East Coast of Australia: The Most Beautiful Beaches & Islands to Visit - Thrillist
Theres a pretty well-worn backpacker route that runs from Southeast Asia all the way down to New Zealand. Its spine is the east coast of Australia, from maybe as far north as Darwin to as far south as Adelaide, but definitely from Cairns down to at least Sydney. Theres a reason visitors favor this part of the continent. Perth is gorgeous but geographically isolated; Uluru is finally closed as a tourist attraction, a thing it never should have become in the first place. But that eastern coast is stuffed with back-to-back wonders; many of them famous, others less so. And one in particular that might be the most famous -- whether you know its name or not:
Recommended Video
Whitehaven is famous for a specific and undeniable reason: It has the whitest sand of any beach in the world, composed of 98% pure silica. Ive been there once and, four years later, can still see the afterimage burned into my retinas. Whitehaven is only accessible by boat or seaplane, so this is something youll have to join a tour group for rather than visiting independently. The water is shallow and warm and bright, and you wade through it alongside little lemon shark pups, squinting against a blinding stretch of white in every direction.
Whitehaven is just one part (albeit the most iconic one) of the larger Whitsundays, a collection of 74 remote islands nestled between the coastline and the Great Barrier Reef. If youve ever dreamed of seeing the reef in person, or have a newly burning desire to see it before it becomes a pile of Styrofoam, this is where you should go.
God this was fun. Fraser is another one for which youll need to join a tour, unless you happen to have your own car with serious 4WD. But Fraser Island group tours will place you in such a car and let you all take turns driving, which on my particular trip involved two minor accidents (NOT while I was driving), a medium amount of road rage, and a lot of stress, but the greatest possible amount of fun. Youll drive through shallow water along the beach, camp overnight, cook, drink, float down a river, and negotiate outhouses guarded by plate-sized spiders. Also, dingoes! Dingos live on Fraser Island. I should have led with that. You can see dingos here.
Sunshine Coast is just south of Fraser Island and contains a succession of dreamy beaches and national parks. You can splash into swimming holes hidden in the rainforest of Kondalilla National park; walk barefoot along Sunshine beach; and wander to the edge of the mesmerizing Mooloolaba Spit.
Noosa is one of the towns youll find along the Sunshine Coast. The main beach is a long-time favorite among surfers and a must-see for anyone passing through the region. Noosa National Park is enchanting in its own right, but has the added bonus of being a great place to see some koalas, if youre into that sort of thing.
Continuing our journey down the coast, we next come to Queensland's capitol city, which sits on the Brisbane River. Brisbane is often overlooked by tourists in favor of the more fashionable Sydney and Melbourne, but at the very least you should take a day and stop at Streets Beach -- the only inner-city beach in the country. Also, Brisbane is an excellent location to befriend some more koalas.
Below Brisbane lies the Gold Coast, where youll find long, long stretches of pristine beaches and all the good surfing sports you could ever ask for. Theres an abundance of hikable rainforest here too, but dont leave right away once youve finished getting into nature -- the city is known for its nightlife, too.
Below the Gold Coast we next come to Byron Bay. Lots of stops along this route get deservedly hyped up as surfing spots, but Byron Bay is the full experience -- a town that lives and breathes surf culture. It has all the charm of a (comparatively) smaller town, and yet you still get all the backpacking standbys: cafes, beachside bars, snorkeling, and even scuba diving and whale watching if thats what youre after.MORE: The best scuba diving destinations around the world
One of the most iconic beaches anywhere -- not just Australia, but anywhere in the world. A few miles from downtown Sydney, Bondi is massive. You can surf, you can swim, you can stay on land admiring the suspiciously endless parade of hot people walking past. Make sure to visit during the weekend to browse the beach markets, where you can get your lunch (and souvenirs) from scores of local vendors.
Just inland from Sydney lies Blue Mountains National Park, and first off its important to know that this is a choice destination for spotting kangaroos. But Blue Mountains National Park is worth visiting largely because it looks like something out of Avatar. Its also home to an adventure theme park where you can ride the worlds steepest passenger railway, or walk along a skyway suspended in the rainforest canopy.MORE: Heres an Australian golf course with 300 resident kangaroos
Sign up here for our daily Thrillist email, get Next Flight Out for more travel coverage, and subscribe here for our YouTube channel to get your fix of the best in food/drink/fun.
Kastalia Medranois Thrillist's Travel Writer. You can send her travel tips atkmedrano@thrillist.com, and Venmo tips at@kastaliamedrano.
Like us on Facebook to get the best of both worlds.
We see that you already have an account. You're good to go!
There was an error signing up. Try again.
Our best stories, delivered daily
The best decision you'll make all day.
