Best Beaches near Sydney: Most beautiful beaches to dip in this summer
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Sydney or known as ‘the emerald city’ brings in more than 10 million tourists each year making it the largest and one of the busiest cities in Australia offers a range of attractions to visit ranging from the Sydney opera house to the harbor bridge.
We, however, are focussing on the iconic beaches Sydney has to offer which are famous all around the world. There are well over 100 beaches in the city ranging in size, from a few meters to several kilometres located in the pacific ocean coastline and its harbours, bays, and rivers.
At Sydney Private Tours, we have compiled a list of the top beaches you should visit while travelling to Sydney along with some added info on some history behind the beach, what to do there, and how to get there The first one is :
Manly Beach
What is Manly Beach famous for?
Named by Captain Arthur Philip who discovered Sydney back in 1788, it’s one of the most renowned beaches near Sydney for surfing. Furthermore, it was also one of the first seaside resorts to allow daylight swimming and surfing back in 1903.
How to get there?
The public bus is one way of reaching Manly Beach with services operating across interchanges at Belgrave Street and the Western Esplanade.
Next is the Manly Ferry which operates from Circular Quay in the city and provides a 30-minute ferry ride to Manly Wharf. Maybe if you’re lucky you’ll be able to spot dolphins, seals or even humpback whales.
Fast ferries are option number 3 which is provided by Sydney fast ferries which depart from the main wharf every hour that provides an 18-minute journey to Manly.
Finally, the last option would be the hop skip & jump bus which consists of mini-community buses that run on 3 routes, 7 days a week. The bus routes interchange at the Totem Shopping Center in Condamine Street Balgowlah and run to Many from Monday to Friday.
What to do in Manly Beach?
- Surfing – What’s the point in visiting a tourist attraction known for its beach without igniting a little bit of adventure in you! Learn to surf! With plenty of surf schools located all across the beach offering help as early as 1983, safe to say you are guaranteed to be taught by the very best to get introduced to the waves.
- Wormhole – If you prefer a bit of isolation and away from bustling crowds you can just squeeze through the wormhole. This little tunnel was carved out by a fisherman a century ago to link the north end of Manly beach with fresh water. This strip of the beach is recommended by locals actually as their favorite part of the beach, furthermore, it was here that surfing was first introduced to Australians in 1914 by a Hawaiian duke whose statue is erected close by!
- Kayaking at Manly Dam – With this idyllic dam located at the back of the suburb shows that Manly is not only famous for its beaches, as Manly Dam attracts many tourists both local and foreign to come fishing, swim and also have picnics. However, the best way to experience it is in a kayak where you can explore this tranquil waterway at your own pace. You can easily rent one from the Manly Kayak center and on you go!
- Take a dip in the Fairy Bower Sea Pool – With Sydney having ocean pools all across the beaches in the city, few are as unique as this one which is a rectangular-shaped pool built by the local residents in 1912. It also features a pair of striking sculptures made by an artist that looks like a pair of dancers twirling above the water.
Safety information
On a serious note, we can end with all the safety measures mainly takes place to make sure everyone is cautious of their surroundings and knows what to do if an emergency takes place. With lifeguards located at various spots across the beach, everyone is instructed to abide by the following rules
- Swim between the red and yellow flags
- Read all safety signs
- Don’t swim alone
- Get added safety advice from a lifeguard
- If you need help always STAY CALM and attract attention by raising your arm over your head
- Wear sunscreen, seek shade and stay hydrated
- For any emergency dial triple zero (000) for the police
Manly also provided a variety of accessible services for the disabled which includes an inclusive playground, accessible showers, pools, and wheelchairs.
Parking
Always a big issue in congested areas and mainly has 2 options. If you have a Northern beaches parking permit you can park for free for 4 hours. Option 2 is parking along the beachfront with the use of a meter
Bondi Beach
With over 2.5 million visitors each year, Bondi Beach is one of the most popular beaches in the world and one of the beaches near Sydney. This particular attraction accounts for a significant amount of tourists who visit Australia each year.
Why is it so famous?
One of the main reasons being it is accessible in both summer and winter, unlike other beaches that are inaccessible due to obvious weather conditions making it impossible to visit.
The Ambience
Bondi Beach isn’t just a beach, it’s a lifestyle with an amazing combination of Australian culture and tourism packed into one stretch that is shown by cafes, restaurants and many cultural events spread across the shore that flock and attract both international and local tourists.
It is also close to the central business district which is Sydney’s most vibrant area which results in a proportionate amount of traffic
How to get to Bondi Beach
It is a 15-minute drive from Sydney’s CBD on a normal day. If driving is not possible Sydney’s public transport system makes it very easy. Just catch the train to Bondi junction and jump into the 383 or 382 busses that run from Bondi junction to the beach which is about a 10-minute drive.
Uber is a final option that costs 30-50 dollars from the CBD to Bondi Beach however I recommend using the other 2 options when it comes to being economical.
Beach Safety
As always follow the basics as stated above with the main outlined as –
- Swim between the red and yellow flags
- Read all safety signs
- Don’t swim alone
- For any emergency dial Bondi Lifeguards 9083 8888.
Coogee Beach
How to Get There?
The easiest way to get from Coogee Beach to Sydney CBD is by taking the bus. Bus 373 and 374 are the most direct and bring you by Centennial Park, Central Station, Hyde Park, Botanical Gardens and Circular Quay. It takes about 40 minutes to get to Circular Quay from Coogee Beach and costs around $3.50 each way.
Safety Info
The beach is relatively safe and is patrolled during the summer. It is popular for surfing, swimming, and bodyboarding. The Coogee Surf Life Saving Club was founded in 1907. Coogee is a very popular area both for the residents and the many tourists who flock there.
As usual, follow the standard set of guidelines each beach offers. Such as –
- Swim between the red and yellow flags
- Read all safety signs
- Don’t swim alone
Locker systems at Coogee Beach
With the beach going through a major renovation in September 2017 with the structure being built into Goldstein Reserve and providing 750sqm of change areas, showers, lockers, and toilets that are easily accessible from the beach.
The new building is effectively underground and has been carefully designed to maximise natural light and airflow to create a bright and inviting space. In addition to the toilets and change rooms, it includes an office for the Council’s Lifeguards and outdoor workers, a kiosk, public lockers, and storage space for Coogee Surf Life Saving Club.
The design of the building took into account the wild weather conditions experienced at Coogee Beach and flood modelling was undertaken to minimise the impact on the building from storm damage.
In conclusion after outlining the main attractive beaches in Sydney above the rest such as Balmoral Beach, Bronte Beach, Cronulla Beach, La Perouse Beach also have great potential as Sydney’s best beaches which we will cover in our next article
Hopefully, this summarised article was informative for your next travel to Sydney, and make sure to keep an eye out for our next article, If you would like to hire a private tour guide in Sydney to take you to the best sightseeing spots, contact us via info@urbanpassport.com.au
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