A unique mix of urban lifestyle and laidback coastal living (Sydney CBD is only 8km away) has made Bondi Beach a popular spot for travelling surfers year round.
We visited in winter, with the daily temperature creeping up to 19 degrees, so it’s hard to believe that this 900 metre stretch of golden sand is towel to towel with upwards of 35,000 sun-seekers on New Years day every year!
Bondi packs some serious punch for things to see and do so here’s an insider’s guide for your Bondi escape!
SURF
Bondi is an exposed beach break with dependable surf pretty much every day of the year. As it’s so close to the city you’ll find yourself surfing with an eclectic bunch – from backpackers to tradies to hipsters to billionaires.
North and mid-Bondi have a smaller break perfect for beginners, and on a good day, there’s some peelers for the longboarders. South Bondi is more of an intermediate break, and if you want to keep on heading further down the coast, Tamarama and Bronte are good choices too.
We love connecting with our fellow lady surfers wherever we go, so if you ever need a little local advice or a crew to surf with (let’s face it, it can sometimes be a bit intimidating out there) Sarah from Surf Angels is your girl!
Sarah’s love of surfing and her passion to get out in the line-up and have fun is infectious; she may even share some great Sydney secret spots.
STAY
Located on Hall Street, right in the heart of Bondi are the freshly renovated Adina apartments. With the hip strip of cafes and restaurants at the doorstep and walking distance to the beach, what more could you ask for when you’re exploring somewhere new!
PLAY
Every Sunday the Bondi markets are held in the beachfront grounds of the Bondi Beach School. It’s the perfect place to mix with the locals, find a few bargains and soak up the atmosphere. Keep your eyes peeled for the local budding entrepreneurs; Bondi markets have been known to unearth up and coming designers like sass & bide.
At the South end of Bondi is the iconic Icebergs restaurant (affectionately named after the dedicated locals who swim in the ocean pool year round); it’s the perfect place to take in the beautiful Bondi views.
Take a walk along the promenade and check out the great array of street art. It has been a modern canvas for street artists since the 60s. Murals are always changing; they stay up for six months and vary from quirky characters to monster tags.
Without a doubt you have to go to Aquabumps gallery. Home to Eugene (better known as ::uge) Tan’s beautiful beach photography. Every morning since 1999, ::uge has captured the sun and surf of Bondi from every angle, offering a different perspective of beach life.
Hungry, Lets talk food!
The Bondi lifestyle lends itself to loads of healthy and seriously delicious options for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You’re spoilt for choice!
Escape the morning rush of Hall Street and head over to Porch. A sweet and simple spot overlooking the water. We dare you to say no to the fresh carrot and chocolate muffins!
As you wind your way back to Hall Street, stop in to Pressed Juice. Every day they slowly cold press the produce to create delicious juices free of preservatives and additives, maintaining all the essential vitamins and minerals. Not sure what will be your favorite flavour? You can taste test the range to find your perfect mix!
Ready for something sweet? Get yourself to Gelato Messina on Hall Street. You wont be disappointed and there’s a flavor for every taste (this is no ordinary gelato!). The team creates everything in-house, right down to chopping up fresh apple pies to fold into their real apple gelato. Or perhaps the ‘Chillax Princess’ is more your style? White chocolate and coconut cheesecake gelato with salted caramel swirls. Yep, that’s right, cheesecake gelato. The willy-wonka-esque concoctions can be limited edition but they love getting ideas for future flavours from their customers. Here’s the hot tip, there’s usually some crazy queues, and we recommend getting in early!
After a full day of walking, it’s time to chill out a little. Grab a spot at Gertrude and Alice bookstore cafe. You never know what you’ll find on the shelves here.
Saturday and Sundays, head to Da Orazio pizza and porchetta for lunch or dinner. 100% handmade and cooked the Neapolitan way in their wood-fired brick pizza oven. The pizza and pasta are so fresh and tasty, you may not want to share. PS. If you’re not in early, you’ll have to queue for the pleasure.
This is really just the tip of the iceberg, of what Bondi has on offer, which is why we come back again and again! Let us know your go-to spots in Bondi by tweeting us @roxy