Read the rest here:
Technically, This Is the Most Perfect Stretch of Beach In the World - Thrillist
- Seabean Symposium-Live Blogging - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Alvaro Jaramillo Talks Gulls at 2010 Space Coast Birding Festival - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Fall Sunset on Anna Maria - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Fort Myers Beach Photos Revisited - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Reinier Munguia Keynote at Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Wilderness Matters - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Raptor Project Brings Winged Predators to Space Coast Birding Festival - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Sandscupting Festival on Fort Myers Beach - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- David Allen Sibley to Deliver Keynote at Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival 2010 - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Kevin Mims & Paddle Florida on the Suwannee River - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Zipolite Beach, Oaxaca, Mexico, Central America - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Port Charlotte Beach Park, Port Charlotte, Florida - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The Kent in South Beach, Miami – Budget Beach Hotel in Florida - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Key West, Florida Dog Beach – Where Pooches Can Play - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The Startling White Sand of Hyams Beach, New South Wales, Australia - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Palm Island Beach, Cape Haze, Florida - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- A Surfer’s Paradise at Punta Morena Beach, Cozumel - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Sand the Color of Olives: Papakolea Beach, Hawaii - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, Florida - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Visiting Indialantic Beach? Check out the Crowne Plaza Melbourne Beach - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Say Good-bye to Manatee County Public Beach Pier - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Eco-tourism Field Trips at the Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Birding at Sea: Pelagic Birding Aboard the Pastime Princess - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival Video Clip - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Gulfster’s Surf Trip to Puerto Rico - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Holiday Candlelight Tour of Homes, St. Petersburg, FL - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Kevin Mims: An Outdoorsman to Follow - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- How Big is This Wave? - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Birders: Making a List and Checking it Forever - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Hunting Island State Park – Dog Friendly Beach in Beaufort, SC - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Beach Hotels in Ocean Park, Washington - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- San Diego, CA – Ocean Beach Dog Beach - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Best Beaches for Collecting Sea Glass - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Swimwear in 2010 combines key trends - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- S-Turns Beach in Rodanthe, Outer Banks of North Carolina, Wiped Out By Nor’easter - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- In Awe at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa, Japan - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Summertime in the Outer Banks, North Carolina - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Panama City Beach May Not Welcome Spring Breakers in 2010 - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Bahia Honda Beach near Key West, Florida - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- U.S. Supreme Court Hears Case Regarding Florida Beach Ownership - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Historic Sites of Canaveral National Seashore - December 19th, 2009 [December 19th, 2009]
- Myrtle Beach Building Boardwak Along Beachfront, Adding Amenities - December 19th, 2009 [December 19th, 2009]
- Barrier Island Center Upcoming Events 2010 – Melbourne Beach, Florida - December 19th, 2009 [December 19th, 2009]
- Florida Wildflowers & Plants – Space Coast Birding Festival Field Trip - December 20th, 2009 [December 20th, 2009]
- Jellyfish in Long Beach Aquarium - December 20th, 2009 [December 20th, 2009]
- Heron Island in Great Barrier Reef under new management - December 21st, 2009 [December 21st, 2009]
- Sunset on Longboat Key - December 23rd, 2009 [December 23rd, 2009]
- Pishing With Pete at the Space Coast Birding Festival - December 23rd, 2009 [December 23rd, 2009]
- Summer is Over, but it Lives on My Hard Drive - December 25th, 2009 [December 25th, 2009]
- 800 Pound Beachball to Drop Over Panama City Beach, Florida on New Year’s Eve - December 27th, 2009 [December 27th, 2009]
- Birding by Ear and Habitat with Paddy Cunningham-Pascatore - December 27th, 2009 [December 27th, 2009]
- Prevention of Overfishing of Coral Reefs Reduces Occurrence of Coral Diseases - December 28th, 2009 [December 28th, 2009]
- Florida Screech Owls Encouraged by Nest Boxes - December 28th, 2009 [December 28th, 2009]
- Cayo Costa Photo Memories - December 28th, 2009 [December 28th, 2009]
- Family Activities at the Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival - December 31st, 2009 [December 31st, 2009]
- BeachHunter’s Top 10 Beach Photos in 2009 - January 2nd, 2010 [January 2nd, 2010]
- Viera Wetlands is a Premier Birding Destination in Brevard County - January 2nd, 2010 [January 2nd, 2010]
- Here are a Few More Florida Summer Beach Memories. - January 3rd, 2010 [January 3rd, 2010]
- Lake Morat Puts the Beach in Swiss Beaches - January 6th, 2010 [January 6th, 2010]
- Smoking Banned at Beaches Around the Country - January 6th, 2010 [January 6th, 2010]
- Identifying Gulls – A Field Trip to Brevard County Landfill - January 6th, 2010 [January 6th, 2010]
- Victoria and Albert Museum in London Sponsors World Beach Project - January 7th, 2010 [January 7th, 2010]
- Does It Snow in Florida? - January 9th, 2010 [January 9th, 2010]
- Sun, sand and history found in Bodrum, Turkey - January 9th, 2010 [January 9th, 2010]
- Winter swimming rules at Den Haag’s beaches. - January 9th, 2010 [January 9th, 2010]
- Boats, Kayaks and Birds - January 10th, 2010 [January 10th, 2010]
- Snorkeling with Sea Turtles in Akumal, Mexico - January 11th, 2010 [January 11th, 2010]
- A Hidden Gem – San Agustinillo, Oaxaca, Mexico - January 12th, 2010 [January 12th, 2010]
- Penguins on the Beach at Betty’s Bay - January 12th, 2010 [January 12th, 2010]
- Robert Amoruso Photography Workshops at Space Coast Birding Festival - January 12th, 2010 [January 12th, 2010]
- Scuba Diving with Bull Sharks in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico - January 13th, 2010 [January 13th, 2010]
- California Beach Tradition Threatened - January 13th, 2010 [January 13th, 2010]
- Who’s Going to the 13th Annual Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival? - January 15th, 2010 [January 15th, 2010]
- Getting Away From It All in the Dry Tortugas - January 16th, 2010 [January 16th, 2010]
- History of the Bikini - January 19th, 2010 [January 19th, 2010]
- Conservation and the Economics of Birding - January 20th, 2010 [January 20th, 2010]
- Landlocked Swiss Hit the Beach at Lake Zurich - January 21st, 2010 [January 21st, 2010]
- Northern Ireland’s Blue Flag Beaches - January 22nd, 2010 [January 22nd, 2010]
- A beach of sorts in old Dun Laoghaire. - January 22nd, 2010 [January 22nd, 2010]
- Beach Sunrise Memories - January 22nd, 2010 [January 22nd, 2010]