 Sydney Beaches and Bays |
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The Sydney’s beaches give the city that special something… the famous aussie laidback style. If you want to enjoy the city as the locals do, beach is the place to be. They are part of the Australian religion and even Christmas is celebrated at the beach with a big aussie-style BBQ with your mates.
As a good Brazilian I also enjoyed the beaches during my time in Australia. Soaking up in the sun on the weekends is mandatory. I can definitely say that if “Sun, Sand and Sea” is your type of tourism, Sydney is your destination! And I would even include an extra “S” for Surfing, Sydney beaches present perfect conditions for surfing. What else could you ask for?
Beaches
In Sydney, except in the western suburbs, you are never more than half-hour away from a beach. From the extreme north (Palm Beach) ‘til the south tip (Cronulla), Sydney has a beach that will suit everyone’s taste:
- Bondi Beach: World-famous Bondi… that’s where I used to live and definitely where my heart is. Beautiful ocean color, white sands. But Bondi is synonym of surf and great night life, home to several clothing boutiques, cafes, pubs and restaurants. Enjoy a beer with your mates at the Bondi Hotel, or if you want views go to the Icebergs.
- Tamarama: Also known as Glamourama, is a tiny and quieter beach, nestled between Bondi and Bronte. It’s good for swim or simply to relax. The greatest thing about this beach is the Tamarama Beach Café, a small kiosk in front of the beach that serves great breakfast options, drinks, snacks and refreshments.
-Bronte: a lovely beach with a natural-rock swimming pool. It’s a great place for families, because it has a large park with barbecue and picnic facilities. It is especially beautiful when the swells are in.
- Coogee: This beach is known as a smaller and less popular version of Bondi. It’s still pretty good, with great cafés and restaurants.
- Maroubra: It is not as urbanized as the other beaches in the Eastern Suburbs. Boosts a wilder atmosphere, great for surfing.
- La Perouse: It a place to go to appreciate the scenery, not so much to swim or to surf. It has two small beaches nearby, one of them known for being nudist. I guess what makes this place worth visiting are the walks through the bush, the La Perouse Museum and Bare Island, which is accessed via a footbridge.
- Cronulla: Is a popular tourist attraction, great to spend the day. It offers a long stretch of sand, followed by rock pools, some interesting shops and cafes. It is also popular for its surfing and body boarding conditions.
- Manly: Their slogan is “Seven Miles from Sydney, a thousand miles from care”. It retains much of the holiday atmosphere of a seaside village. The beach is great, as well as the Corso (main street), restaurants, cafés and bars. The ferry which travels to and from Circular Quay is an experience itself. Definitely a must do in Sydney.
- Northern Beaches: Less urbanized then the beaches in the Eastern Suburbs, the beaches comprised between Manly and Palm Beach are beautiful and less touristy. Some good places: Dee Why, Narrabeen, Curl Curl. I would say that those beaches are only worth visiting if you really have spare time and really like beaches, because apart from being a natural asset there aren’t any other attractions in those places. However, a place that is totally worth visiting is Palm Beach, a finger of land ending north at the Barrenjoey Head. You can walk to the Barrenjoyey Lighthouse, catch a ferry across the central coast township of Ettalong or take a cruise around Pittwater
Bays
The Sydney Harbour natural cuts form interesting bays along the shore. Some of my favorite bays are:
- Watsons Bay: My fave place in town. Great atmosphere, wonderful views of the city. It is a great place to have lunch, a picnic or hang out with friends. One great way to get there is to catch the ferry from Circular Quay and enjoy the trip through Sydney Harbour up ‘til the South Head, arriving in Watsons Bay.
- Double Bay: Originally a fishing neighborhood, fashion is now the catch of the day around Knox, Bay and Cross Streets - great boutiques, antiques, gifts and restaurants.
Coastal Walks
Even though all those beaches are easily accessed by public transport, the most enjoyable way to see them is by foot. Sydney has coastal paths pretty much along the entire coast and harbour shore. Some great ones are:
Sculpture by the Sea
In October there is an interesting exhibition along the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk, with Australian and International Sculptures.
- Bondi to Coogee Walk: a spectacular clifftop walk along the Eastern Suburbs coastline. About 6km, easygoing. You can start in either direction, and you will pass through: Bondi Beach, Mackenzies Point, Tamarama, Bronte, Waverly Cemetery (yes, you have to go through the cemetery to continue the walk, but it’s quite interesting and unique), Clovelly, Gordon’s Bay and finally Coogee.
- Watsons Bay to Double Bay: Don’t really know how many km, however I can assure you it’s pretty long, but it’s really beautiful as well. And is worth stopping along the way. You will pass through: Lady Bay, Vaucluse Bay, Shark Bay, Nielsen Park, Parsley Bay, Rose Bay, Point Piper, Double Bay. The scenery is really beautiful, along the Sydney Harbour National Park, views of the innumerous sailing boats making their way in the harbour. If you want to go further, you can go all the way to Woolloomooloo, passing through Darling Point, Rushcutters Bay, Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay.
- Harbour Foreshore: Around the city’s fringe- from Darling Harbour , The Rocks and the Royal Botanic Gardens. It is the most touristy walk.
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