Top 10 Things to do in Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach might be the most famous stretch of sand in Australia, and it earns the reputation. Around a kilometre of golden beach, ocean pools cut into the rocks, a coastal walk that ranks among the best in the world and a strip of cafes, bars and shops right across the road. The name is often traced to an Aboriginal word meaning water breaking over rocks, and once you see the southern headland on a big swell day, it makes sense. 

Our team works on Campbell Parade every day, so we see what visitors love and what they wish they had known. Here are the ten things we would tell a mate to do in Bondi, with a few of our own picks along the way.

1. Swim between the flags 

Start with the obvious, because it is the best part. Bondi is patrolled by professional Waverley Council lifeguards all year, and it is home to the Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club, founded in 1907 and the oldest surf lifesaving club in the world. Always swim between the red and yellow flags. The northern end is usually the gentler side, while the calm looking patch of water at the southern end is often a rip. If you are not sure, ask a lifeguard. They know that beach better than anyone.

2. Walk the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk

This is the one you will talk about when you get home. The walk starts at the southern end of Bondi, past the Icebergs pool, and follows the sandstone cliffs for around 6km through Tamarama, Bronte, Clovelly and Gordons Bay before finishing at Coogee. Allow two to three hours if you stop for a swim along the way, and you should. Bronte and Clovelly both have ocean pools that are perfect for a mid walk dip. From May to November, keep an eye on the horizon for migrating whales. 

3. Pick up a pair of Bondi-exclusive Budgys

If there is one souvenir that belongs to Bondi, it is a pair of swim briefs. Our Bondi store is at Shop 3/74 Campbell Parade, a short walk from the sand, and it stocks Australian Made swimmers for men, women and kids. The best part is the Bondi exclusives: designs you will only find in this store and nowhere else. 

 Choose your print, get fitted by the team, then walk back across the road and wear them straight into the surf. If the pair you want is not on the shelf in your size, the team will post it to you for free, so you are not stuck squeezing anything into your luggage. We are open 9am to 5pm every day. 

4. Swim at the Bondi Icebergs Pool

The ocean pool at the southern end of the beach is one of the most photographed spots in Sydney. The Bondi Icebergs Winter Swimming Club has kept its members swimming through the colder months since 1929, and the pool is open to the public for a small entry fee. Swim a few laps while the waves crash over the edge, or grab a spot on the deck and watch. The pool closes one day a week for cleaning, so check the Icebergs website before you go. 

5. Take a surf lesson

Bondi is one of the best places in Australia to stand up on a board for the first time. Several surf schools run group and private lessons on the beach, usually at the calmer northern end, with boards and wetsuits included. A two hour lesson is enough for most beginners to catch their first wave. Wear your budgys underneath and you will fit right in. 

6. Watch the sunrise from North Bondi

Get up early at least once. Sunrise over the water from the rocks at North Bondi is worth the alarm, and the beach at that hour belongs to the ocean swimmers, surfers and dog walkers. On the headland near the North Bondi golf course you can also see Aboriginal rock engravings, a reminder that this coastline has been cared for by its Traditional Custodians for thousands of years. 

Why not join the Bondi Salties swim group for a paddle?

7. Explore the Bondi Pavilion

The heritage listed Bondi Pavilion has been the heart of the beach since 1928. Following a major restoration, it now hosts galleries, a theatre, community events and places to eat, all facing straight out over the sand. It is free to wander through and a good place to escape the sun for an hour. 

8. Watch the skaters at the Bondi Bowl

On the promenade near the beach, the Bondi skate bowl draws skaters of every level and a crowd of spectators most afternoons. Even if you have never stepped on a board, it is one of the best free shows in Sydney. 

9. Eat your way along Hall St and Campbell Parade

Bondi does breakfast and brunch better than almost anywhere. Hall Street and the Campbell Parade strip are packed with cafes, bakeries and juice bars, and in the evening they fill with bars and restaurants. For the classic Bondi experience, grab fish and chips and eat them on the grass overlooking the beach. 

On Sundays from 10am to 4pm, the Bondi Markets at Bondi Beach Public School are worth a browse for local designers and vintage finds, and there is a farmers market there on Saturday mornings.

10. Catch the sunset at Dudley Page Reserve

A short drive or bus ride from the beach in Dover Heights, Dudley Page Reserve is a grassy hill with one of the best views of the Sydney skyline, Harbour Bridge included. Bring a picnic, get there before the sun goes down and watch the city light up. It is the perfect way to finish a Bondi day. 

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