You haven’t gone Down Under until you’ve stepped foot on one of the best beaches in Australia.
With stunning coasts lined in white sand beaches and unbelievably clear waters, Australia boasts some of the most gorgeous beaches in the world.
But with over 10,000 beaches, choosing the best is almost impossible.
Though all its beaches are undeniably beautiful, there is something truly special about our picks.
Surrendering to the laid-back Aussie beach culture is easy once you set eyes on these coastal gems.
Burleigh Heads Beach
The Gold Coast is famed for its long stretches of sun-kissed beaches, boundless waves and endless sunshine.
But as one of Australia’s most popular beach destinations, the increasing crowds and overwhelmingly touristy atmosphere can sometimes take away from the charm.
Burleigh Heads Beach is the one exception.
Widely considered by locals as the gem of the Gold Coast, Burleigh Heads combines pristine beach with untouched bush wilderness. The views out toward the Gold Coast skyline add to the stunning panorama.
The surprisingly clean shore is carefully tended to by locals, remaining relatively unpolluted though situated alongside a major highway.
Host to annual surfing competitions, this is the perfect spot to pick up a surf board and catch fantastic waves.
Vigilant lifeguards patrol several swimming sections and a large parkland area complete with a playground make it a wonderful family destination.
Walking tracks and the fringing Burleigh Heads National Park provide a nice break to the salty waves.
You’ll want to keep an eye out for native wildlife on both land and sea, including brush turkeys, sea eagles, pods of dolphins and even whales.
Main Beach, Noosa
With gentle waves, golden sands and clear waters, Noosa Main Beach is one of the crown jewels of the Sunshine Coast.
Located in Noosa, an idyllic beach resort town about two hours away from Brisbane, Main Beach promises something for everyone.
As one of Australia’s few north-facing beaches, this sun-kissed beach is blessed with endless warmth throughout the whole year.
Its calm and year-round patrolled waters make it perfect for swimming and family beach days.
Take a walk on the boardwalk, shaded with palm trees, and browse the numerous restaurants and cafes lining the beach. Fantastic waterfront dining with incredible views are is just a few steps away.
Main Beach is also one of the best places in all Australia for beginners to learn how to surf. As one of Australia’s top surfing destination, Noosa boasts many high quality surfing schools headed by professional surfers.
No better way to learn how to surf than with one of the pros!
Further up along the beach at the Noosa Park headland you’ll find long peeling waves with perfect barrels, a surfers’ dream. This is the site of the Noosa Festival of Surfing, a world-class event drawing surfers from around the world to compete in divisions such as long boarding, standup paddle surfing and even dog surfing!
Turquoise Bay
Western Australia, though largely skipped by North American travelers, is home to some of Australia’s most stunning beaches.
Known for white sands, turquoise waters and abundant marine life, these gems are slowly gaining popularity for their stunning beauty.
Turquoise Bay encapsulates all the best of Western Australia beaches perfectly, with waters as blue as its name.
Located in Cape Range National Park near the town of Exmouth, this unspoiled beach is an aquatic playground. Crystal clear turquoise waters gently lap at the white sandy shores, teasing at the tantalizing marine life hidden beneath the surface.
Turquoise Bay is perhaps one of the best beaches in Australia for snorkeling. With the fringing Ningaloo Reef less than 200 feet away from the shore, you could almost walk to the reef.
Don on a wetsuit, some flippers and a snorkeling mask and explore the underwater wonderland below.
Confident swimmers can take on the Drift Snorkel, floating along with a current running parallel to the beach and drifting over the colorful reef fish, starfish, sea slugs and even sea turtles below.
As a snorkeler’s paradise, it’s like swimming in a large natural aquarium.
Main Beach, Byron Bay
Grab a classic fish and chip takeaway from one of the many beachside eateries and settle onto the golden sands of Byron Bay’s Main Beach.
You’ll want to stay after dark for the fire dancers.
Known for its roots as an alternative hippy town, Byron Bay has seen tremendous growth over the last few years as artists, musicians and dreamers of all sorts chase the laid back beach life.
