Australia is a country of sun, sand, smiles and inappropriately named footwear. We take pride in our beaches. As much as we pretend not to care what the tourists think, we want everyone to love this sunburnt country as much as we do.
The world’s largest travel site has recently released the top ten beaches in Australia for their Travellers’ Choice awards. The best beaches have been determined by the “quantity and quality of traveller reviews and ratings” over a 12 month period. The stakes are high.
“This year’s list has something for everyone—from sunbathing to sunset walks, swimming, surfing, and even camel trains,” Janice Lee Fang, TripAdvisor’s Asia Pacific Communications Director says.
If we’re being honest, all our beaches are pretty good. But the tourists have spoken and the best have been decided.
Here are Tripadvisors top 10 Travellers Choice Beaches in Australia.
MANLY BEACH
Sydney, NSW
One of the greatest things about Manly Beach is its unbiased locals. The best beach in the entire world has topped the list again. See, no bias. Whatsoever.
The beautiful Manly Beach in Australia. Picture: Yunsun_Kim / Shutterstock
It’s the second year consecutively that Manly has come out number one, and in truth, there’s a good reason why. This stunning two-kilometre stretch was an original Australian pioneer of local surf and beach lifestyle, and this culture remains strong. The Manly area is renowned for being clean. It’s home to a harbour beach and multiple wave beaches. It is also walking distance from great food, shopping, surf lessons, accommodation, walks, nightlife and activities.
SURFERS PARADISE
Surfer’s Paradise, QLD
This Australian gem is praised as an “Aussie icon” by TripAdvisor reviewers. They aren’t wrong. The Gold Coast destination lives up to its name.
Surfers Paradise from the water. Picture: Visual Collective / Shutterstock
The clear blue water, golden sands, buzzing social scene and clean surf breaks make Surfer’s Paradise an unsurprising second. The coastline is dotted with walking spots and lookouts, and the waves are gentle.
TURQUOISE BAY
Exmouth, WA
Turquoise Bay is unbelievable. The aerial views are stunning: the water and sand contrast straight out of a fairytale. It’s the highlight of Exmouth’s Cape Range National Park, and it’s mere metres from the famous Ningaloo reef.
Aerial View of Turquoise Bay, Cape Range and Ningaloo National Park. Picture: Darkydoors / Shutterstock
For remarkable wildlife and snorkelling, Turquoise Bay has you covered. It’s only 50m-100m offshore, so it’s a lot more accessible than most snorkelling reefs. There’s also a super slow current, so drifting across the bay with a snorkel set has never involved less effort.
MOOLOOLABA BEACH
Mooloolaba, QLD
Mooloolaba Beach. Picture: Panu Kosonen / Shutterstock
The premier life saving club and gentle current makes Mooloolaba a lot easier than it’s pronunciation. The beach boasts stunning blue waters on both it’s wave beach and the gentle spit. There’s also an abundance of cafes, shops, restaurantsand accommodation right on the banks of the beach.
WHITEHAVEN BEACH
Whitsunday Island, QLD
Whitehaven Beach, Queensland. Picture: Rach Li Photography / Shutterstock
This dreamy destination was on your Instagram feed way before Tripadvisor caught on. The luminescent sand at Whitehaven is said to be 98 percent pure white silica. In translation: it’s pretty damn white.
Picture: Tripadvisor
Whitehaven is also located in the magical Great Barrier Reef, so you won’t struggle to find magnificent marine life. Dolphins and turtles are known to pay visits to the shallows of the beach. TripAdvisor reviewers say Tongue Point’s Hill Inlet has the best views of the beach.
BONDI BEACH
Sydney, NSW
Of course, an Australian beaches list would not be complete without the country’s most well-known beach.
Picture: Tripadvisor
The closest break to the city centre, Bondi is known for great surfing and swimming, funky bars and restaurants, good shopping and coffee, and beautiful scenic walking trails. We recommend checking out the Bondi Icebergs pool ($6/p) and the Bondi to Coogee walk.
NOOSA MAIN BEACH
Noosa, QLD
The consistent warmth and sunshine in Noosa is adored by Australians and travellers.
Picture: Tripadvisor
The waters are calm and the lifeguards patrol daily. Noosa Main Beach is also walking distance from great restaurants, bars, accomodation and the famous Hasting Street shopping strip.
BURLEIGH HEADS BEACH
Burleigh Heads, QLD
This southern Gold Coast gem continues to be loved by the locals. It’s great for swimming and body boarding, and there are plenty of flagged swim areas and lifeguards on duty.
Picture: Tripadvisor
The area is protected by the wind and has preserved it’s authentic Australian beach culture. TripAdvisor reviewers recommend the surrounding parks and walks, as well as the spectacular views from Burleigh Heads National Park.
CABLE BEACH
Broome, WA
This Western Australian coastline is a 22 kilometre stretch of white sand, warm skies and clear blue Indian Ocean. Cable Beach is famous for its stunning sunsets. And if the magical evening skies aren’t quite spectacular enough, you can take a camel ride across the beach as the sun falls on the horizon.
Picture: Tripadvisor
Cable beach has spectacular wildlife and an abundance of childcare. There are many eateries in the surrounding area, and you can even take your four wheel drive across the flat hard sand.
MINDIL BEACH
Darwin, NT
A short drive from the Darwin CBD, this beach is one of Australia’s most outstanding tropical gems. Mindil Beach is a bustling social scene where locals and tourists flock in their thousands.
Picture: Tripadvisor
During the dry season, the Mindil Beach Sunset Market takes place on Thursday and Sunday evenings. Shop for clothes and souvenirs, and enjoy your market dinner in front of the sunset. Evenings also see fire twirling displays, acrobatics, dance and live local music.
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