This guide to Sydney surf covers everything you need to know about the best spots and surf seasons in the capital of New South Wales.
An introduction to Sydney surf
Oh, Sydney – you stunner, you. Imagine a city perched perfectly on the bum of East Oz, with swells from the SW half the year and swells from the NW the other half. Throw in a smattering of simply jaw-dropping urban beaches that are dashed with reef, divvied up by headlands, and backed by some of the coolest hipster districts this side of Manhattan. It’s not too hard to see why the capital of NSW is one of the best surf cities on the planet, eh?
Truth is, Sydney is one of the trailblazers of surf culture Down Under. People have been paddling out in these parts for over a whole century; ever since the now-apotheosized Duke Kahanamoku came and slid the waves of Freshwater way back in 1915.
Fast forward to today and there are a few focal points: Bondi (arguably the backpacker-beginner surf spot on the planet, sorry Kuta!), Manly (where the quality rights north of Sydney really begin), and then Maroubra and the beaches further south (a treasure trove of less-busy breaks that hold something for all levels).
If we HAD to pick our favorite, Manly would be there front and center for its consistency on good SW pulses. But the real joy here is hopping from south to north to center and discovering the variety of points, reefs, and sandbanks that are tucked into this fantastic metropolis. Then sinking cold ones in surf hostels with the crew later on, of course.
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!
Sydney surf at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Sydney?
Where is Sydney, exactly?
Sydney is on the southeast coast of Australia. It sits roughly a third of the way up the shoreline of the region of which it is a capital – New South Wales. It’s the most populous and largest city in the country, counting over five million people within its limits.
Sydney itself is famously draped over a huge natural harbor, known as Sydney Harbor. The CBD – the center of the town – is about four miles inland from the coast where you find the waves. That means you’ll need to hop on local transport to visit the iconic surf beaches listed below. Alternatively, you could simply pick the one that you think suits you the most and choose to stay locally. Most have ample accommodation choices and plenty of places to eat and drink.
How to get to Sydney?
How you arrive in Sydney will all depend on where you’re coming in from.
For those traveling long-haul or from other cities in Oz, the most obvious arrival point is the Sydney International Airport (you’ve surely seen that on Nothing To Declare, right?). It’s actually really convenient for getting straight to the surf. It sits on the south side of the city on the edge of Botany Bay. That means about 30 minutes to Cronulla and about 25 to Bondi. Getting to the Northern Beaches from there can be a bit longer – you’re looking at nearly 40 minutes to Bondi in normal traffic.
Those of your already lucky enough to be in eastern Australia could opt to make a truly bucket-list surf roadtrip out of your visit to the capital of NSW. Seriously, it doesn’t matter if you’re coming down from Brisbane in the north or up from Melbourne, you’re sure to be passing some of the most epic spots in the country. We’ve got more info on all of those in our complete Oz surf guide. Just bear in mind that overground travel distances in this continent-sized country can be pretty hefty!
Sydney surf spots
Sydney’s surf beaches can roughly be split into two groups. There are the Northern Beaches and then there’s everything south of the Hornby Lighthouse, which is the entrance to big Sydney Harbour. Don’t worry – both sides are epic. The north is famed mainly for Manly, which is the stomping ground of pro comps every year. The south is a real hodgepodge, with beginner-friendly Bondi right next to slabby reef spots for pros. Let’s delve in and take a closer look…
The Northern Beaches
Barrenjoey Beach
Some of the locals also call Barrenjoey North Palm Beach because it’s literally the northern end of Palm Beach (see below). You travel 500 meters or so up from the main town towards the lighthouse from the North Palm Beach Surf Club. There are a couple of peaks that work on a mid to low tide there, mainly lefts but also some shorter rights. The surf can properly froth on big hurricane days and big winter swells, but it’s usually clean summer bowls for cruising and caters well to loggers. The main draw? It’s often empty.
Palm Beach
Palm Beach picks up where Barrenjoey leaves off. It’s center is a mix of peaky sandbar breaks that can have some nice grunt in the winter. They’re a touch more exposed to the NE summer winds because you’re further from the headland, so can get messy later on in the morning/afternoon. There’s almost always a crowd out at the southernmost point in the bay, now known as Kiddies Corner – it’s arguably the best suburban grom and learner spot in the whole of Sydney.
Avalon
A notorious local crew rules Avalon like its something out of South LA. They’re rippers and leave virtually no scraps for traveling surfers, so it’s almost not worth the effort/headache/shiner if you’re dropping into Sydney for only a few days. The waves do pump on SE winter swells. There’s a separate spot off the rocks that’s known as the Matterhorn which is a sucky, pitching shoulder that runs left into the heart of the bay. It’s a proper up-and-down wave that invites huge turns. Another wave breaks on the opposite side, usually a touch smaller because it’s hidden from head-on SE swells.
