The best beaches in Australia

With everything from dramatic rugged coves to long stretches of idyllic white sandy stretches of sand, you could paddle in the Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans as you explore this vast country, 32 times bigger than the UK.

So with quite literally thousands of options to choose between, here’s our pick of the best beaches in Australia, wherever your travels take you.

Said to be the most photographed beach in Australia, Whitehaven Beach regularly tops the list of best beaches in Australia – and for good reason. The 7km of idyllic white sand are 98% silica which means it feels powder soft, and doesn’t get too hot if you’re planning to stroll barefoot along the shore.

Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands

The crystal clear waters make it easy to spot the marine life here too; you won’t even need to pull on a mask if you don’t want to. Unspoiled and undeveloped, it’s easy to imagine yourself castaway in paradise. Save time to wander to Hill Inlet lookout at Tongue Point for one of the best views.

To reach it, you’ll need to take a boat from Airlie Beach, one of the resorts in the Whitsundays, including Hamilton Island, or stop off as part of a cruise in the Whitsunday Islands.

The fabulous scenery of the Whitsunday Islands means you’re spoiled for choice if you’re looking for the best beach in Australia, with Airlie Beach also making the cut.

Airlie Beach, Whitsunday Island

Busier than Whitehaven Beach, it’s perfect if you’re looking for a beach with plenty of things to do. Not only the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, you’ll find boating and water sports, as well as a lagoon with a swimming area protected from the seasonal box jellyfish which arrive to this corner of Queensland at certain times of the year.

There are also restaurants and plenty of places to relax with a drink close to the palm-fringed beach as well.

This tropical paradise sits on the edge of the rainforest, around 30 minutes north of Cairns and close to Palm Cove, curving between two headlands.

Trinity Beach, Cairns

This enticing sweep of golden sand is backed by coconut palms and beach almond trees, with a string of places to eat and drink just beyond the cove, as well as hiking paths leading into the hills around the beach.

Popular with locals, it’s quieter than some of the busier beaches in and around Cairns too, with lifeguards patrolling year-round, and a stinger net to protect against jellyfish during the summer months from November to around April/May.

If you’re planning to visit the Great Barrier Reef during your stay in Australia, what better way than to stay on one of the islands in the reef itself. Lizard Island is the northernmost isle in Australia, with 24 powder-soft white beaches dotted around the island and clear water lapping on the sand.

Lizard Island, Queensland

With a tropical forest at the heart and a slice of barefoot luxury at the Lizard Island resort, one of the Luxury Lodges of Australia, it’s somewhere to relax, indulge and make the most of the wonderful scenery. You can borrow boats to hop from one beach to another, snorkel with some of the wonderful marine life on the reef just off shore or walk the island’s trails, including one up to the highest point at Cook’s Look, before cooling off in the coral sea.

Lizard Island isn’t your only choice of Great Barrier Reef islands – Heron Island, further south, also sits within the reef and has its own tempting beaches and snorkelling

Set on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, upmarket Noosa has a laidback coastal atmosphere with beach, river and National Park around the town, alongside boutique shops, restaurants and cafes and a range of Noosa hotels to stay in.

Noosa Beach, Queensland

You’ve got several beaches to choose from here, but Noosa Main Beach is our pick. Facing north, the beach’s position gives it more protection from the Pacific tides so the water is calmer, and it’s popular for water sports and fishing.

With a long boardwalk by the sand and the National Park nearby if you fancy more than relaxing in the sun, there’s also great surfing around Noosa.

The most easterly point of the Australian mainland, the former hippie town of Byron Bay is more of a tourist destination these days but still has a chilled-out feel. At the top of New South Wales, it’s around an hour’s drive from the Gold Coast and Brisbane, so much closer to Queensland than Sydney.

Byron Bay, New South Wales

With gentle breaks and warm white sand, the town’s main beach is its big attraction, popular with families as well as locals looking to soak up the sun. Keen divers can also spot several different kinds of shark, including leopard and nurse shark, along with wobbegong (otherwise known as carpet sharks).

Save some time to walk up to the Cape Byron Lighthouse, set within a protected reserve, where you may be able to spot humpback whales from the look-out points, along with great views back down onto the sands.

One of the best beaches in Sydney, Manly is also quieter than some of the city’s other beaches so it’s well worth the effort to head over to this stretch of sand on the north side of Sydney Harbour - take a ferry across the harbour for some fantastic views back across the water.

Manly Beach, New South Wales

The beach got its unusual name back in 1788 when Captain Arthur Phillip commented on the ‘confidence and manly behaviour’ of the indigenous people living there.

Stretching for 3km, today it’s particularly popular with surfers, with the world’s first surfing contest held here in 1964.

