The Eastern Beaches Coastal Walk from Bondi to Coogee

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of doing another great FREE Sydney thing: the Bondi to Coogee walk. Even though I didn’t get all the way to Coogee because of time constraints, it was a beautiful day and I got to explore each of Sydney’s famous beaches and decide which one I liked best.

Getting there

The 365, 380, 381, and L82 buses all go to Bondi Beach. If you’re driving, the majority of parking is 2 hours, so find somewhere that you can park for longer, so you won’t be rushing back to avoid a ticket.

Things to Bring on the Bondi to Coogee Walk

Assuming you do the walk on one of Sydney’s many sunny days, you must bring your sunnies and swimsuit, especially for a dip in the ocean. A water bottle is also a good idea, even though there are fountains every few kilometers, in addition to good shoes. Flip flops are not ideal for climbing steep steps on this 6-kilometer stretch.

Places to See on the Bondi to Coogee Walk

Bondi Beach

Start at the famous Bondi Surf Pavilion, not only because it’s the most recognizable spot in the area, but also a good place for a bite before your 2-hour walk. You might even spot the crew of Bondi Rescue saving lives and smiling for the cameras. Walk to your right and look for signs indicating the start of the route.

Tamarama Beach

Nicknamed “Glamarama,” Tamarama Beach beach was pretty small. It did, however, have a nice park where people were walking their dogs. Some idiotic swimmers were yelled at by the lifeguards, who warned them they would get caught in the Rip, so be sure to listen to the experts.

Bronte Beach

Bronte Beach caters to a slightly older and, ahem, wrinkly, crowd, but the beach was by far my favorite. There’s a snack bar in case you get peckish and a gorgeous pool that drifts into the ocean.

Waverley Cemetery

Kind of depressing, but there are a lot worse places to spend eternity than by the beach. Waverley Cemetery stretches for acres along the walk and is home to the grave of Aussie writer Henry Lawson. It was also featured in Baz Luhrmann’s Great Gatsby.

Clovelly Beach

Although Clovelly Beach was where we ended our walk, it’s hard to call it a beach. There’s a narrow inlet that leads to a small stretch of ocean and sand but most people were sitting on the cement. There was more in terms of dining options and there were a couple of campervans parked in the area. Right before you continue to Coogee, there’s a Lawn Bowling Club has a cafe and restrooms.

Coogee Beach

I completed the walk in its entirety on my most recent trip (and spotted Gerard Butler!) and walked past the same lawn bowling club and down the hill to my beloved Coogee Beach. The main drag has lots of shops and restaurants and the beach itself is less crowded with tourists and instead features locals cooking on the public grills.