Bilgola Beach
There are a handful of different breaks on Bilgola Beach but the main one people come for is Bowles. It starts thick and heavy and then sucks up into a barrel real quick before tapering out. Great for performance surfers and bodyboarders. Likes strong SE winter swells. Be warned of possessive locals (though not as bad as over in Avalon) and fishing industry waste in the water – some people have been tangled in discarded nets in recent years.
Newport Beach
Look up and down Newport Beach for the best peaks. You’re usually okay with most of them. They’re not too shifty and usually pretty user-friendly, plus this is one of the few Northern Beaches where the locals will still wear a smile. The main setup is reef-sandbar, for A-frame left-rights of varying quality depending on swell direction/season (winter SE are the best, as per usual). The middle of the bay does offer Deadies, a very sucky shorebreak wave that can be good fun but also super dumpy.
Bungan
We’re big, big fans of Bungan. It seems to have an uncanny ability to work when a lot of the rest of the Northern Beaches are blown out, but it’s still in thrall to decently formed sandbanks, which shift A LOT, Hossegor style. Most of the time, the north end of Bungan will be firing with lovely lefts, while the south can offer easy, perfect-ratio barrels that almost anyone can score. We’re often amazed it’s not as busy as beaches further north.
Mona Vale
Super high-quality rights break at Rip Bowl in the middle of Mona Vale. It’s a sought-after wave that has a loyal crew of protective locals. But there are other peaks around it, working off the reefs and sandbars up and down the bay. Most are for advanced surfers only – this beach gets fantastic exposure to the big SE swells that roll through May-September. It’s often got a couple of feet on other Northern Beaches and the punch to match.
Warriewood
Warriewood alters a lot depending on the season. Winters can turn it super-heavy. Fat walls of pitching right shoulders peel off the headland at the south side of the bay. They’re fun but also super powerful. Summers bring the SUPers and the groms, but it’s still good fun as they waves go peeling and mellow.
Turimetta Beach
On its day, Turimetta is a real fun spot with a trio of waves. The north part of the beach has a sucky right wedge that’s almost always working but never as clean as the rest of the bay. The middle peak is a fun right hander off a rock that builds up sandbars. Then there’s a right off the south headland, which is usually occupied by learners and groms. We’d say that’s the best of the bunch, though only with W offshores to keep it clean. Locals can be arseholes here, but are usually okay by Sydney standards.
Narrabeen Point
There’s a ledge below the Narrabeen headland that works on 3-foot+ swells. It’s a peeling left with barrel potential when things are over the 5-foot mark. The main danger is the rocks below, which can get quite close, especially on low tides. But it’s a quality wave on its day, without too many crowds to boot. Advanced and upper intermediates only though.
Collaroy
Walk around the side of the Collaroy ocean pool and get straight in the water. The wave is here is usually clean and regular, with nice right peelers to get stuck into. The crowds aren’t too bad and they’re usually nice even if they are about. The spot only works like an hour before and after low and likes NE or SE swells the best.
Dee Why
Dee Why is a sleeping beast on small swells. When the big winter sets come through and there’s anything over 8 foot in the forecast, though, it’s an alarm bell for this beefy right. The take off is the hardest part. It’s super sucky and demands good down the line discipline to escape a lip that rolls over fast and onto shallow rock reefs. Make that and – dare we say – the rest is kinda’ fun. You’re rewarded with long, frothing walls that you can rip up to your heart’s content, rail to rail stuff like.
Curl Curl
A wintertime classic that hoovers up SE and S swell, Curl Curl is a fantastic backup to have when it goes pancake between May and September. There are a few named peaks up and down the length of the bay, most notably North Curl Curl, for its long, cruisy right shoulders that alternate between hollow sections and pitching walls. Castle Corner is further south. It’s a tray-rider’s dream with closeouts and dumps the whole way along. That doesn’t stop it from being one of the most protected breaks on the Northern Beaches – the local crews are hell there.
Freshwater
Freshwater will be forever written into the annals of Australian surfing. It’s the spot where a certain Duke out of Hawaii first brought the sport to the country way back when horse and carts where the mode of transport of choice. Well, this part of the NSW cap is now more Porsches and Romeos, and things have changed a touch. The sandbars here are simply not as good as many further up the coast, so it’s not normal to catch too many out. They do have their day. Avoid the closeouts and nice rides of 50 meters can come off the south rocks.
Manly
Going to the southernmost end of the Northern Beaches (pretty much anything past Curl Curl and Freshwater) brings us firmly into the sphere of Manly. This area hosts some of the very best surf beaches in the city, along with pro comps every year. Great exposure to SE and SW swells with a range of right points and sandbars are the diet of the day, and you’ll find some truly epic rides on offer. As such, we’ve dedicated a complete separate guide to this corner of the town.
