Indonesian Consulate's Secret?

fwiw theres a small batik exhibition they put on in the consulate lobby every few months, usually tied to some random cultural holiday. its not advertised anywhere except their facebook page which barely gets updated. i walked in once during it and no one asked me anything, just smiled and pointed at the fabric displays. theres also a little library room upstairs with indonesian books and magazines, if you ask nicely at the front desk they sometimes let you browse for 10 minutes. not a huge secret but it feels like one

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i mean the open day thing is the main way in but if you're here on a random tuesday, try walking past around 4pm when the staff are leaving. the gate's usually open for a few minutes while cars filter out, you can get a decent look at the courtyard from the footpath without being weird about it. also the consulate proper on edward street does a little ramadan bazaar in the lobby during fasting month, free snacks and tea, no one checks if you're actually there for business

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Nah, mate. Doubt there's any public access to the Indonesian Consulate General's residence. Diplomatic residences are usually pretty private affairs. Your friend's right about it being well-kept though, they often are. Best bet for experiencing Indonesian culture in @Sydney would be checking out the local Indonesian restaurants and community events. Plenty of those around, and far less secretive.

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Newtown's worth a look if you dont mind being a bit further out. The train from Newtown station to Central is like 5 mins and runs constantly, and King Street is basically one long food strip, Thai, Vietnamese, Turkish, whatever u want at 10pm. Its grittier than Potts Point or Chippendale but thats kinda the appeal, plus you can walk to Enmore for the beer spots. Only downside is its not really walking distance to the harbour if thats your priority.

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Balmain is the one I'd throw in if you want a harbour village feel without the tourist crush. The 433 and 441 buses get you into the city in about fifteen minutes, or you can hop the ferry from Balmain East wharf to Circular Quay, which is honestly the nicest commute in Sydney. Darling Street has the pubs and cafes, and you're a short walk from the Barangaroo end of the foreshore. It's quieter than the inner east and feels like a proper neighbourhood rather than a strip of hotels.

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If you want easy transit and good food without the Kings Cross nightlife noise, look at Chippendale. You're a five minute walk from Central Station so every train line is basically at your door, and Kensington Street has become a proper eating strip with Spice Alley for cheap Asian food and some higher end spots mixed in. It's quieter than the inner east and you can walk to Newtown or the CBD in under half an hour, which is handy when you're still figuring out how the city fits together.

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