Gold Coast - Burleigh Head, Coolangatta, Surfers Paradise☀️

The public transport system in Brisbane is absolutely brilliant! It doesn't cost a fortune and the trains🚃 and buses are punctual. But what I personally like the most is that the public transport network is well-developed outside the city as well.

The infamous coastline below Brisbane is called the “Gold Coast” and is known worldwide for its numerous surfing beaches.🏄‍♂️

After a 1.5-hour train ride, I arrived at Burleigh Heads 🏖 on Friday morning. Here, you can fully experience the Australian surfer lifestyle. The beach promenade is bustling with a variety of local surfers. There aren't many tourists yet, as the borders are still closed. After a walk through Burleigh Head National Park🌿, which is located right next to the town, I reached the desired lookout, where I enjoyed my lunch.🥪

Afterwards, I took the bus to Coolangatta, the southernmost town in the state of Queensland. This is where one of the most famous surfer beaches is located. As soon as I arrived, I immediately rented a surfboard and looked for the best wave🏄‍♂️. With the tips I received during my first surfing lesson weeks ago, I now tried my luck on my own. It's pretty challenging though. I spent the past night in a great backpacker accommodation.😴

This morning, I got up early to experience the sunrise🌅 at Snapper Rocks (surf spot with the wildest waves). Even at this time, I encountered a variety of surfers there. The morning atmosphere was amazing!!!😃After a subsequent jog🏃‍♂️along the beach, I more than deserved my breakfast 🍳. Of course, I made use of my 24-hour surfboard rental and went surfing at the beach again🌊. I'm slowly getting better at it!😉

On the way back to Brisbane, I made a stopover in Surfers Paradise. To be honest, based on what I had heard so far, I didn't have high expectations. The high-rise city🏙, located right by the sea, felt like a year-round amusement park to me. I passed crowded German beer gardens🍺 with Rammstein music, fast food chains, and roller coasters. The beach was okay, the lunch (fresh oysters and seafood spaghetti 🍝🦞) was very delicious, but the main attraction, the observation deck, was closed☹️. Seeing the crowds, one could get the impression that COVID-19 never arrived in Australia. Soon enough, I took the train back to Brisbane.