Taronga Zoo Sydney

Set on the harbour foreshore at Mosman, Taronga has what may be the finest view of any zoo in the world - the giraffes graze with the Opera House and the city skyline behind them. Reached by ferry across the water, it climbs a steep hillside through habitats for Australian and exotic animals, from the Great Southern Oceans seal displays to the Sumatran tigers and the walk-through wallaby and koala areas. A cable car and the sloping paths make a day of it, and the twilight concerts on the lawn in summer are a Sydney institution. The harbour setting alone is worth the crossing.