EASTERN SUBURBS
The Eastern Suburbs is one of the best-known areas of Sydney, lying just to the East and South East of the CBD, it is host to some of the city's most famous beaches and neighbourhoods. Bondi Beach in particular is synonymous with Sydney, and although it merits the reputation of fantastic eateries, bars, shopping, and surfing all in one place, there’s a lot more to Eastern Suburbs than just Bondi.
From upscale Italian antipasti at Totti’s Bondi location to Instagrammable acai bowls at Speedos Cafe by the beach, food lovers will revel in the elegant and refined vibes of Eastern Suburbs cafe culture. On every block, you will find local cafes serving up some of the best coffee on the coast and smoothies made with fresh fruit due to the overall emphasis on wellness and health in these suburbs.
With pressed juice in hand, you can continue exploring the east. To get those steps in with a breathtaking vista of the pacific, follow the sandstone trail from Bondi to Coogee to get a grand tour of some of Sydney’s most famous coastlines. Find out more regarding this coastal walk here. On the way, you will notice everything from ocean swimmers to surfers sprinkled throughout the deep blue, this ties in with Sydney’s intense surf culture. Many locals of the Eastern Suburbs will dive in daily to bask in the surf. If you decide that the Eastern Suburbs is a place to call home, you can certainly make this a habit too!
DISCOVER
In terms of which beach is the best, that is really for you to decide. Bondi and Coogee are the more stereotypical stretches of sand with choppy waves, making them a haven for surfers but a possible danger for swimmers. Clovelly is a genuinely unique inlet, tucked between two large stone platforms meaning those who hate getting covered and sand can still enjoy a beach day. Gordon’s Bay is an extremely photogenic spot where sunbathers spread throughout the rock formations circling the water. Rather than picking one beach to stick to, broaden your horizons and try them all!
As you spread further down the coast and away from the CBD you enter beachside suburbia, with the likes of Bronte, Tamarama, and Coogee, all offering fantastic surf, coastal walks, parks, and great cafes. Alternatively, if you head up towards the likes of Dover Heights and Rose Bay, you can experience beautiful bays and an overall higher cost of living.
Luckily, the Eastern Suburbs happens to be a backpacker’s paradise, with a range of hostels dotted throughout the coast. Therefore, choosing the Eastern Suburbs as a hub for your trip down under is beneficial as you are likely to meet fellow beach-loving travellers easily. The beach suburbs are also host to many young renters and sharehouses due to the presence of the UNSW campus in Randwick. Many young people also like to rent in the Eastern Suburbs due to the proximity to the beach, recreation and nightlife. If you decide to extend your trip to Australia into a permanent “vacation”, living in the Eastern Suburbs will make every day feel like a holiday.
The proximity to the city of the Eastern Suburbs and the ability to fulfil that dream so many of us have of starting and finishing our day overlooking the ocean can become a real possibility here, and it’s what makes it so popular.
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Surf the beaches! Check-out Bondi, Coogee, Bronte, Tamarama, and Maroubra - although be sure to time it right - it can get very crowded very quickly
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Bondi to Coogee coastal walk, a truly beautiful and picturesque hike along the coastline, and a perfect way to start the weekend or brush off a hangover
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Get some shopping done in Central Bondi, and explore the weekend markets by the beach and in Paddington
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Grab a coffee on the beach in Bronte and watch the surfers go by on the horizon
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Check out Coogee Bay Hotel and Coogee Pavilion for a night out and a change from the Bondi scene
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Walk from Macquarie to Hornby lighthouses (keeping an eye for humpback whales) and finish up at Watsons Bay hotel for a dance
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Take a picnic and blanket up to Dudley Page Reserve and watch the sunset of the Emerald City skyline
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Take a stroll in Centennial Park and swap the beach for the greenery - and keep an eye out for bats - it's one of their popular hangouts
OUR HIGHLIGHTS
Being so close to the CBD means you can get in and out of the city fairly quickly, although this depends massively on where you're coming from. Bondi Junction (although note this is not the beach) is the quickest with a direct train and Randwick is equally with the new Light Rail (although this is slower) through Centennial Park. If you’re not coming from either of these locations, it can involve the use of Sydney’s extensive bus network connecting each of the boroughs along the ocean as well as into the centre.
Train:
If you need to travel through the city to get to the Eastern Suburbs, you can utilise the T4 Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra line. This route will take you all the way to Bondi Junction, a major shopping centre located 15 minutes from the beach. From Bondi Junction, you can catch a multitude of buses that will take you all throughout the east.
Bus:
As stated above, there are many buses that can get you to the beach. A notable route is the 333 from Bondi Junction to Bondi Beach as it will drop you off right across the road from the shore. The 373 bus from Coogee to Museum Station in the city is another route that allows you to skip taking the train.
Drive:
Given that you don’t undertake driving to the Eastern Suburbs on a weekend or particularly good beach day, driving to the east from other parts of the city is often the most popular way for locals to get to these beach suburbs. The Cross-City Tunnel is the fastest way to cut across the CBD however to avoid tolls you can drive through Oxford Street to reach your destination.