The five best beaches in Sydney

When you think of Sydney, Australia, you immediately picture its long stretches of stunning golden sands – ranging from sheltered spots where you can enjoy a swim and some locally sourced fish and chips to pumping beach breaks popular with local surfers. But with more than 100 beaches to choose from, it’s difficult to know where to opt to spend the day once you’ve packed your towel and sunscreen.

Everyone has heard of Bondi Beach which is the feature image of this article. We have deliberately not included Bondi Beach in our list of the top 5 beaches to visit in Sydney. Instead, we have provided our round up of the best beaches we believe Sydney has to offer.

Manly Beach

Manly Beach is certainly not a ‘hidden gem’ – it’s the most popular area of Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with visitors transported over quite literally by the ‘boatload’ via the busy Manly Ferry Services operating across Sydney Harbour.

The long expanse of golden sands commonly referred to as Manly Beach actually consists of three beaches – Queenscliff, North Steyne and South Steyne. Fringed by Norfolk Island pine trees, it’s the perfect place to find a spot of shade during Sydney’s hot summer days. Manly Beach has designated swimming areas but is more famous for being a popular surf spot.

Manly offers such regular and consistent swells that many surf competitions have chosen this beach to host their contests – the Australian Open of Surfing is held here every year. There’s a surf school situated right on the beach and plenty of opportunities to rent boards and equipment if you do decide you want to catch some waves. Far from being purely a surf spot though, almost every activity is catered for here – from stand-up paddle-boarding to beach volleyball.

Palm Beach

Palm Beach is as iconic as it is picturesque – and most well known for being the location of the long-running Australian soap ‘Home and Away’. Situated 28 miles north of Sydney, Palm Beach is the most northerly of Sydney’s beaches and for this reason tends to be slightly quieter than those more accessible from the city centre.

The beach lies at the end of a peninsula and offers the best of both worlds for surfers and swimmers; with an exposed beach break on one side, and the calm waters of Pittwater on the other. For a bird’s eye view of the jutting peninsula and surrounding area you can hike up to the Barrenjoey Lighthouse, situated at Barrenjoey Head – Sydney’s northern most point. As well as the stunning ocean views, in winter you might also spot humpback whales as they begin their migration south.

Gordon’s Bay

A popular activity for tourists wanting to take in a slice of Sydney’s beaches and clifftops is the Bondi to Coogee walk – a 6km coastal walk taking in five beaches, three bays and views from the rugged cliffs. Near the end of the walk you’ll encounter Gordon’s Bay – a secluded spot only accessible by foot.

At Gordon’s Bay you’ll find a small strip of sand (at low tide), a boardwalk offering views of the bay, and a rocky section from which many people enter the water to go snorkelling. Snorkelling is very popular here due to the bay’s Underwater Nature Trail. The nature trail is marked (underwater) by concrete filled drums and marked by plaques illustrating the highlights of the bay’s varied marine life.

Balmoral Beach

Situated in Sydney’s Middle Harbour, Balmoral Beach is only a fifteen minute drive from downtown Sydney, located in the quiet residential area of Mosman. Its harbour-side location makes it a popular sunbathing spot as it’s sheltered from the winds (and the calm waters mean it’s ideal for families wanting to enjoy a tranquil paddle). Along with swimming, a variety of other slow-paced waterborne activities are on offer here, and it’s ideal for first time paddle boarders, kayakers and keen sailors.

Nautical chic is the aesthetic du jour here – and you’ll find locals and tourists alike enjoying fish and chips from Bottom of the Harbour. The iconic Boathouse Balmoral also serves breakfast, lunch, coffees and cocktails from its beachside location – you have to get there early to bag a picnic bench on the jetty overlooking the water.

Camp Cove Beach

In contrast to other beaches in Sydney offering endless expanses of shoreline, Camp Cove is as charming as it is compact, at only 262 yards long. You’ll find Camp Cove in Watsons Bay (located at the southern entrance to Sydney Harbour) – the cove is a short walk from the Watsons Bay ferry wharf. One of the highlights of Camp Cove is the stunning views it offers of the city’s skyline in the distance.

You can also learn more about the history of the local area (as well as enjoying the stunning views) by taking the South Head Heritage trail, starting at the northern end of the beach. After a busy day spent sunbathing and snorkelling, you can opt for an ice cream from the kiosk, or for a more refined dining option – fresh lobster or prawns from Doyles on the Beach.