Australia Beaches

So many Australia beaches of this island nation line the several thousand miles of coastline and its nearly 10,000 islands that it is probably impossible to list them all. Some areas of the country are extremely remote, and you can find deserted and unnamed Australian beaches that may never have seen a tourist. The short list would probably start with Bondi Beach (pronounced BON-dye), one of the many Sydney beaches and one of the most famous in the country. Like legendary Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, it is also one of the most beautiful urban beaches in the world, and is set only about four miles from the heart of the inner city. Other urban beaches in Australia around Sydney include Manly Beach, just across the harbor from Bondi Beach, and Palm Beach in the far northern suburbs. You will find that it is possible to have extremely enriching Australia beach vacations without ever leaving the largest city in all of Australia.

The eastern coast of the country is the most developed, with the most sophisticated tourist infrastructures. There are high-rise deluxe beach resorts, charming bed and breakfast inns, and budget motels clustered around the best Australia beaches up and down this part of the coastline. North of Brisbane, are the Australian beaches of the beautiful Whitsunday Islands off the coast close to Airlie Beach. Each of these islands boasts several beaches, many of which are part of a national park and virtually deserted. South of Brisbane, you will find the popular Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, which offer some of the country’s best surfing.

A bit further north, are the Australia beaches that are protected by the more than 1,600-mile-long Great Barrier Reef, which is blessed with its own pristine beaches in Australia that are sometimes submerged at high tides. Here is some of the best reef scuba diving in the world. The Great Barrier Reef gateway towns of Cairns (pronounced CAN) and Port Douglas also boast numerous popular beaches, including Palm Cove, Clifton Beach, Trinity Beach, Holloway Beach, and many more. This region is also known both for its indigenous Aboriginal people and the rainforests they call home. These rainforests, like Daintree Rainforest, stretch from the interior hinterland right up to the ocean, and many holidays on Australian beaches in this region include visits to see the rainforest wildlife as well as enjoy cultural interactions with the Aboriginal people.

We still haven’t scratched the surface of beaches in Australia that offer incredible scenery, spectacular wildlife, and unique Aussie experiences. In the south off the coast of Adelaide, is Kangaroo Island, which is about the same size as lovely Nantucket Island off the coast of Massachusetts. This beautiful island has a small population about the same size as that of Nantucket and protects its pristine beaches, historic lighthouses, and incredible unique wildlife with the same vigilant zealousness. Here you can see kangaroos and wallabies foraging along the sands just as you can on Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay south of Sydney.

If you want Australian beaches that are truly remote, head for the west coast where you will find Ningaloo Reef, where the desert Outback quite literally meets the sea. Here on Australia’s largest fringing reef, you can swim with the world’s largest fish—the gentle whale shark that can reach lengths of 60 feet and weigh as much as 50 tons. Head north to Darwin and Kakadu National Park, you will find even more remote, unspoiled beaches.

Factors to consider on your Australia beach vacations include some things you may not think about. Almost all beaches frequented by people, from urban Bondi Beach to the pristine Kangaroo Island beaches, are patrolled regularly by extremely experienced professional lifeguards. Only very remote beaches do not have lifeguards. However, as a tourist, you will almost always have the choice to be on guided tours with professional staff watching over you. The surf and currents in some areas, even very populated and popular beaches, can be unpredictable. Make sure you find out conditions before you enter the water. Your beach hotels will have good advice for you.