Before I’d even planned to leave the UK to go travelling I knew I’d be going to Bondi Beach and if I was going to spend Christmas in Australia then I wanted to spend it on the famous beach because it’s a bucket list thing and why shouldn’t it be? Bondi’s always been famous and it’s got a bit of a rep as an iconic beach whether that’s cos of its beauty or because you’re a Bondi beach rescue fan (which is still being filmed btw)!

Regardless of what time of year you visit it’s going to be busy, there are shops on the front or just a short bus ride to away is a Westfield’s shopping centre. Plus, loads of ice cream parlours, takeaway food or fast food and bustling bars. We developed a love for O’Porto here, a nandos-esque fast food restaurant and absolutely made the most of their dins for sure. Anita Gelato is also so so good too, delicious gelato that had us visiting in our PJs because we were so desperate to get some. Maccies is right near the beach if you’re craving that or other standard takeaways like kebabs or fish and chips.

If you’re popping over for the day, the main beach is going to have to be on the to do list. It’s a pretty nice, v clean beach and the water is fairly calm and safe to get into the sea there. But if you’ve got longer there then I’d branch out and explore some of the other beaches. Bronte Beach is just one cove over and is a super cute, smaller beach that is a favourite with locals and you can reach it just by walking. If you’re walking that way, you’ll pass right by the famous Icebergs too. It’s around $9 to enter and it’s something I majorly regret not doing just to experience that famous bit of Bondi beach so if I ever go back, you know where I’ll be heading first!

Carrying on past the Icebergs and Bronte you’ll have started the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk. You’ve started now so you might as well crack on and see all the beaut sites and beaches that you pass on the way to Coogee. It takes a couple of hours going one way but there is a bus back or alternatively head over to Coogee on the bus and experience the walk back to Bondi instead. We walked both ways and rewarded ourselves with at fab burger in Coogee at Milky Lane before turning back. Another deliciiiiious dins for sure, 10/10 burgers and fries. There’s plenty of stop off spots on the route, it’s so easy to follow too as its all along the single coastal pathway if it’s easier to break up the journey.

If you’ve done all that or it doesn’t appeal, there even more to do from around Bondi Beach. Catch the bus over to Watsons Bay, this is where we spent our NYE it was pretty quiet and we could see the fireworks really well. From here there’s loads more tiny beaches in hidden cute coves with very few tourists and access to both the Gap Lookout or up to Hornby Lighthouse to visit the tip of the coast.

There is definitely loads to explore around Bondi outside of the famous beach and if you’ve got the time to experience it all, its definitely worth it. Btw, I much preferred the hostel in Bondi too to the Central one and if you would like to know more about the hostels we stayed in on the east coast, you can check out that blog or if you’d like to know what our Christmas experience in Australia was like then you can read that here.