The Best Gold Coast Beaches

With around 70km of beach, it would be a little sad if you just stuck to Surfers Paradise for all your beaching needs. With all that sand you can imagine that every local has their favourite bit of sand throw their towel on or wave to catch.

There's a huge list of beaches and they are all pretty great for different reasons, ones are particularly good for family outings and others for die hard surfers. Some beaches are preferred for their close proximity to good Surf Clubs with their cheap meals and cool drinks.

As locals, we've compiled a list of all of our favourite beaches for you to try!

 

Best Family Beaches

  • Budds beach on the river side of Surfers Paradise
  • Rainbow Bay/Greenmount in Coolangatta
  • Main Beach
  • Currumbin Estuary
  • The Broadwater (inside the shark nets)

Best Surf Beaches

Point Breaks

These are often quite crowded and can be 'locals' only, however, if you are decent at catching a wave and follow surf etiquette then they are all yours. Currumbin Alley is a great spot for out of town surfers.

  • Snapper Rocks: Snapper used to be a very slow wave suitable for beginners. Now with the Tweed river sand bypass (which dumps sand on the point and allows the currents and waves to shape a massive sand bank known as the 'superbank'), Snapper has the world's longest waves and when conditions are right, you can surf for up to 1.5km. Snapper is very territorial and very crowded, so much so, that fights regularly break out when surfing etiquette isn't adhered to. A number of people have been beaten up in the carpark after they've 'dropped in'. Snapper Rocks is also home to the annual Quiksilver Pro (the first event on the Association of Surfing Professionals world tour) and has become one of the most popular events on the world surfing circuit.
  • Duranbah: Heavy swells, usually crowded works, well with a westerly wind. A favourite among body boarders
  • Kirra: Great wave shape, fast and sharp. Can be crowded. Works well with Southerly and SE winds
  • Currumbin Alley: Great for Mals and Waveskis. Works well with SE winds
  • Burleigh Heads: Great barrels at times. Good with most winds except northerlies.
  • South Stradbroke (Just past the seaway): Paddle across the seaway - watch out for boats. Clamber across the rocks. Often has nice waves without the crowds. Look out for sharks and boats in the seaway and definitely avoid at dusk and dawn.

Beach Breaks

  • There are some great beach breaks all along the coast. Choice spots include The Spit, Main Beach, Narrowneck, Palm Beach and Mermaid Beach. At times these can carry some awesome waves especially when there are cyclones about. For the rest of the time they offer reasonable waves without the crowds that are usually at the point breaks. It's a Boogie Boarder's paradise but get in early before the wind gets up. Kite surfing is big at Narrowneck and also the Broadwater.

Best Looking Beaches

  • Rainbow Bay/Greenmount
  • Burleigh Heads
  • The Spit