If you had to name the best beaches in Sydney, Australia or the world, chances are Bondi Beach would be on the list. Easily one of the country’s most famous, it might be touristy and it’s almost always busy, but no list of the beach beaches in Australia would be complete without it.

Bondi Beach, Sydney, New South Wales

The 1km crescent of sand is the closest ocean beach to the centre of Sydney and it’s perfect for people-watching; everything from groups playing games on the beach to surfers, kayakers, paddleboarders, and even skateboarders at the beach skate park. Add in the famous Bondi Icebergs ocean pool, which opened in 1929, and it’s easy to while away your day.

With lifeguards and beach rescue year-round, it’s also a great option if you’re looking for a safe place to swim. If you’ve got energy to burn, the 6km Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk starts at the south end of the beach and takes around two hours to stroll along this gorgeous slice of coast.

South of Sydney, at Jervis Bay on the south coast of New South Wales, Hyams Beach is often said to have the Guinness World Record seal of approval for the ‘whitest sand in the world’. And while this often repeated claim turns out not to be true (as there’s no such category), there’s no question this sparklingly white cove is still one of the best beaches in Australia.

Hyams Beach, New South Wales

With sand that’s almost pure quartz, the fine grains gleam in the sunshine, especially against the brilliant turquoise of the sea. The second most popular dive spot in Australia after the Great Barrier Reef, the 2km beach is surrounded by national and marine parks, so it’s as tempting to snorkellers and divers as those looking to sunbathe on the gleaming sugar-white sand.

Backing onto Booderee National Park, you might even find a few kangaroos and wallabies hopping over to enjoy the sands themselves too. A perfect mix of scenery and wildlife.

When you’re looking for the best beach in Australia, a 90-mile stretch of golden sand has to be a strong contender – you could spend days, even weeks, just exploring the well-named Ninety Mile Beach in eastern Victoria.

Ninety Mile Beach, Victoria

Made up of sandy dunes stretching from Sale to Lakes Entrance, which divide the ocean from the Gippsland Lakes, you’ve got wonderful views of the water in both directions. As well as swimming, there’s diving and sailing in the region, plus a chance to spot dolphins in the waves, or you can head out onto the calmer waters of the lakes.

The beach wildlife trail is a fantastic way to spot some of Australia’s native animals as well, including emus, kangaroos and echidnas

The golden sheltered sandy beaches in Cowes are a firm favourite with locals, home to one of Victoria’s few north-facing beaches. With gentle waves and low winds, they’re perfect for swimming, as well as water sports including paddleboarding and sailing, with the Cowes Yacht Club based near here.

Cowes Beach, Philip Island, Victoria

The island itself is home to the largest little penguin colony in the world, and you can even watch the penguin parade at sunset as the birds, commonly known as fairy penguins, waddle across the sands to their burrows (booking essential as numbers are limited).

What makes the best beach in Australia? Secluded coves are always tempting, but you can find one of the country’s top stretches of sand just 30 minutes from central Melbourne at Brighton Beach, with its Victorian-era bathing boxes in a rainbow of vibrant shades.

Brighton Beach, Victoria

It’s a chance to take a small step back in time; a visit here is all about the simple pleasures of the seaside, with a promenade lining the sweep of golden sands, children playing with buckets and spades, and the deep blue waves rolling gently onto the shore.

There are some lovely walks around the area too, taking you from the beach over to St Kilda, although it’s very tempting just to sit back, gaze out to the ocean and relax.

Famed for its surf competitions, Bells Beach even makes an appearance in the final scene of classic 90s film Point Break – and even if you don’t fancy grabbing a board and riding the waves, it’s a great place to stop and marvel at the surfers.

Bells Beach, Victoria

Easy to combine with a trip along the Great Ocean Road, the big swells and dramatic scenery of the rocky clifftops are another draw. This isn’t somewhere you’ll want to swim, with strong currents and rip tides, but the views are well worth a stop.

If you’re visiting over Easter, Australia’s longest-running pro surf competition takes place each year, so you can expect extra events, including live music and other entertainment, but also bigger crowds drawn to see the world’s best surfers ride the waves.

You won’t be sunbathing with an ice cream at the Twelve Apostles Beach, but this coastal spot shouldn’t be missed by anyone exploring the Great Ocean Road.

Twelve Apostles Beach, Victoria

These huge shards of limestone are the result of years of erosion from the force of the Southern Ocean, standing tall along the rugged coastline and the subject of countless photos. Only seven of the original ‘apostles’ remain, some up to 45m high, although the waves are constantly carving out new stacks as they wear away the existing ones.

Once you’ve taken your own snap from the viewpoint, you can walk down to the beach itself via Gibson Steps. Do check the tide times before you do, as it’s not possible to walk past the stacks at high tide. Swimming is not recommended here, even at low tide.