As more urban sprawl and development take over Byron Bay, its beaches still retain their natural beauty.
Main Beach, with its long stretch of surprisingly uncrowded and stunning coastline, adds to Byron Bay’s popularity.
Its north-facing curve lends to its fantastic surf break and outstanding sunsets. With the iconic Byron Bay Lighthouse overlooking from a distance, the scene appears straight out of a film.
As you spend more time in Byron Bay, you’ll find its picture-perfect scenery stretches beyond Main Beach.
Cable Beach
As you sit high astride a camel, walking in rhythm with the camel train along turquoise waters edged by red ochre cliffs, you’ll feel like you’re in a completely different world.
The purple and red sky burning to a fiery yellow glow during sunset only adds to the magical atmosphere of Cable Beach.
Located in Broome in Australia’s northwest, Cable Beach and the surrounding region possesses a rich history.
Walk to the southern end of the beach to Gantheaume Point, where red cliffs edged by bright turquoise waters create a stunning contrast breathtaking to behold. At the bottom of the cliffs are real dinosaur footprints over 130 million years old, preserved in reef rock visible at low tide.
Here you’ll also find Gantheaume Point Lighthouse, where you can see dolphins and migrating whales in season.
With soft white sands, aqua blue waters and gentle waves, Cable Beach is perfect for a lazy day and shallow swimming at the beach.
Add in umbrellas, beach chairs, paddle boards and even beach toys for hire and you’ve got a perfect day at Cable Beach.
Opt for an iconic camel ride and stay after dark for an unforgettable end to your Cable Beach day with a spectacular Indian Ocean sunset.
Wineglass Bay
Many great hikes are about the journey as much as the destination, but no hike can beat that first magical glimpse of Wineglass Bay.
Its turquoise waters perfectly curving into a white sandy shore, framed by bush-clad mountains, are an iconic Australian feature.
Part of Freycinet National Park in Tasmania, this is easily makes the list of the best things to do in Tasmania.
Take the 45-minute uphill trek through the native bush to the lookout, rewarding you with stunning views over the beach and surrounding scenery.
For a truly rewarding experience, take the 20 minute hike down from the lookout to set foot on the beach. As you walk through the bush and come upon the clearing onto the white sands of Wineglass Bay, you’ll know all the work is worth it.
If you’re not keen on stretching your legs, eco cruises, yacht charters and water taxis departing from Coles Bay in Freycinet National Park offer a scenic way to reach Wineglass Bay.
Sea planes and helicopter flights deliver that incredible iconic view over the beach.
Camping grounds on nearby Coles Bay allow beach lovers to overnight at Wineglass Bay. Nothing can beat lying on the soft sand, gazing up at the endless expanse of the Milky Way spread across the night sky.
Remote, peaceful and unbelievably gorgeous, Wineglass Bay is easily one of the best beaches in Australia.
Bondi Beach
Undisputed as Australia’s most iconic beach, Bondi Beach is like a self-contained world set along one splendid shore.
As the closest beach to the Sydney CDB, Bondi is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.
Its curling waves create a tantalizing rhythm drawing you into its unbelievably blue waters. Even in winter you’re bound to see surfers in full body wet suits, unable to resist the tempting waters.
From fine dining to coastal walks, surfing schools to markets, you could easily spend days exploring all Bondi has to offer.
Taste exquisite regional Italian cuisine at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, where unbeatable views over Bondi are accented by a glass of exceptional Aussie wine.
Browse the best fresh produce and artisan eats at the Sunday Bondi Markets, where you can grab a snack and chill on the grass knolls looking out to the beach.
Take on the scenic Bondi to Coogee walk, a clifftop coastal walk winding between some of Sydney’s most beautiful beaches.
Behind the beach lies Gould Street, a boutique shopping strip boasting high-end designers and unique finds.
Head to Bondi early in the morning to claim a patch of sand and catch the sunrise over Sydney.
