How to Make the Most of Bondi Beach

How to Make the Most of Bondi Beach

Written by: Cameron Ward

Published: 07/26/2016

Reading time: 4 mins

You simply cannot say you have explored Australia until you have kicked off your shoes and walked barefoot across the glistening sands and into the warm and welcoming shallows of brilliant Bondi.

Bondi Beach is the best-known stretch of coastline in Sydney City. Set just 7km from the centre of town, it provides the perfect escape from the bustling crowds, where you can kick back and relax on golden sands and soak up the laidback atmosphere.

The beach lifestyle is prevalent at Bondi, which is hugely popular with both tourists and locals. If you’re looking for a fun day in the sun, where you can mess about in the waves, try your hand at surfing, and be a part of the vibrant, young atmosphere of Sydney, this is the place to go.

Surrounding the beach there are plenty of cultural cafes, trendy restaurants and boutique shops to enjoy, which pair nicely with the pristine sands and the gentle waves that characterize this part of the coast.

Getting to Bondi Beach

Getting to Bondi Beach from the centre of Sydney is fairly easy. The nearest train station is Bondi Junction, although this is still a good 3km from the beach itself. From the station, you can grab a bus to the beach to break up the journey.

Activities at the Bondi Beach

  • Swim Until Your Heart’s Content

    The water surrounding Bondi Beach provides the perfect place to cool off in the Australian sun. Swimming is safe between the two flags, and there are facilities like changing rooms and showers onsite.

  • Take a Walk

    The scenery at Bondi Beach is amazing, and the coastal walk which takes you to Tamarama, Bronte, and Coogee offers some spectacular views across the coast and out to sea. There are numerous places to stop off for a drink along the way.

  • Hit the Waves

    Surfing is hugely popular at Bondi Beach – so much so that the entire southern end is dedicated to surfers. There are a handful of surf schools you can attend, or you can simply rent a board and hit the waves on your own.

  • Scuba Dive

    If you want to get below the water’s surface and explore another side to Bondi Beach, go scuba diving just off the coast. There are a collection of companies that will take you out into the ocean and explore the underwater world with you.

  • Hop in a Boat

    If you want to explore Bondi Beach quickly in all its glory, hop aboard a boat and whizz along the coastline. You’ll avoid the traffic and you’ll get to experience the beach from a different perspective. Boat tours leave from the pier everyday.

  • Enjoy the Crafts and Culture

    Campbell Parade runs along the seafront and provides shoppers with an idyllic stretch of stores to splash the cash. On Sundays you can find the Bondi Beach Markets selling a blaze of brightly coloured crafts including local jewellery and clothes. Yet there is more than just shopping for those who want to indulge in the delights of the thriving community surrounding Bondi Beach. The Bondi Pavilion offers you the chance to glimpse locally inspired art and theatre and to peruse the Marine Discovery Centre to find out about the creatures that live beneath the rolling surf.

  • Fireworks and Fun

    Bondi Beach is also home to one of the oldest lifesaving schools in the country and in the warm months the sands are teeming with lifeguards and volunteers keeping an eye ever fixed on the bright blue waters. With calmer shallow spots on the beach this could be the perfect time to try your hand at surfing or to simply splash in the shallows and cool down from the sun. Every New Year’s thousands congregate upon the shores to watch the fireworks dance across the sky and to celebrate a new start.

  • Treks and Tides

    Hikers will delight in the picturesque opportunities to explore the coastline. Bondi Beach is the starting point for plenty of coastal trails that head to the nearby beaches of Tamarama, Bronte and Coogee. Taking the long and winding Coogee path will take you through the eclectic Sculpture by the Sea exhibition which makes its debut appearance every spring.

Related article: How Long Should You Stay in Sydney?

Cameron Ward
Cameron Ward
Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.