Australia’s Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk

Not far from downtown Sydney, Australia is an almost mile long sweep of sandy beach, tucked inside quarter-moon shaped bay with a gently sloping bottom that creates a year long season of good surfing conditions. This is Bondi Beach. While the waves provide surfing for long distances they average only between 2 and 3 feet high. People describe the conditions to be remarkably similar to Hawaii’s Waikiki. Across the street from the beach and behind the beachfront strip known as Campbell Parade, lies an active community of cafés, restaurants and designer shops.

There are plenty of reasons to love Australia’s most famous beach but beyond surfing, swimming and sunbathing there is also the best walking trail in Australia. The coastal walking trail begins at the south end of Australia’s famous Bondi Beach. Bondi is synonymous with surf the world over and its odd name originated with the Aboriginal word “Boondi” which has the same meaning as “the sound of surf” in English.

Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk offers incredible ocean views from its easy 3.7 mile walking trail along the cliffs between Australia’s well-known beaches making this an incredible experience. The trail officially begins above the sand of Bondi Beach at the Bondi Icebergs ocean pool* and travels along a clifftop course between Tamarama and Coogee beaches. Its gradual paved ascents and descents are perfect for a casual walk or an invigorating hike. The walk will take just over an hour each way.

Along the trail are plenty of opportunities to swim at the other beaches and coves. Just past Clovelly is Gordons Bay, a well-known scuba diving and snorkeling location. If you begin the walk at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, you’ll find the highly rated seaside eatery Coogee Pavilion at the other end with more breathtaking views from its rooftop terrace.

From October to December each year** the seaside walk takes on a whole new character with the worlds largest outdoor sculpture exhibit. The annual free-to-the-public outdoor sculpture exhibition, named “Sculpture by the Sea” draws artists from around Australia and the world and is very popular with Australians from Sydney and beyond. If you have plans that will take you to Sydney in November make sure you plan a trip out to Bondi Beach.

Getting There – Only about five miles from central Sydney it’s easy to reach. Express buses run to Bondi Beach from the centre of Sydney, and take about 30 minutes to reach the beach. The Metro trains operate from the city centre to Bondi Junction every twenty minutes, which is a 10-minute bus or taxi ride on to the beach. Bondi Beach is also one of many stops on a Big Bus Sydney tour, which allows you to hop on and off.

*Icebergs Dining Room and Bar – Bondi Beach, sits on the rocks above the iconic pool and isfamous for the views of Bondi Beach, by day or night, it makes an unforgettable backdrop while dining to inspired cuisine by Maurice Terzini’s Italian heritage.

**Because of the pandemic the Sculpture by the Sea exhibit is postponed in 2020, date TBD.