The Basin
Glimmering emerald waters pooled into a shallow bay, locked into seclusion by smooth reef- this is the Basin.
Located on Rottnest Island off the coast of Perth, this lovely little spot is one of Western Australia’s greatest treasures.
Its shallow waters, soft white sands and excellent snorkeling close to shore make it popular with families.
Buffalo bream fish and other reef fish swim around your ankles, visible from above the water’s surface.
At the western end of the Basin is a big limestone hill with extraordinary views across the beach and Bathurst Point Lighthouse in the distance.
Summer mornings are the best time to beat the crowds and set up your umbrella and chair.
With the sun shining through the crystal clear waters revealing an aqua glow, a dip is simply irresistible.
Whitehaven Beach
Whitehaven Beach is the sort of place you’d probably see in heaven. Its endless gradients of crystal blue waters blended with swirls of pure white sands create an almost celestial scene.
It’s something you truly have to see to believe.
The powdery white sand is 98 percent silica, a substance found in a high-purity form of sand. With extremely fine grains soft to the touch that never retain heat, a walk down Whitehaven Beach is like walking on velvet. No gingerly hopping across the sand, burning your feet to get to the water!
Framed by untouched tropical rainforest and surrounding reef, this pristine beach is nothing short of immaculate. Strict regulations help the beach retain its heavenly state, which not even the occasional Queensland downpour can mar.
Tucked away on Whitsunday Island of the coast of Queensland, this slice of Aussie paradise can only be reached by boat or air. This means little to no crowds even during peak season.
A high speed catamaran takes about half an hour to reach Whitehaven Beach from Airlie Beach. Most other cruises sail at a more leisurely pace, reaching Whitehaven Beach in about two hours.
For a truly spectacular experience, take a scenic helicopter flight to Whitehaven Beach, departing from Airlie Beach or Hamilton Island. The aerial views of the pure white sands fused with the stunning blue waters create a breathtaking scene you’ll never forget.
Get a glimpse of the same incredible view on Hill Inlet. The best lookout point is at Tongue Point, just a ten minute uphill walk through the tropical bush of the island. At low tide, when the vivid blue waters are at their most shallow and blend with the snowy-white sands, the scene is almost impossible to behold.
But such impossible beauty is what makes Whitehaven Beach one of the best beaches in Australia.
Hyams Beach
You’ve seen us mention a lot of pure white sand beaches, but only one can lay claim to having the whitest sand in the world.
And it’s only three hours south of Sydney.
Hyams Beach is famous for having the whitest sand in the world, as backed by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Located in the Jervis Bay region, this beach is part of the White Sands Walk, a trail connecting a series of gorgeous white sand beaches.
Framed by crystal clear turquoise waters, the pristine white sands of Hyams Beach are positively radiant and incredibly soft.
Surrounded by the Booderee National Park and native forests, you’re likely to spot wildlife such as kangaroos, parrots and cormorants.
The clear, shallow waters are irresistible, perfect for swimming and snorkeling. Dolphins often swim close to shore, curious and friendly.
The best part is you’ll always find a stretch of beach to lay your towel on. Hyams Beach is a small beachside town with a population of under 300, and you might find yourself parking among the residential areas of the town.
Though its growing popularity continues to attract larger crowds each year, you might easily have the entire beach to yourself, if only for the morning at least.
But a morning in paradise is better than nothing.
Want to See the Best Beaches in Australia?
These beaches are just a the tip of the iceberg of the best beaches in Australia.
With unique features that make them truly stand out from the rest, you’ll want to add these stunning beaches to your list when traveling Down Under.
Our Destination Specialists are ready to help you plan your ultimate beach holiday in Australia.
Phone us Toll Free on 1-888-359-2877 (CT USA, M-F 8.30am – 5pm).You May Also Like
|
|
|
Tags: australia, australia vacation spots, best beaches, best places to visit, destinations, Gold Coast, Ningaloo Reef, Places to Visit in Australia, Queensland, sydney, travel destinations, vacation spots, Western Australia
