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Manly Beach
Beaches
One thing that is not in short supply in Sydney are beautiful
Pacific Ocean beaches. Anywhere in the city, except perhaps in the
far west suburbs, you will never be more than half an hour away
from one. Starting from popular Palm Beach to the north, you can
take your pick along the coast: there is Whale, Avalon, Bilgola,
Newport, Bungan, Mona Vale, Warriewood, Narrabeen-Collaroy, Long
Reef, Curl Curl, Freshwater, North Steyne, Manly and Shelly! There
are several small beaches around Sydney Harbour, and moving
southwards one reaches the famous Bondi Beach, with its magnificent
sweep of golden sand lined with an eclectic mix of ice-cream
parlours, designer cafes and surf shops. The list goes on and on: a
beach for everyone, all equipped with kiosks, white sand and golden
bodies. Eight miles (13km) from the city centre, Manly is perhaps
the most famous of these northern beaches; it was here, in 1902,
that newspaper editor William Gocher first defied the state law
against public bathing and today the white sand of the south
beaches and the golden sands of the north beaches are crowded with
swimmers, sunbathers and surfers. Manly can be reached by ferry
from Circular Quay or by foot via the Manly Scenic Walkway from
Spit Bridge in the city. This walk can take three or four hours but
offers some of Sydney's most breathtaking views, as well as
skirting some of its most exclusive neighbourhoods. Another
spectacular but much shorter walk is along the cliffs from Bondi to
Bronte Beach, which takes walkers past the famous Tamarama Beach
and is very popular with joggers and, at the weekend, with
families.
