Beach Day in Bondi

Sydney's beaches are world famous. The biggest and most popular of them all is Bondi Beach, which is described as a 'must-see' place in Australia in many travel guides. It's not just the size of the beach that impresses, but also the whole scenery. I lived in Australia, especially in Sydney, for over six months during my work and travel adventure, and I can share with you a wide range of helpful tips and recommendations about accommodation, food and drink, as well as leisure activities based on my diverse impressions, stories, experiences, and knowledge. Are you ready? Your adventure starts now and here...

'The early bird catches the wave.'

Extensive beach days are an absolute must for every avant-garde person, and Sydney's numerous beaches are perfect for that.

Firstly, to fully enjoy a beach day, you need accommodation near the beach. The Bondi Beach Youth Hostel is perfect for backpackers. It is located very close to Bondi Beach (almost directly across the street), but be careful: book early! Equipped with a hostel-owned surfboard rental and plenty of sunscreen (which is essential in Australia due to the atmospheric location of the continent and the dangerous sun, which can cause sunburn even on cloudy days), we head down to the beach in the morning.

Alternatively, if you're staying in the city, you can take bus line 333 towards Bondi Beach from the Anzac Memorial stop directly to Bondi Beach. Be sure to get there early to secure a spot on the already double-decker bus. You may have to get used to standing for half an hour during the ride.

Following the old saying 'The early bird catches the wave', I was able to observe surfers and windsurfers lying on their boards in front of the shore in search of the perfect wave even before sunrise. Since the beach is still relatively empty around ten in the morning, I find a nice spot, spread out my beach towel (with the Australian flag on it, of course :)) and bask in the sun while relaxing and working on my tan.

'No Clouds, No Worries!'

By now, it's noon and some of my friends have joined me. The typical beach activities such as beach volleyball, frisbee, skinny dipping, surfing, or reading the new novel you've always wanted to read are a given. It often happened that new young people invited me to join their beach volleyball game.

Here's an extract from my diary: I came to Bondi Beach early today and comfortably lay on my beach towel, listening to the waves, until now when I'm writing this. By all means, you should go into the water, as the sight of the waves crashing onto the shore - on a cloudless day with a temperature of 31 degrees - is simply amazing. 'No Clouds, No Worries!'

Being carried by the waves on your back, with the surfers and you in the water, and the majestic cliffs with the small Australian villas on top, where the sun reflects in the windows and the distant rocks appear pale, is an experience you simply have to have for yourself. And you can only experience this in Australia, at Bondi Beach in Sydney - which probably makes it one of the most famous and beautiful beaches in the world. Later, I went shopping, especially at the surfer shop 'Between the Flags', where I wanted to buy something, and then had a beer on the beach with my good friends.

James had to buy a new swimsuit (with the theme of the Australian flag) in one of the tourist shops, Amber, Amy, Michael, and my Asian friend and University of Sydney student Sharon made it even more fun. Right next to the beach and the halfpipe, you'll find the... bar, where there's always a lively party atmosphere and great drinks and snacks served by nice bartenders and waitresses. Outside, directly on the first-grade beach promenade - before Corona - there are lounges inviting you to linger, which we did :).

'Christmas at the beach.'

Top right: Me wearing a Mexican sombrero from my good friend Hardeep. Bottom left: On the first day of Christmas, the whole of Sydney converges at the beach with typical Santa Claus hats and Christmas trees to experience the phenomenon of 'Christmas at the beach' for themselves.

Around 5:00 p.m., after having some food and a few drinks, we set off for the Bondi-Coogee Coastal Walk. Along the way, you pass the Bondi Beach Surf School and the beach promenade with countless shops and restaurants, leading inevitably to the world-famous Icebergs Pool, where the beautiful and wealthy let themselves be photographed in front of the breaking waves and post them on their Instagram accounts.

One of my absolute favorite spots or beaches is Tamarama Beach, which is smaller but more exclusive. Here, you can see the lifeguards sitting in their small houses, watching the surfers who are looking for a challenge. I often stayed in the sun here as it was only two minutes away from the beach hostel. By the way, the cover image of this post was taken here.

'Having a good time!'

Right next to it, there's a small beach that is particularly popular with dogs (hence the name 'Dog Beach'). On the way to Coogee Beach, the Coastal Walk passes by Bronte Beach and Gordons Bay, which is especially known for its flora, fauna, and underwater world and is a popular spot for snorkeling. Just before reaching the destination, you come across the Coogee Beach Pavilion. An absolute scene location that is no longer a secret among insiders. The artfully decorated building made entirely of white stone, which transforms from an elegant restaurant with a daytime bar into one of Sydney's trendiest club locations in the evening, stands out for its great food, even if the prices don't necessarily correspond to the value. Nevertheless, this location is worth a visit. But please note: the queues at the entrances can get several tens of meters long on weekends, and the specific dress code may require elegant party outfits. So after the beach, take a shower and get dressed up together.

Alternatively, you can buy Australian beer at one of the countless bottle shops, grab a super delicious pizza from Dominos (with an unbeatable price-performance ratio) to go, or, as shown on the right image, go to BondiTony's burger place, which I highly recommend and is still a hidden gem. There, I met a young German family with a small child who had emigrated to Bondi, Sydney's beach district, and were relaxed and full of joie de vivre. In the evening, sit on Bondi Beach, sharing the warm sand with only a few other people, and listen to the sound of the waves: simply 'Having a good time'. Don't let the tractors that make their nightly lonely rounds to prepare the beach for the next beach day disturb you, as the surfers begin their search for the perfect wave in the morning and all other beach tourists start their personal beach day anew.