by Barbara Ann Weibel at Hole In The Donut

Bondi Bay, with double overhead surf and an offshore wind

During a recent visit to Sydney, Australia, a friend said I must see Bondi Beach, insisting that coming to Australia and not seeing Bondi was akin to visiting Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower. As an ex-surfer, I had long known about Bondi; it is famous with surfers the world over for its waves. To my surprise, however, I discovered that there is much more to Bondi than just surf.

Residents and tourists come from far and wide to take the 3.5 mile cliff walk leading from Bondi’s beautiful crescent, up and over the rocky headland to Coogee Beach. Many begin at the midpoint of the trail, in Bronte. Walking toward Bondi, they arrive just in time to enjoy a leisurely lunch at one of the restaurants that offer unobstructed views of the bay, before making the return trip. I did not have a full day, so my friend and I began in Bondi.

The Icebergs Pool at Bondi, one of many oceanfront salt-water pools around Sydney

At the southern end of the beach we followed the concrete ramp up to the cliff walk. The well-paved path hugged the jagged rock face, climbing steeply in some areas. Soon we came to the Icebergs Pool, one of the many oceanfront salt-water pools found at Australian beaches. Home to the Bondi Icebergs Club, this club requires members to swim three out of four Sundays for a period of five years. The water is cold in the winter (thus the moniker “Icebergs”) but the pool is perched on the cliff at just the right height to catch incoming waves, providing calm waters for swimming year round.

The cliff walk between Bondi and Tamarama Beaches

A bit further along we came to tiny Tamarama and Bronte Beaches, both offering great little cafes. We had to turn back at this point, but the walk continued to Clovelly, a sheltered beach popular with families, and then on to Gordons Bay, great for snorkeling and scuba diving. The path ends at Coogee Beach, which is popular with backpackers as it the site of Selena’s night club, famous for hosting top Australian and world bands.

In addition to great surfing and body boarding, topless sunbathing and swimming are allowed at Bondi. Bondi is also home to the world’s oldest surf lifesaving club, so even if you’ve never surfed, this is the perfect place to take lessons, since there’s always someone to rescue you if you take a nasty tumble off your board.

Bondi is the nearest ocean beach to Sydney, located a mere five miles from the city center, and easily accessible by bus or train.

Photos courtesy of Barbara Weibel