Bondi Beach is one of the world’s most famous beaches and is popular among the locals as well as international tourists. Bondi is only 8 kilometers (5 miles) away from Sydney CBD and was a must visit during our recent time in Sydney. The two of us love our beaches and spending a day at Bondi Beach was one of Amy’s 25 before 25 list items.
The Beach
The biggest attraction at Bondi Beach is obviously the beach itself. It is about one kilometer long and receives hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
The obvious things to do at Bondi Beach are to swim and surf but it’s also a great place to people watch during the summer months when the crowds become huge. We went in winter so there wasn’t too many people around but head there in December/January and it will be packed full of an interesting mixture of people!
For those of you planning to visit Bondi Beach, remember that yellow and red flags designate the safe swimming areas. Stay between them if you’re going swimming! If you’ve seen the television show Bondi Rescue, you’ll know that the lifeguards at the beach are always busy and make about 2,500 rescues each year. Don’t be one of those numbers!
Fish and Chips at Bondi Beach
Fish and chips are a popular food in Australia and you can’t get any more Aussie than eating fish and chips on Bondi Beach. The best spot to eat them is on the grass overlooking the beach which is exactly what we did.
Fish Mongers was voted Sydney’s #1 chip and is perfect if you’re looking for something a little more gourmet. But if you’re on a budget like us, stick to Bondi Surf Seafoods, which is located directly on the beachfront. They make a great traditional fish and chips and you might even want to try their deep-fried Mars Bar!
Street Art at Bondi Beach
There is some brilliant street art to check out at Bondi Beach – a series of murals along the promenade that faces the beach. Take the time to really look at the art, particularly the pieces dedicated to the victims of the 2002 Bali Bombings and our ANZAC Day Soldiers.
We were even lucky enough to see an artist at work – these guys are seriously talented at what they do and we watched in amazement how precise they were with their spray cans.
How to get to Bondi Beach
Getting to Bondi Beach via Sydney’s Public Transport system is fairly easy. We caught the Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra Train from Sydney’s CBD (Town Hall) to Bondi Junction and then hopped on the 333 Bus. The total travel time was around 28 minutes and costs $8.40 per person for the return trip.
The easiest way to figure out how to get to Bondi Beach is:
- Go to CityRail’s trip planner at http://www.131500.com.au/plan-your-trip/trip-planner to plan your trip.
- Type in the address of your hotel/hostel or where you’re starting your journey. Then specify that you’re going to Bondi Beach and select a time you want to depart or arrive.
- Take note of the directions given and enjoy your trip! Be sure to plan your return journey as well (usually the exact opposite of the way you got there!).
One more note – get your tickets from the train station and let the operator know that you’re going to Bondi Beach. Most of the buses to Bondi Beach are prepaid only so having a ticket ready saves you from any hassles.
Other things to do at Bondi Beach
We only spent a day at Bondi Beach but if you’ve got a bit more time to explore then there’s plenty of other things to do in Bondi. If you want to walk, try the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk (6km) or go half the way and take the Bondi to Bronte Coastwalk (2.5km).
Have you been to Bondi Beach or do you want to go there? If you’ve got any recommendations share them in the comments!
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