Bondi to Coogee Walk | Sydney Coastal Walk

This post was last updated on 2024 April 13

In my opinion, the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk is the best way to spend a half day in Sydney.

The full walk is only 6km, but you’ll definitely want to allot more time to stop and enjoy the beaches and views along the way. You don’t even have to do the full track – if you’re short on time or stamina, the Bondi to Bronte walk is probably the best segment and takes about a half hour one-way.

READ MORE: The 15 Best Hikes in Sydney

Beautiful beaches, rock pools, and coastal views – here’s what the famous Bondi to Coogee Walk looks like:

Bondi Beach

Please oh please don’t listen to the locals scoff at Bondi and how touristy and cliche it is. Bondi Beach is a Sydney must-do, and is worthy of at least a half day. I recommend getting to Bondi early in the day so you have more time to spend here before heading off on the Bondi to Coogee walk.

Bondi is one of the most beautiful beaches in Sydney. Yes, it’s one of the more developed Sydney beaches, but it’s fun to experience both the beach and the beach culture along Campbell Parade and Hall Street.

A few tips for enjoying Bondi Beach if you’re cool with spending some cash:

• Do happy hour at The Bucket List. Locals might scorn it, but it doesn’t get much better than $5 champagne at a table on the beach boardwalk. Outside of happy hour, everything is pretty pricey.
• If you want to learn how to surf, Bondi is the place. North Bondi is known to have smaller waves, ideal for beginner surfers. Lets Go Surfing is probably the most popular/convenient surf school in Bondi, but there are a few other places around where you can sign up for surf lessons or rent a board and wetsuit.
• Grab a cone from Gelato Messina. Considered some of the best gelato in Sydney, Gelato Messina kills it with all sorts of unique flavor combos (e.g. poached figs in marsala, toast and butter with crunch bar, peanut butter with malt biscuits and nutella).
• Swim and spa time at Bondi Icebergs. It may not be the frugal option, but paying for the privilege of swimming in one of the most beautiful ocean pools you can imagine is well worth it at least one time. AU$8 admission includes access to the pool and sauna.
• Enjoy a healthy, delicious brunch. Bondi’s definitely not short on hip cafes, but a few favorites include Speedos, Harry’s, Brown Sugar, Lox Stock and Barrel, and The Well.

READ MORE: All The Things I’ll Miss From Living in Bondi Beach // The Best Cafes In Bondi For Working

 

Bondi to Tamarama

The Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk begins near Bondi Icebergs. From there, follow the road for a couple minutes and then take the stairway down toward the ocean. This segment of the trail involves some steep stair climbs, which are well worth the effort for the magnificent coastal views you’ll enjoy from above.

One of my favorite views on the whole Bondi coastal walk is just around the corner from Bondi as Tamarama Beach comes into view. In my backpacker days, I used to like to have a quick workout on the outdoor gym equipment (with a view!) there.

Just before Tamarama, there’s a small cove called Mackenzies Bay where you can swim in the rock pools at low tide. This is a popular spot for locals to bring their dogs for a walk and swim. It’s my absolute favorite spot to sunbathe on a summer day.

READ MORE: Tamarama & The Mythical Mackenzies Bay Beach

If you happen to be in Sydney during spring (late October – early November), don’t miss the annual Sculpture by the Sea exhibition during which the 2km from Bondi to Tamarama is lined with over 100 sculptures. In 2019, it will take place 24 October – 10 November.

Tamarama to Bronte

Tama’s a beach beloved by locals and oft frequented by surfers seeking big waves. It’s often closed for rough surf, but you can still enjoy a picnic or a lay on the beach here. There are also some caves along Tamarama Beach where you can perch and hide from the sun for a bit.

 

Continuing south from Tamarama, the track joins the paved road, then diverts down a staircase leading to Bronte Beach.