Read our complete guide to surfing in Manly
The beaches south of the Sydney Harbour mouth
Bondi
Bondi is the stuff of legends these days. It’s sorta’ like Australia’s answer to Kuta but has a bit more pizzazz than that – if drunk backpackers are your idea of pizzazz. Anyway, it’s a place to party by night and do surf schools by day. You simply cannot miss it if this is your first time surfing in Australia! Our dedicated guide to Bondi covers Bondi itself but also all the beaches that go down to Coogee, which is one of the most famous stretches in the whole country.
Read our complete guide to surfing in Bondi and nearby beaches right now
Maroubra
You should be able to see the swells kicking off the rock ledges on the north and south ends of Maroubra as you approach the beach. That’s a clue to just how nicely this 1km-run of sand picks up summer NE sets and winter SE pulses. It’s pretty fantastic on the consistency front and offers shedloads to get stuck into. The farthest south point is usually for neat boxy barrels and lippy shoulders – shortboarder waves one and all. On the strongest winter days, these spots will slab out and offer cracking fodder for surf photographers. As you head up towards the middle of the bay, you’re looking at heavier waves that can dump quite strongly. Risks are rips and jellies.
Read our complete guide to surfing in Maroubra right now
Malabar
If you like your waves smaller and your boards longer, then Malabar is a good choice when it’s like 8 foot on the Northern Beaches. The swell chops down loads here because the bay is so narrow. As it hits the rocks on the north side, there’s a neat logger left that cruises into a paddle channel. Usually pretty easy but there are question marks over the water quality.
Cape Solander/The Leap
There’s a proper gnarlfest going on at the end of the national park down on Cape Solander with SE and E swells in the winter. Huge barreling rights peel off the rock ledges into urchin-infested reefs. You’ll want a deathwish to try it but it’s pretty awesome when it comes off.
Cronulla
There are more breaks stretching along the massive bay down in Cronulla than you can shake your can of VB at. That doesn’t really help cut the crowds down, since this is one of the most visited of the suburban beaches on the south side of the city, plus it’s only 30 minutes’ drive from the CBD. The action ranges from peaky beach breaks to postbox barrels off the reefs. Bigger swells in winter or wrap-around from the NE in summer will stoke the localism but it’s not that bad and there’s usually enough to go around.
Read our complete guide to Cronulla surf right now
Where to stay when surfing in Sydney?
This guide covers nearly 20 spots over a stretch of urban coastline that’s nearly 35 miles long. The very best thing you can do for yourself is to either a) book a place to stay that’s right on the beach you most want to surf regularly or b) score a hire car (the option we like most since it means you can head out to other beaches when the swells change and whatnot).
To get you started, here are just a couple of stays that we think stand out in some of Sydney’s absolute key surf locations…
Stoke Beach House
In: Manly
The Stoke Beach House is a surf stay with serious style. Channeling vintage 1950s pizzazz, it offers bargain dorm rooms and private doubles alike. The communal areas are top-notch, there are rental bikes on offer, and surf lessons can be booked on site. Most of all, it’s the fun vibes. You’ll make new pals to surf with in no time.
Wake Up! Bondi Beach
In: Bondi
Wake Up! Bondi Beach is one of the finer hostels down on what’s probably the most iconic location for Sydney surf of the lot. We think it’s prime for beginners on a budget. Choose a dorm room, make new buddies, get surfing. Simple.
Palm Beach Bed & Breakfast
In: Palm Beach
We put the Palm Beach Bed & Breakfast in here as a bit of a left-of-field pick. It’s up at the far end of the Northern Beaches, a drive of over an hour from the Sydney CBD. The upshot? It’s a top pick for escaping the buzz of the city but also the more local surf crews. The nearby bay of Palm and Barrenjoey has empty breaks for all levels.
Step-by-step guide to planning your Sydney surf trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the Sydney surf…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step five: Enjoy!
For paying for stuff when you’re traveling – Get a Wise borderless card/account. They charge NOTHING for POS payments in any country and have some of the best FX rates around in our humble opinion.
When to surf in Sydney?
There’s really never a bad time to plan a surf trip to Sydney. In fact, consistency is the single most defining factor of the beaches here. Some work better on strong SE swells in winter. Others like the less-predictable NE swells that come through in the summer. The upshot? There’s almost always a wave, so long as you’re willing to travel and search to find it. As such, a rental car is always a good choice if you don’t already have your own wheels. It’s around an hour’s cruise from Cronulla in the south to the peak of the Northern Beaches, so recon shouldn’t be too hard.
Generally speaking, we’d say summer is way better suited to beginners and more causal surfers. The winter is for the rippers and the chargers who simple do not want to risk getting skunked in a city that rarely does that to anyone.
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!
