Coogee to Bondi Walk Guide (Sydney’s Best Coastal Walk)

When I was planning my trip to Sydney, I kept hearing how incredible the Coogee to Bondi walk was.

Literally, everyone I asked and everything I researched was raving about this coastal walk. I thought to myself, can it really be that good?

Well, after visiting Sydney and doing the walk for myself, I can most definitely agree with everyone – the Coogee to Bondi walk is a MUST DO while visiting the city!

This guide will go into more detail about how to go about the walk for yourself and what to expect along the way.

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2) Which Way to Walk?

One of the main questions people have when taking part in the coastal walk is whether to walk from Bondi to Coogee or from Coogee to Bondi.

While you cannot go wrong with either choice, my recommendation would be to start at Coogee Beach and walk to Bondi Beach. There are a couple of main reasons I believe this is the best option.

For one, the views looking northbound throughout the walk are going to be a bit better. Although you will have incredible views in both directions, I prefer the views in that direction.

The second main reason is the idea of ending up by Bondi Beach. Bondi is without a doubt one of Sydney’s best beaches and it is a great spot to jump in the water after some time of walking. You also have the nearby Bondi Icebergs, if you would like to swim in their pool or have a meal.

I will say though, if you want a quieter experience at the end of the walk, then Coogee will be the better option. Either way you choose, the coastal walk will be a memorable one!

3) Coastal Walk Map

Below is the high-level map of the Coogee to Bondi walk. You will begin at the southernmost point and begin your walk northbound towards Bondi Beach.

I have also squared off some of the main highlights along the way that I will dive into in the next section.

These include Gordon’s Bay, Clovelly Beach, Waverley Cemetery, Bronte Beach, and Tamarama Beach.

5) How to Get to Coogee Beach

To take part in the Coogee to Bondi walk, you first need to get to the starting point at Coogee Beach.

If coming from the harbour area, you can either take the easy option and use an Uber to get you there (~$30 AUD) or you can rely on the efficient public transport bus system of Sydney.

There are several buses that can get you to Coogee from downtown & Circular Quay including the X73/X74 and 373/374 (using Google Maps to plan your route is a good option here).

The buses run pretty frequently and the whole journey should take about 45 minutes and costs around $4 AUD.

The starting point of the walk itself is on the northern end of the beach in the Dunningham Reserve. Once you enjoy Coogee a bit, make the walk up there, where you can begin the walk to Bondi.

6) Coogee to Bondi Walk

Below I will go into a bit more detail on the walk itself the some of the highlights that you should expect to pass along the way.

Take your time as you make the walk to Bondi Beach as it really is one of the best coastal walks out there (if not the best!).

Coogee Beach & The Dunningham Reserve

Once you make your way up into the Dunningham Reserve, you should get a great view of the entire Coogee Beach (picture above!).

Follow the coastal path to the Giles Baths, where you can get a glimpse of a natural Sydney swimming pool, along with some great views of the coastline up north.

After checking out the natural rock pools, head back up into Dunningham and take the path closest to the water. There is also a walkway further inland in the reserve, but the path right by the water’s edge is sure to be more scenic.

After getting some views in, the path will meet up with Major Street as you walk along the street for a few minutes before getting back on the walkway.

Dunningham to Gordons Bay

The next major landmark on the walk will be that of Gordons Bay. The path wraps alongside the edge of Gordons Bay and you can get some nice views from every angle.

On the north end of Gordons Bay, you will see a sign for the Gordons Bay Underwater Nature Trail.

It is the first time I came across something like it, but essentially it is an underwater diving trail that can be followed in a 40-minute loop. The loop is full of a diverse set of marine plants and animals along the rocky reef.

Now of course you will need to join in on a diving trip to take part in something like that but nonetheless it was pretty unique seeing that right off of Sydney’s coastline.

It is a great place to opt for some snorkeling (or just swimming) if that is something you are interested in.

Gordons Bay to Clovelly Beach

After making your way around Gordons Bay, the next major destination is that of Clovelly Beach. To get there you will walk right along the rocky waterfront before turning into the Clovelly area.

There will be a swimming pool right alongside the beach, as you pass it by, and then head on over to the other side.

Clovelly Beach to Burrows Park / Shark Point

After Clovelly, you will enter the Burrows Park and Shark Point area. I took the coastal path that got me a bit closer to the water’s edge as that offered me some fantastic views down the coastline.

This was a definite highlight of the walk but do be careful when walking around the rocky area. Eventually, you will get back on the paved path as you pass the Clovelly Bowling Club.

Burrows Park to Bronte Beach

The Coogee to Bondi walk will now bring you alongside the Waverley Cemetery as you make your way on the boardwalk towards Bronte Beach.

This is another portion of the walk that is very scenic to take in as you see the dramatic coastline edge and waves crashing in from nearby.

Be sure to turn around from time to time as the views looking southward are just as good! After a bit, you will approach the Bronte Beach area, which is sure to be full of surfers no matter what time of year.

Bronte Beach to Tamarama Beach

Right around the corner from Bronte Beach is Tamarama Beach. As you make your way around Bronte, you will get some great views from up top. You will soon get some more views from the top of Tamarama.

You can spend some time enjoying this cove beach and Mackenzies Bay out in front of you.

After circling around the beach, head on the path closest to the water as you make the final approach of the Coogee to Bondi walk.

Tamarama Beach to Bondi Beach

After heading around Tamarama Beach, walk along Mackenzies Point. From there, you will get some scenic views from both in front and behind you of the rocky cliff edge before Bondi Beach comes into view.

Soon enough you will reach the one and only Bondi Beach!

One of the first things you will see is the famous Bondi Icebergs Club and its incredible ocean pool. This is a good place to take a swim, have a meal, and just enjoy the final stop of the walk.

After arriving near the southern end of the beach, you can continue the walk down to the beach itself. From there, enjoy the graffiti art, and then take some time to just relax on the beach after completing the Coogee to Bondi walk.

If you opt to head into the water, just be aware of the strong currents and listen closely to the lifeguards on duty!

7) Leaving Bondi

Once finished enjoying all that Bondi Beach has to offer, it is time to make your way back to your hotel.

If you are staying in the harbor area, the easiest way is to jump onto the 333N bus, which stops right in front of north Bondi Beach. These buses run every 30 minutes and you should be back in no time.

You can also take to explore the nearby Bondi Junction area, have a meal, do some shopping, and just enjoy one of the best areas in Sydney.

I hope that this guide has given you a bit better idea of how to go about the Coogee to Bondi walk and what makes this one of the best things to do in Sydney.

It really was one of the best walks I have been on and a trip to Sydney is not complete without taking part yourself.

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