Bronte is surprisingly small, but also a local favorite for its picnic facilities, non-touristy beach, and rad ocean pool (which is free!). Be sure to check the pool cleaning schedule so you don’t plan to do the Bondi-Coogee walk on a day when Bronte Pool is drained (it’s cleaned weekly, but not always on the same day).

Bronte also has a little bogey hole on the south side of the beach where it’s safe to swim, away from the waves. It’s more or less a swimming hole connected to the beach and surrounded by rocks.

 

 

Bronte to Clovelly

Many people just do the Bondi to Bronte walk and call it a day… but if you’re keen to keep going, the track leads up some steep stairs from Bronte, joins the road for a few minutes, then separates onto its own path again.

The enormous Waverley Cemetery will soon come into view atop the sandstone cliffs as the trail turns into a proper boardwalk for a short time. If you’re doing the coastal walk as a workout, this is a great spot to do some sprinting and stair climbs since you’re on smooth wood rather than a dirt or stone path.

Just south of the cemetery you’ll pass the Clovelly Bowling Club (side note: in Australia, they have a thing called ‘lawn bowling’, which is similar to bocce). Immediately beyond this is an outdoor gym area just next to the cliff edge. You can’t miss it because of all the neon green bars and lifting equipment. And even if you’re not doing this track for the purpose of working out, I think it’s just fun to stop off here and play on the bars for a few minutes. How often do you get to exercise in a setting like this?

Continuing past the outdoor gym, the track approaches Clovelly (pronounced ‘clo-VEL-ly’), one of the most unique beaches in Sydney. I wouldn’t classify it as a particularly scenic beach, though. If it were a person, it would be super tall and skinny. Clovelly is a narrow bay that looks more like a slice of a beach, if anything. The sand stretches pretty far from pavement to water, but the amount of coastline is quite tiny. Similarly, the water stretches out far from the sand and is enclosed in a sheltered pool-like area. The ‘unique’ bit to it is that there are stretches of concrete on either side of the water, fit for laying out or jumping into the pool. You can swim out to the waves through the outer end of the pool, but the surf here is usually quite rough.

 

Clovelly to Coogee

The next beach after Clovelly is the very rocky Gordon’s Bay, which is one of the best places for snorkeling in Sydney. On a sunny day, the bay will shine a thousand shades of blue and all the rocks will be occupied by sunbathers.

 

The final stretch of the Bondi-Coogee walk heads through Dunningham Reserve on the northern headland of Coogee Bay.

Coogee (pronounced ‘cud-gee’) Beach is another good spot to wile away an afternoon. The beach is much smaller and more chilled out than Bondi and sees a lot of students who attend the nearby UNSW. Rock pools are situated at both ends of the beach, though the surf at Coogee is almost never too rough for swimming.

 

 

Here are a few ideas for things to do in Coogee once you complete the Bondi to Coogee walk:

• Take a dip at Wylie’s Baths. This is Coogee’s ocean tidal pool, where you can swim laps with a view of Wedding Cake Island just offshore. Admission is AU$4.80
• Go swimming at McIvers Baths. Australia’s last women-only ocean pool, which likely holds the cheapest admission price at AU$0.20. 20 cents, really!
• Grab a coffee from the Diver Cafe. In my coffee snob opinion, this is the best coffee in Coogee and a great way to re-energize after completing the Bondi-Coogee walk.
• Happy hour at the Coogee Bay Hotel’s beer garden. Coogee Bay’s made for people watching. You’ll find folks here who came straight from the beach in their singlets and board shorts to order cheap drinks and burgers during happy hour. And on the opposite side of the spectrum, you’ll spot others dressed up in button-down shirts and nice dresses who are out to be seen in the early evening hours. If you’re fresh off the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, you’ll probably fall into the first category – but have no shame!
• Have a nice meal/drink at Coogee Pavilion. This is a super-nice venue with prices to match. Definitely go up to the roof to enjoy your drink with a view!

 

Check out some other Sydney coastal walks: Royal National Park // Kurnell to Cronulla // Coogee to Maroubra