Sun

Ah, the beach. Christmas on the beach, barbies on the beach, sunbathing on the beach, beach volleyball on the beach, sex on the beach! (it’s a cocktail, OK?). Australia just wouldn’t be Australia without those miles and miles of bright white sand and stretches of crystal warm waters lapping the shore. Do we need convincing that Oz has amazing beaches? Very unlikely: even those of us who protest that lying in the sun (covered in sun cream and shirts of course) day after day with intermittent plunges into the crashing surf can get repetitive - even we fall under the spell of deserted tropical coral beaches where the only footprints are your own.

Probably the most endearing feature of Australia’s beaches is the sheer variety. Yes, we all love the pure powder sand of Fraser Island; but we also adore the buzz and glamour of Bondi’s golden shores, the tranquility of WA’s crystal lagoons, following Keanu Reeves’ surfer dude footsteps at Victoria’s dramatic Bells Beach, and the electric green waters surrounded by mountains at Tasmania’s Wineglass Bay.

If there’s something you’ve always wanted to do, chances are you’ll be able to do it on Oz’s beaches. Dreaming of learning to dive? You’ll be spoilt for choice for snorkel and dive sites Down Under - visit our diving page for more info. Want to play with dolphins? Just visit Monkey Mia beach resort in WA and bond to your heart’s content. Fancy trying your hand at sailing and splicing a mainbrace? Australia’s waterfronts are crammed with salty seadogs waiting to show you how - and the most memorable place to learn has to be the Whitsunday Islands. Not sure whether you can make the tough decision between having a pool or a beach day? No worries: there are plenty of resorts and towns Down Under with pools right next to the beach; or even saltwater pools or Ocean Baths filled by the sea, like Coogee Beach Pool, so you can enjoy the best of both worlds.

It’s almost illegal not to have a go at surfing when in Australia, although us Poms aren’t expected to be much good: so if you have a crack and manage to stay up longer than 5 seconds at a time, you’ll be a local celebrity. It’s possible to get a surf lesson on pretty much any beach on the East Coast, plus there are plenty of places all around the South and West Coasts, and Tassie is also now gaining recognition as a surf destination. Very few people surf in the north - or at least surf twice - due to the jellfish and crocs there. You’ll find the the most consistent swells from May to August on the busy East Coast; but it’s the summer’s unpredictable but spectacular waves that pull in the crowds. It’s generally quieter down south even though the waves can be well over 20ft high; but you’ll probably need a wetsuit in the cooler water. One popular place to surf is the aptly named Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast. Find the best secret spots to surf here and jump the swells, dude.