Bondi surf is a bit of a rite of passage for first-timer visitors to Sydney. The spot is legendary and super busy for it. But have you really surfed eastern Oz if you haven’t jostled for space on one of the mediocre sandbars here?
An introduction to Bondi surf
Bondi is Australia’s answer to Zuma. Don’t believe us? Check out the hunks that patrol the sand in the hit (ahem!) lifeguard patrol program Bondi Rescue. One episode and you’ll be hooked. Yep, there’s no more iconic a run of sand in New South Wales than this. Well-to-do suburbs now crowd it in on all sides and the bars and beach cafes draw in all sorts, from the quintessential backpacker gap yearer to the Porsche-driving business bloke who always seems to be on the phone. Love it or hate it, Bondi is what Bondi is.
What there’s no debating is the consistency of the surf. Bondi is virtually the only beach south of the Sydney Harbour mouth that looks straight into the dominant swell channel. It’s also the only urban beach where the dominant winds bend offshore. The result is that Bondi almost always has a wave – look here if Coogee and Bronte and Manly are totally flat. Plus, the said wave is often clean thanks to light breezes from the north and northwest.
Downsides to Bondi are the crowds, which are nigh-on ridiculous, and the constant shifting of the sandbanks to the point where you really never know what you’re gonna’ get. There are LOADS of top hotels, more surf rentals than you could ever ask for, and some pretty great surf schools (though some are total cowboys).
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in Australia and Sydney surf
Bondi surf at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Bondi surf?
Where is Bondi?
Bondi is a apart of the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. It’s just shy of five miles as the crow flies from the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, and about four miles south of the opening of the Sydney Harbour itself at a place call Watsons Bay. Talking of Watsons Bay, that’s the place to head to on the ferry out of Circular Quay to get to Bondi. When you arrive at Watsons, switch to the 380 bus that goes south down Military Road. There are also direct urban buses that go to Bondi from Bondi Junction, connecting through there with the Sydney CBD. AKA – it’s a super-accessible part of town!
Bondi Beach is the main spot to focus on here. Yes, it’s crowded but it’s also got some quality and consistency that means we wouldn’t write it off straight away. Here, we’ll also take a look at some of the beaches in the surrounding area…
Bondi surf spots
What you’re about to see if the cream of the central Sydney surf breaks, the spots that make the NSW capital the surf town that it really is. Bondi is, naturally, the focus, but there are some other breaks worth talking about in the vicinity too.
Bondi Beach
Bondi is the first real beach on the Pacific side of the South Head Peninsula. It’s also unique in Sydney because it has a southerly orientation that means loads of swell comes this way both summer and winter – anything with any E or SE (the dominant swell direction) floats straight on through. Combine that with the fact that Bondi gets hit by NW winds during the summer months, and you’ll start to see why it can be glassy here when it’s a mess up in Manly and beyond.
There are peaks all up and down the 0.6-mile stretch of sand. The northern side of the bay gets way less energy off the swells because it’s protected from straight E waves by the rocky ends of Ben Buckler Point. Inside there during the summer is basically a playground for beginner groms and it’s hardly ever over a foot in height.
Move further south along the bay and the sets will get progressively harder. At the very south end where there’s head-on exposure to the main SE swells and you can score some powerful beach break peaks that often run right off the Bondi Icebergs POOL (a famous Instagram spot). The nature of these more intermediate-friendly waves can vary A LOT, because they rely on sandbanks forming after winter storms. Some years are better than others and we’ve seen Bondi go from cruisy peelers to flat out closeouts overnight.
The main hazard here is unquestionably the crowds. There’s not really any localism because the locals don’t bother with Bondi. It’s their sacrificial lamb to keep line ups in Coogee and Bronte emptier.
Tamarama Beach
If anything Tamarama Beach, the next beach around the coastal path south of Bondi itself, is even more exposed to the SE swells. Because of that, currents and rips can prove very problematic here. Last time we checked there were more rescues down on Tamarama Beach than at any other in the area. So, be prepared for shifty peaks and a lot of paddling if you want to surf here when it’s big. Talking of big, the larger swells on Tamarama will bring the Maccas reef that lies on the outside of the bay into action. It’s a good spot that can handle pretty much any size but is best avoided if you’re not a) local or b) a super-strong paddler.
Bronte Beach
Bronte Beach requires pretty strong SE winter swells to get cooking. When it does, it gives fantastic right waves that are often semi-hollow and invite for turns right off the lip. Also when it does, there’s certainly going to be a local crowd of rippers present. They’re not the nicest in our experience so be ready to take some flak or don’t bother. It’s only really for good intermediates and up.
Coogee Beach
Coogee is famed for its punishing shore break, which has ruined many a day at the Sydney beaches and put plenty of folks on Kook of the Day. Strong SE winter swells can see it light up with a strong right at the outside of the bay off the rocks, but it’s always a very hard-going wave that has a shifty take-off and steep middle section. There can be bad localism at Coogee. Don’t make eye contact.
Where to stay when surfing in Bondi?
There are LOADS of places to stay in Bondi. Some people only come to Sydney to stay here. Sadly, some places are rubbish, plenty of others are mediocre. Here are a few options that we can recommend for different types of travelers to NSW’s most famous beach break, all within an east walk from the breaks…
Miss Baker’s Boutique Accommodation Bondi
Miss Baker’s Boutique Accommodation Bondi is one of those hotel choices that simply stands out. It’s modern but quirky, has stylish studio suites with kitchenettes, and a lovely little garden. It’s a short stroll from the surf breaks too.
Wake Up! Bondi Beach
Wake Up! Bondi Beach is a fine budget option and hostel in a scene that’s positively inundated with budget options and hostels. We especially love the rooftop terrace that offers views over the surf. It’s also within easy walking distance to the sands and the waves.
Luxury Bondi Beachside Apartment
Treat yourself with a stay in the uber-lux Luxury Bondi Beachside Apartment. Nope, it ain’t cheap. Yes, it does have a designer fitted kitchen, huge king beds, sea views, and standalone bathtub. Nice.
Step-by-step guide to planning your Bondi surf trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the Bondi surf…We use Skyscanner and only Skyscanner for this. The reason? We’ve always found it the best site for comparing deals from basically ALL airlines and somehow seems to offer deals that beat going direct.
Step two: Book your surf lodge. There’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check how close EXACTLY that hotel is to particular breaks. Or Book Surf Camps, which is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages.
Step three: Book surf lessons and other activities For advance booking, you can use GetYourGuide or Viator. To be fair, though, we usually just leave this until we’re there – it’s easy to book in person in most surf destinations.
When to surf in Bondi?
What’s great about Bondi is that it actually really shines in the summer months. Yes, there’s shed loads of swell in the winter and that’s when you’ll get the heavier waves and more challenging surfs. But there are a couple of things that help to make the warmer times from December to March the standouts. First, the sandbanks settle better after the winter storms and you can find more consistent sets. Second, the NW winds blow helping to add glassiness to the breaks. Third, the whole swell gets just a touch smaller and that’s really suited to what Bondi is all about if you ask us – backpacker, first-time surfers having fun.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
