SYDNEY (New South Wales) -- area code (61-2)

• Beauchamp Hotel
  267 Oxford St, Darlinghurst, 9331-2575. Popular pub gets crowded on the weekends. Once an older style Sydney bar, it's now been renovated into a trendy cocktail bar and serves great food.
• Cleveland
  Corner of Bourke and Cleveland St, Surry Hills, 9698-1908. Two rooms with wood floor, cushy chairs and pool tables. Open late on weekends and attracts a younger crowd taking a break from the larger clubs.
• The Colombian
  117 Oxford St (at the intersection of Crown St), The Columbian Hotel, 9360-2151, email. Two floors of fun with two bars serving premium and imported beers and signature cocktails. Decor is self-described as "South American chic". Large screen music videos, upstairs dance floor. Has become extremely popular and its a prime location for parade viewing.
• Gilligan's and Ginger's
  Oxford Hotel, 134 Oxford St, Darlinghurst, 9331-3467. First floor bar, cocktails at Gilligan's on the 2nd floor, or private booths at Ginger's on the 3rd floor. Take in the view of Oxford Street and the city skyline. DJs spinning the latest sounds.
• Landsdowne Hotel (mixed)
  2-6 City Rd (intersection at Broadway), 9211-2325. Best on Fri and Sat after 10pm. Lesbian theme parties on every "Spicy Friday".
• The Martini (mixed)
  Pier One Parkroyal, 11 Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay, 8298-9999, email. Stylish modern bar with great location on the Walsh Bay wharves with harbour views. As the name suggests, martinis are the specialty here, in more than a dozen styles, as well as other scrumptious cocktails. Sit outdoors in the warm weather to take in the fresh air and cruising (on the water, of course).
• Midnight Shift
  85 Oxford St, Darlinghurst, 9360-4463, email. Three story club with two bars, dance floor, pool tables, and games. Attracts all sorts of gay archetypes. Also popular with Asian Sydneysiders looking for new friends. Djs spin popular dance beats along with gay anthems. Check out the men's facilities where a huge fish tank stands in for modesty panels (lucky fish!). Good for cheap beer, a game of pool or a dance either downstairs or upstairs. Busiest Wed to Sun. Best place for take-out during the week.
• Milk Bar at Icebox
  2 Kellet St, Kings Cross, 9331-0058. Trendy club attracts popqueer patrons. The latest house beats and gay anthems. Romantic private booths. Young crowd. Fri and Sat women's hang-out.
• Middlebar
  383-387 Bourke St (above Kinselas), Darlinghurst. Models, fashionistas, and glam wanna-bes (plus handsome staff!). Have a Death by Chocolate or Melon Matrix cocktail on the balcony overlooking Taylor Square. But, grab a choice seat early because this place starts packing them in after 10:30pm. The friendly owner knows many spots in the city.
• Mint Room
  53 Martin Place, 9233-5388. Sophisticated and modern cocktail habitat. Mint's music is lounge luxe and the crowd is fun and fashionable.
• The Oxford
  Oxford Hotel, 134 Oxford St (at the corner of Bourke St, on Taylor Square), Darlinghurst, 9331-3467. Recently refurbished. It still attracts the bear/leather crowd but it's become more trendy now.
• Palms
  124 Oxford St. Another good gay bar with a relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere (if you're the type of person who gets sick of places where guys just go to show off their chests).
• The Slip Inn (mixed)
  111 Sussex St (at the corner of King St), 9299-4777, 8297-7000, email. A short walk from Town Hall Station or Wynyard Station. This celeb magnet has four bars and two club areas. The Slip Bar has pool tables and Thai food, and the Sand Bar offers more privacy for chilling out. The garden overlooks Darling Harbour. The music is lush, the staff are brilliant and clearly enjoy their jobs. Plus, the food is great and the crowd worth oogling.
• Stonewall Hotel
  175 Oxford St, Darlinghurst, 9360-1963, email. The main pub downstairs is friendly and features live shows. Head upstairs for dancing. Popular with both gays and lesbians.
• The Taxi Club
  40-42 Flinders St, Darlinghurst, 9331-4256, email. Cheap drinks and a safe haven for gender-blending transgenders, transexuals, and ambisexuals. Three floors: restaurant bar, main bar and disco bar.

• Imperial Hotel
  35 Erskineville Rd, Erskineville, 9519-9899. A recent face lift and new lighting has only accentuated the dazzle at this famous Sydney drag bar, the location of club scenes in "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert". Catch one of the all-pro shows in Priscilla's Bar, their cabaret. Five a night on weekends! Downstairs dance space. Open late. Attracts every kind of being around so it's also dished as being like the cantina from Star Wars (bitch!).

• ARQ
  16 Flinders St, Taylor Square, Darlinghurst, 9380-8700. Shirts off! This hugely popular dance club has Dj spinning the latest beats and gogo boys on podiums, but the party crowd is the real show as they "gyre and gimble in the wabe". Hot men from all over the planet converge here on Friday night and shootin' off menergy all weekend long.
• Home (mixed)
  Cockle Bay Wharf, Darling Harbour, 9266-0600. A massive club with various party rooms and a dance for for thousands, but only an occasional gay party - literally called Homosexual - every few months. Pricy entry and drinks.
• The Phoenix (mixed)
  B/F 34 Oxford St, Darlinghurst. Small dance bar is packed on weekends, starting late and running until morning. Shirts off, get cruising! RISING offers a predominately gay morning party with high energy house and a splash of 'hands in the air' every Sat and Sun morning from 6:30am.