What is your favourite Sydney activity? I'm going to share mine; the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk! In my opinion, this is an activity you cannot miss. You get to see unbelievable views, the most beautiful beaches around Sydney and from October 19 to November 5 you'll get to enjoy some art! Sculpture by the Sea is the perfect excuse to go through this coastal walk.
If you've already done this walk, you must agree it's full of unbelievable views, but how well do you know what's behind in each of the walk's stops?
I'll take you through Sydney's most famous coastal walk on this post so next time you do it, you can actually know what your looking at!
Distance: 6 kilometres
Duration time: 3 hours (approximately)
1. Bondi Beach
This is your starting point, a beautiful beach full of life (if you think it's crowded, just wait for summer!). Bondi Beach is the closest beach to Sydney's city centre (and probably the most popular one). It has a lot of activities to offer, from surf lessons, to a well equipped skate park, and a big variety of restaurants in the pavilion.
If you stand at the Bondi Iceberg Pools, you'll get to see a panoramic view of Bondi Beach. Watch for dolphins and whales!
2. Tamarama Beach
As you walk along the coast, the first stop is Tamarama Beach. This beach is smaller than Bondi Beach, has beautiful turquoise waves and is so peaceful. More experienced surfers prefer this beach to catch the bigger waves, and also because it's not as crowded as Bondi Beach. If you plan to get in the water, watch out! Due to its rips, Tamarama is the most dangerous patrolled beach in New South Wales.
3. Bronte Beach
Perfect for a break at the picnic tables or in the famous Three Blue Ducks restaurant, Bronte has the oldest surf lifesaving club in the world! It's also great for surfing, and also not as crowded as Bondi Beach.
4. Waverly Cemetery
Sydney's most famous cemetery. The white marble gravestones are well decorated with a stunning cliff ocean view. Eighty thousand people have been interred here, including some famous Australians. During winter, it is a great spot for whale watching!
5. Clovelly Beach
You'll pass by the Clovelly Bowling Group to get to this beautiful beach! It's a great place to snorkel due to its clear water. Families like to hang out in here because it´s not that deep and it's quiet.
6. Gordons Bay
This is my favourite part of the coastal walk. All of its underwater rocks and formations give Gordons Bay's water different tones of blue and green. It doesn't have a beach or a lot of sand, but there are plenty of rocks to sit on to enjoy this beautiful bay. This is one of Sydney's best shore dive spots, so don't be surprised if you see scuba divers emerging from above.
7. Dolphin Point
Just before you arrive to your final destination, you'll pass Dolphin Point. This is a small grass area. If you stand here and look to the right you can see Coogee Beach from the top. If you look to the left you'll get a view of your trail.
8. Coogee Beach
The trail ends at this stunning beach. It's also one of the surfers favourite wave destinations, and it has plenty of space (either in the sand or in the grass) to sit back and take a rest from your walk. You can also reward yourself for a great effort in Coogee Pavilion, which offers a delicious food variety and drinks!
If you haven't done Bondi to Coogee Coastal walk, you now know it's a must! And if you have already done it, you can walk through it again. Now you'll know more about each of these stops and have a fuller experience. And if you can, take advantage of the annual Sculpture by the Sea, every October to early November! In addition, I would advise you bring water, snacks and don't forget your swimsuit in case you want a quick dip in any of these beautiful places!
Carolina Anguiano Paredes (Study Abroad Communications Ambassador, Spring session 2017)
Chemical Engineering
Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México
*Information and map: Dragicevich, Peter. Pocket Sydney. 4th edition. Lonely Planet, 2015.