't been to the Chinese Gardens in years (at least a decade??) and my husband who has lived all of his life in Sydney hadn't never visited at all. We decided to take advantage of the afternoon tea special, with a pot of tea and either scones or dim sum, in addition to entry (for a total price of around $13). Firstly though, we had a wander around the gardens. It was much as I remembered, a peaceful oasis on the edge of the city. Inside, it certainly feels bigger than it really is, helped by the winding paths and different elevations. Despite being a hot and sunny day, there was plenty of shade to keep us quite cool. My favourite spot was up next to the waterfall, where the noise from the cascading water blocked out the sounds of the city. Although, the tall construction towers from the convention centre impose more than the old building. The tea selection was diverse and both of us enjoyed our pot. The dim sum were not the best that I've had, but still good for the price. I'd probably choose the scones over them next time. They also hire Chinese costumes (for a measly $10 extra, $5 for children), which would be fun to do another time if we had more time.

What a great place to relax after walking around the Darling Harbor. It was very pretty considering this is the dead of winter. I was fortunate to get a guided tour through the garden. It's very peaceful and relaxing. They also had programs for kids and you could rent Chinese customs to walk around the garden with.

Cool name ain't it. But unfortunately it wasn't a big garden. Located near to Darling Quarter (you can park here) is this garden. Entrance fee is only $6 for an adult (price subject to changes) which was a real deal. It has some nice corners for picture taking and a place where you can rent the traditional clothing for $10. There is a few up and down pathways which you might need to keep noticing on where you are stepping. I like the ambience of this place and the waterfall as well. Unfortunately, some of the ponds were pretty cloudy that you can hardly notice the Kois in them. I was fortunate enough to see a mother duck together with its ducklings paddling on the water. Most of the area are open areas and it is definitely not a good place if it rains. So do check the weather before coming here. It is also walkable distance away from Sydney's "Chinatown".

Beautiful, compact Chinese garden with a wide variety of interesting features. My five-year-old enjoyed the Chinese Zodiac scavenger hunt; him having that goal allowed us to enjoy the gardens more too. Definitely worth the admission fee. A good bit of shade and places to rest throughout, which is helpful on a warm day.

More than just a garden, it's an amazing tranquil, peaceful place in the middle of a crowded, busy city. For the mere price of $6AUD, you can be transported to another world for a short while. Stroll through the garden and you will see beautiful landscaping, examples of Chinese architecture, rock formation sculptures, artwork, waterfalls, koi ponds, and water dragons. There are a few daily guides that are offered at no additional charge, that are really informative and will make you rethink everything you seen in the garden as so many things are such deep meaning or history beyond just the appearance of it. There is a lot of Yin and yang elements with the garden and when you look at the garden as a whole along, you see the garden is exactly that - along with the city that surrounds it. If you love Chinese culture, gardens, fish and reptiles, architecture, natural works of art, or just want a peaceful break for the city, spend a couple hours here, you won't be disappointed.

I'd say the gardens are a nice surprise to the chaotic city. The water, trees and gardens are all very nice. However I can't fully say that you feel like you are 'away' from the hustle and bustle of the city, and for that I give it 4 out of 5. Worth seeing though. Oooh - don't forget the mosquito repellent.

After doing many of the sightseeing options in Sydney, my friend and I decided to take a step back and visit the Chinese Garden of Friendship. It was not too crowded when we visited it around lunch time. The fee is nominal. It closes around 5p. It is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. There is an option to do a guided tour as well. We sat and had tea overlooking the pond with the large Koi fish. There are multiple photo opportunities but it is imperative to have a map so you so not get lost and repeat what you have already seen-the garden is of a significant size-I would recommend.

A very gorgeous garden. I enjoyed sitting out with tea and dumplings, watching the koi in the pond. Plenty of places to walk, sit and relax in. You almost forget your in the middle of a city.

Don't get me wrong the garden is beautiful. It's peaceful and was not very crowded. I enjoyed climbing up and down the rocks and all the water features. I thought there would be more sculptured shrubs or trees. There a lot of the same trees and shrubs. There was one fruit tree that had produce on it, that was pretty cool. It is fun to see all the greenery and tranquility with huge sky scrapers just outside the walls. However, for $6 it was rather small. I visited the Botanical Garden yesterday and it was larger, had more variety and was free.

I was very impressed with this garden. They have done a really good job of creating it. Beautiful is one word I can use to describe it. Peaceful is another . To look down on it all from the highest spot and to look across the pond at all is very calming. How could one ever not feel happy and at peace while in here......but we did come on a brilliant sunny day. Would it be any different on a rainy day? Except wet. The cost to get in is worth it, there is a tearoom should you wish to have some refreshment, and once you have paid the entry you could exit and enter as much as you wish throughout the day. And it's just a stones throw from Chinatown if you feel like some nosh once you finished relaxing in here. Well worth taking the time out to visit.

Beautiful gardens to walk around to escape to husstle and busstle of sydney. I didnt mind paying the small entrance fee to nosy around. On this day i visited there were workshops for children making chinese lanterns ... i wish i could have had a wee shot. Well worth a visit when in the area.

Visit the garden right when it opened at 9:30am. Costs $6/person to come into the garden. it is really small, but very small. We were able to see the whole garden in about 30 minutes. The garden is very beautiful which great spots for photo ops. Loved seeing the koi fish in the ponds as well. They have a tea garden for tea time and lunch which, if we hadn't already had breakfast we would have totally visited.

Very peaceful place and lots of lizards everywhere. Plenty of places for great pics. Its really relaxing and there are quite a few places to sit back and enjoy the scenery. Admission is 6 dollars and well worth it.

Cute place, beautiful garden! The people are very nice and it's a great venue for wedding (saw one there it looked stunning!!) only sad thing is the close proximity to the city, and how much you can hear the traffic.

Such a great, peaceful place right in the middle of the city. For $6, it's totally worth a visit and somewhere I bring anyone who comes to visit Sydney. The gardens are beautiful, well looked after and it's a bit surreal to see the buildings in the background. You can get some great pictures. I've never really spent more than half an hour here though - beautiful, but not really somewhere you need a great deal of time to see