The Famous Bondi to Coogee Walk – A Sydney Must!

The Bondi to Coogee walk is one of the most popular and iconic coastal walks in Sydney. The stunning 6km coastal route will take you through pristine beaches, ocean cliffs, secluded bays and fascinating landmarks. This is one of my favourite things to do in Sydney so I highly recommend it if you’re visiting. In this post, we’ll dive into what makes this walk so great, address common FAQs and key landmarks to see along the way.

Highlights of the Bondi to Coogee Walk

The Bondi to Coogee walk is a fantastic way to see Sydney’s eastern coastline, exploring bustling beaches and secluded bays. I have always done this walk starting in Coogee and ending in Bondi, but you can do it either direction. Whether you decide to walk the entire 6km trail, or just stick to a portion of it, this is what you can expect to see along the way:

Coogee Beach

I’ve done this walk about a dozen times now and always seem to start in Coogee. Known for it’s family-friendly vibe and calm surf, Coogee Beach a 400m stretch of pristine beach. With its promenade line with shops and places to eat, I always start the walk with a coffee or juice from one of the many cafes here. There are also a number of things to explore in this area including rock pools, parks and restored historic buildings.

The walk starts along a paved park that takes you past Dolphins Point and Koojah Cliff – both great photo opportunities of Coogee Bay! From here, you’ll follow the path towards Gordons Bay. You might walk past ‘Jessie’s Shop’ here – a stall run by a young guy selling a range of cold drinks and refreshments! There’s also a few great Acai bowl cafes in Coogee with takeaway options.

Gordons Bay

Gordons Bay is a small beach lined with fishing boats and is a popular area to snorkel. If you want to explore this underwater paradise be sure to bring your snorkelling gear. This is also a lovely area to sit and watch the sunset! Follow the narrow pathway, Cliffbrook Parade, from Gordons Bay towards Clovelly. On your way to Clovelly Beach, you’ll walk alongside a carpark that usually has an ice cream van for refreshments. There’s also a small park here and a good lookout point called Little Coogee Bay Lookout.

Clovelly to Bronte

Clovelly Beach is a narrow bay, home to a small beach, an ocean swimming pool and a children’s park. There are good facilities here with cafes, parking and toilets. The beach itself is surrounded by concrete, making it a good place for sunbathers not wanting to get sandy. Like Gordons Bay, there is some snorkelling potential here too!

From Clovelly Beach, follow the trail towards Bronte Beach. On this stretch of the Coogee to Bondi walk, you’ll pass a number of landmarks, starting with Schlunzen Chair and Cliff’s Edge. These are two rocky vantage points that are popular scenic spots. Continue on the path, going past the Clovelly Bowling Club, up towards the famous Waverley Cemetery.

This is one of my favourite parts of the Coogee to Bondi walk. You’ll follow the coast round on a grated walkway, with the pristine cemetery on your left, and the waves crashing against rocks on your right. There are a number of lookouts and viewpoints along this walkway, including Waverley Cemetery Viewpoint, Mark’s Vantage Point and Farbs Lookout. Once you’re at Bronte Baths, you’ve made it to the start of Bronte Beach.

Bronte Beach

Bronte beach is a sandy strip backed by cliffs and parks. With natural rock pools, the Bronte Baths and great surf, there’s something for everyone at Bronte. It is known for having a strong rip current, and even with the larger number of lifeguards present, it might not be the best beach for newer swimmers. Beach park and Bronte Park are great picnic spots and, if you have time, Bronte House and Bronte Gully are worth checking out. You have the choice to either follow the curved road around this area or walk directly across the sandy beach to continue onto Tamarama Beach. I typically opt for the road route.

Tamarama Beach

Tamarama Beach is next up on this famous coastal walk. On the smaller and quieter side to its neighbouring beaches, Tamarama is a great place to have a more private experience. It’s home to a sculpture display, rock pools, BBQ areas and cafes. Like Bronte, the strong waves here make it a popular surf spot too.

From Tamarama, the coastal walk will take you onwards to Marks Park and onto the famous Bondi Beach.

Bondi Beach

As the trail continues onto one of the most famous beaches in Australia, you’ll be treated to stunning cliff formations and panoramic coastline views. A short walk past Bondi Icebergs and you’ve made it to Bondi Beach!

This 1km crescent-shaped beach is famous for waterfront eateries, pristine sand, clear water, surfing, volleyball, and sunrises/sunsets. The facilities here are fantastic with showers, toilets, picnic areas and a huge number of lifeguards. It’s a lovely place to relax after the 6km coastal walk or to refuel at one of the many restaurants. I would say the downside of Bondi is how overcrowded and busy the trail and beach can get. It’s easy to catch public transport back towards the CBD or Bondi Central from here, with a number of bus routes right along the pavilion.

FAQs

How Long is the Coogee to Bondi Walk?

The walk is 6km and takes 2-3 hours to complete. However, the enjoyment is in the journey, so go at your own pace! Make some stops along the way at the various beaches, lookout points and cafes. I also love to spend time at the main beach spots and Gordon’s Bay.

Where to Start the Coogee to Bondi Walk?

There’s no right or wrong place to start this walk. I’ve typically done the walk as Coogee to Bondi but you can go in either direction. You can join the route at any point, meaning you can start at one of the beaches found during the walking route if you’d rather a do shorter distance.

Is the Walk Challenging?

The coastal walk is flat and the terrain isn’t challenging. I would personally say the biggest challenge is navigating the crowds during popular times. It can get quite congested, particularly on some of the narrow paths or stairways. I have also found at certain points of the day there are considerably more runners. Given the narrow paths at points, this can cause a bottleneck – this was typically early on weekday mornings, but there might be other times where this is common.

Is Coogee to Bondi Accessible?

Although parts of the walk that would be wheelchair accessible, there are areas that have unavoidable stairs to navigate.

Other Notable Walks in Sydney

There are so many coastal walks, hiking trails and walking tracks to explore whilst in Sydney, and New South Wales in General. Some of my favourite have included the Taronga to Balmoral walk and the Spit to Manly walk. Sydney isn’t just home to coastal walks, with a number of national parks and hikes available in the region. Many of which can be found within the Blue Mountains National Park, a short day trip from Sydney! For more information on the Bondi to Coogee Walk, check out the Sydney website.