Kangaroo Island in South Australia has more than a few beaches which could compete for the title of Australia’s best beach, but if we have to choose one, beautiful Vivonne Bay Beach wins out over its picture-perfect neighbours.

Vivonne Bay, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

This one is definitely a beach for those who want to get away from it all, to discover a secluded, unspoiled corner of the country, with 6km of gleaming white sand, translucent blue water and seals and dolphins swimming just off the coast.

Backed by Vivonne Bay Conservation Park, you could easily believe you’d stumbled into a tropical desert island. Bring a book and a towel (and realistically, anything else you need) and revel in the idyllic surroundings.

If you’re staying on Kangaroo Island, do try to check out Stokes Bay and Emu Bay while you’re there too and see if your favourite is the same as ours.

If you picture a tropical beach, all golden sand and turquoise sea, you’re probably imagining something very similar to Almonta Beach. Backed by dune and bushland which is home to kangaroos and emus, the clear waters are ideal for swimming. It feels far from anywhere – don’t expect any facilities here, or much shade – but this unspoiled spot is well worth the small fee to enter the national park.

Almonta Beach, Coffin Bay National Park, South Australia

Incidentally, forget any negative associations with the name Coffin Bay; it’s actually named for Sir Isaac Coffin, a friend of the British explorer who named the bay in 1802.

Once you’ve finished your swim and sunbathe, you can head to a nearby oyster farm to shuck your own oysters right from the water too, as the perfect end to a day in South Australia.

You’ll find several beaches dotted around Perth, but Cottesloe Beach is not just one of the best beaches in the city but one of the best beaches in Australia itself.

Cottesloe Beach, Perth, Western Australia

Known by the locals as Cottes, it’s as good if you’re looking for an active day at the beach or if you want to relax in the sun on the curve of sand.

There’s swimming, snorkelling and surfing here, as well as usually a few games of beach cricket taking place. In summer, there are lifeguards patrolling too, plus some shady pines behind the beach if you need to cool off, not to mention plenty of places to pick up fish and chips nearby.

In March, the free Sculpture by the Sea exhibition sees the beachfront transformed into a public sculpture park too.

When you see the shimmer of the water in Turquoise Bay, it’s not hard to see how it got its name. Set in the lagoons of Ningaloo Marine Park, home to one of the largest fringing reefs in the world, it’s a snorkeller’s dream.

Turquoise Bay, Western Australia

Safe and shallow even for novices, there’s some fabulous coral and around 500 different fish species living in this area, along with dolphins, turtles and manta rays. Or if you’d prefer not to get wet, you’ll find glass bottom boat excursions to the outer reef too.

Whatever you choose, the beach itself is waiting, a 600-metre sweep of brilliantly white sand that sparkles in the sun. Part of the Cape Range National Park, around a 45-minute drive from Exmouth, the area is also home to kangaroos, emus and echidnas.

Back in 1889, a telegraph cable was laid between Broome and Java, connecting the remote North-West of Australia with the rest of the world. Today the name remains, although you’ll quickly feel like you’ve escaped the world entirely as you relax on the 22km of powdery white sand, contemplating a dip in the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean (although that’s better avoided during stinger season from November to April).

Stay until sunset when not only does the sky flame in golds and crimsons, but you’ll see caravans of camels plodding along the water’s edge towards the sand dunes – or if you’d rather ride one, you can enjoy the views from its back.

It’s less than 10 minutes by car from Broome itself, Australia’s pearling capital, with more fascinating history to discover in this corner of Western Australia too.

It can be easy to overlook Tasmania when you’re thinking about beaches, but Bay of Fires has been called the best beach in Australia, a 10km stretch running along the island’s northeast coast. It’s one of the beaches in Australia that will appeal to those seeking an adventure, and promises a day out to remember.

Bay of Fires, Tasmania

The clear azure seas here may be colder than other parts of Australia, but the sparkling turquoise blue combined with untouched white beaches and a backdrop of dark granite rocks splashed with orange lichen is unforgettable.

There’s a chance to learn more about the Aboriginal history behind the area too, whose original inhabitants inspired the name Bay of Fires.

Australia’s best beaches are guaranteed to tempt you to take a dip, whether you’re snorkelling or cooling off after relaxing on the sand. But it’s essential to keep safety in mind when swimming in Australia.

Red and yellow flags on the beach indicate that a lifesaving service is operating and that it's safe to swim between the flags.

Keep an eye out for flags or signs warning of any dangers, whether that’s strong currents or stingers (jellyfish) before you head into the water. Many will have lifeguards, so you can also get specific advice, but otherwise it’s a good idea to check in advance if there’s anything to be aware of.

Many beaches will also have deterrent measures in place against anything from jellyfish to sharks, so you can swim safely in specific areas too.

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