With over 20,000 miles of pristine coastline, Australia is home to thousands of beaches, each more breathtaking than the next. Every water activity imaginable can be found along these shores. Go swimming, snorkeling, kayaking or just hang out on the wide-open sandy beaches enjoying a campfire or grilling some meat on the barbie. Rent a caravan on you can even camp on many of the beaches for free and wake up to the sound of the surf.
Having trouble deciding which beach to visit first? Join us as we explore the 10 best beaches in Australia.
Bells Beach - Queensland
Surf’s up! If you're in the surfing world, you're probably familiar with the waves at Bells Beach. If you're not up to the challenge, you can watch all the action from the amazing clifftops that overlook the beach. At low tide, throw a line into the surf and try your hand at the great fishing available. You'll find Bells Beach on Victoria's Great Ocean Road just down from Torquay. If you're in town in April, check out the surfers competing for pro surfing's most treasured trophy — the Rip Curl Pro Bell.
Bondi Beach - Sydney
Though Bondi can get a bit crowded, you can’t pass up this iconic beach if you're staying in Sydney. The surfing is fantastic and making friends on the beach is a breeze. If you head to the southern end of Bondi, you can sip a cold beer and enjoy fantastic views from Bondi Icebergs Club. This international landmark is open to guests and no trip to Sydney is complete without a dip in their oceanside pool. Take in all the scenery on the Bondi to Coogee Walk, a 3.5-mile oceanfront trail where you will find great beaches, cliffs and cafes to refresh you as you sit and enjoy the breathtaking vistas.
Cottesloe Beach - Perth
You won’t find a more amazing sunset in Australia than the ones at Cottesloe Beach in Perth. It’s also one of the best beaches for families to hang out and have a refreshing swim, do some snorkeling and a bit of surfing. Cottesloe is not only a great beach, but the town is also famous for its casual lifestyle and quaint cafes. Sunday is the day to join the locals as they head to the beach, have a few drinks and watch the sun go down. Enjoy the breathtaking Perth coastline by hiking or cycling any part of the 16 mile-long Cottesloe to Hillarys trail.
Wategos Beach - Byron Bay
There are a few great beaches in Byron Bay and most people tend to gravitate to Byron Beach, but consider heading next door to the calm, less crowded Wategos Beach. Wategos sits in the shadow of the Byron Bay Lighthouse and is the most easterly point on the Australian mainland. This is absolutely the best spot on the planet to see the sunrise. If you are a beginning surfer, then this is the beach for you. The waves break gradually over the sand bar producing a friendlier surf. Take the 2-mile walking trail and meander through a rainforest and over cliff tops that offer stunning views of the ocean.
Cable Beach - Broome
Cable Beach is always at the top of the list of Australia’s best beaches. It’s tranquil, expansive and unbelievably flat, making it perfect for all types of sand sports like volleyball and cricket. The show-stopper at Cable Beach is the amazing sunset camel rides along the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Make sure to explore the town of Broome where there is an awesome Chinatown section that features some amazing Asian food.
Paradise Beach - Coral Bay
Paradise Beach in Coral Bay is a marine paradise and is aptly named for the beautiful coral gardens which lie just feet from the pristine white sand beach. Just grab your snorkel and wade a few feet off the beach and you will be amazed at the natural beauty of the Ningaloo Reef. Swim with Manta Rays, Whale Sharks and Humpback Whales along this amazing coastal wonderland. Coral Bay is also an angler’s dream where Mahi Mahi are swim ripe for the taking.
Cape Tribulation - Daintree National Park
When you visit Cape Trib, as the locals call it, you get more than just an amazing secluded beach. You get two World Heritage sites right next to each other—Daintree Rainforest and The Great Barrier Reef. This place is really something special. If you want to camp right on the beach, check out Cape Trib Camping where they offer beachfront campsites. Even though crocs prevent you from swimming in the waters off Cape Trip, the rainforest trails complete with amazing swimming holes more than makeup for it. It goes without saying that there are tons of tours out to the Great Barrier Reef.
Whitehaven Beach - Whitsunday Islands
Located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, Whitehaven is more than 4 miles long and provides the perfect backdrop to the Whitsunday Islands National Park. The view from the air is postcard-perfect with swirling patterns of aqua sea and blindingly white sand. Isolated and hard to access, this beach feels like a private paradise for all who venture there.
Hyams Beach - Jervis Bay
If you want to avoid the crowds and high-rises of many of the north coast beaches, head 110 miles south of Sydney to the white sands of Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay. How white? Hyams holds the Guinness Record for the whitest sand in the world. The beach is very family friendly and the nearby rock formations are fun for kids to play on. If you are lucky, you may even see some dolphins and kangaroos as you walk the soft white sandy beach and hike the trails near the Jervis Bay Marine Park. Make sure to stop of the Hyams Beach Café for a drink and a bite to eat—it’s where the locals hang out.
Turquoise Bay - Western Australia
When they named this area Turquoise Bay, they got it right. Just start walking into the pristine waters and soon you will be right on top of Ningaloo Reef. This popular beach is the perfect spot for swimming and snorkeling in the crystal-clear Indian Ocean. The best time to snorkel the reef is at high tide. You will need to be a pretty strong swimmer to get out into the reef, but you will be rewarded with colorful coral, turtles, squid and loads of brightly adorned fish.