A Guide to The Coogee to Bondi Walk

When I was planning my trip to Sydney, I kept on 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 a bit more detail of how to go about the walk for yourself and what to expect along the way.

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1) Coogee to Bondi Walk Fast Facts

While many people like to complete the walk in the direction from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach, I would recommend doing it in the opposite direction.

I loved the idea of ending the walk in Bondi and enjoying all that the beachfront had to offer. Of course, you can also do it from Bondi to Coogee as that is the more popular option out there.

Below are a few fast facts about the walk to get you going in the right direction:

Starting Point: Coogee Beach

Ending Point: Bondi Beach

Length: 6KM / 3.5KM One Way

Time: 2-3 Hours

Track: Boardwalk / Paved Path / Rock

Difficulty: Easy

Additional Things to Know

1) The majority of the Coogee to Bondi walk is easy to follow. However, you may get to certain points where there seems to be more than one path to go with.

This can happen when one of the paths gets closer to the water’s edge and one that is more inland.

My advice is to head closer to the ocean as that is where many of the good views are. You should though be very careful as it is an uneven surface and there may not be any guardrails in place.

2) What is great about the Coogee to Bondi walk is that it really can be done year round.

I happened to be there at the beginning of June right at the beginning of Australia’s winter. Even so, there were still people surfing, swimming in the pools, and enjoying time on the beach.

Now while it certainly was not as warm to enjoy beach weather, the walk itself was still incredible to experience (and a lot less crowded compared to high season).

3) There are restroom, water, and food options along the way. Some of the beaches have facilities and you can always go off the path and into the streets as you make your way up the coastline.

→ If you would like to extend the walk, you have the option of starting on Maroubra Beach before making your way north towards Coogee and onto Bondi.

Learn more in the Coogee to Maroubra Walk Guide!

2) Coastal Walk Map

Below is the high level map of the Coogee to Bondi walk. You will begin at the southern most 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 Gordons Bay, Clovelly Beach, Waverley Cemetery, Bronte Beach, and Tamarama Beach.

This walk is just not about the walk itself but it is also about all these different places you can stop at various points.

Jumping in the water or relaxing on the beach during the coastal walk is a great way to break things up and make this a full day activity.

3) How to Get to Coogee Beach

To take part of 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 bus system of Sydney.

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

The busses 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.

4) 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!).

A. 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 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 rocks 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.

B. 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 as 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 of something like that but nonetheless it was pretty unique seeing that right off of Sydney’s coastline

C. 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.

D. Clovelly Beach to Burrows Park / Shark Point

After Clovelly, you will enter the Burrows Park and Shark Point area. I took the 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 though walking around the rocky area. Eventually you will get back on the paved path as you pass the Clovelly Bowling Club.

E. 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.

F. 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, and then you will soon get some more views from up top of Tamarama.

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.

G. Tamarama Beach to Bondi Beach

After circling around Tamarama Beach 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 pool.

You can continue the walk down to the beach itself, enjoy the graffiti art, and then take some time to just relax on the beach after completing the Coogee to Bondi walk.

5) Leaving Bondi

Once finished up 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 harbour area, the easiest way is to jump onto the 333N bus, which stops right in front of Bondi Beach. These busses run every 30 minutes and you should be back in no time.

6) Where to Stay in Sydney

There are a variety of different options to choose from when deciding where to stay in Sydney. One of the most popular options is to just stay within the Sydney Harbour / CBD / Downtown Area.

There you will find plenty of restaurants and bars, easy public transportation access and of course be close by to some of Sydney’s best attractions.

Below are some accommodation choices at different price points to better help you make your pick.

Mid Tier 

1. Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour

2. Simpsons of Potts Point

3. Meriton Suites Campbell

4. ADGE Apartment Hotel

5. Larmont Sydney

Luxury

1. The Langham Sydney

2. Park Hyatt Sydney

3. Sheraton Grand Hyde Park

4. Pier One Sydney Harbour

5. Four Seasons Sydney

Budget

1. Sydney Harbour YHA

2. Song Hotel Sydney

3. Sydney Hotel CBD

4. Song Hotel Redfern

5. Ibis Budget Sydney East

I hope that this guide has given you a bit better idea of how to go about the Coogee to Bondi walk and what to expect along the way.

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

Feel free to take a look at the other Australia itineraries and guides up on the site for more helpful info about the country.

Take part of the walk as part of the 3 day Sydney itinerary! And don’t forget to check out other walks in Sydney like the one from Spit to Manly or a day trip to the Blue Mountains.

If you have any questions or comments feel free to write them in below!

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