Beautiful Coastal Towns In New South Wales Australia

New South Wales lies on the east coast of Australia, home to the sprawling metropolis of Sydney, as well as dozens of fabulous towns along its coast. These seaside hubs all have one thing in common – stretches of golden sand overlooking the blue waters of the South Pacific Ocean – so it can be hard to narrow down your choices. To help you out, Culture Trip’s local insiders bring you their favourites.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Yamba

Yamba is small, at least by Australian standards – it’s home to only 6,000 inhabitants. But, with its petite size comes a laid-back beach vibe that’s characteristic of sleepy surfer towns. Time moves slower, which should give visitors enough of a window to explore its 11 beaches, experience the world-class surf breaks, boat along the Clarence River (where sightings of bottlenose dolphins are common) and visit the Yamba water park. The camping sites here provide visitors with plenty of bonfire and stargazing opportunities, though there’s no shortage of nature-inspired accommodation elsewhere.

Blueys Beach packs all the environmental charm of a beach that’s basically unspoiled with a threadbare, rustic village to back it up. Located in the Pacific Palms area, Blueys Beach is isolated – a Pacific paradise in which to get lost (and switch off). From beach-house rentals to a handful of luxurious hotels and camping sites, visitors are welcome all year round. If surfing’s up your alley, you’re in luck: the waves on Blueys Beach are known for their swells, and locals flock here for an adrenaline rush. Lookout points include Boomerang Point, which offers sweeping vistas of the beach below.

Avoca

Avoca Beach is located on the Central Coast of New South Wales and is a hub for water sports. Surfers, paddle boarders, kayakers and snorkellers take to the ocean, while the town itself offers a vast array of venues, including boutique shops, chic restaurants and a picture theatre from the 1940s. Every fourth Sunday of the month, the Avoca Beachside Market takes place, with locals setting up hundreds of food stalls, art collections and clothes and jewellery stalls.

Vincentia

In the Shoalhaven region on the South Coast, Vincentia is a pretty seaside town perched on the shores of the Jervis Bay Marine Park. From the world-famous white sands of Hyams Beach, stretching all the way to the dazzling blues of Collingwood Beach, it’s any tourist’s idea of paradise. At any time of the day, snorkellers and boaters will be privy to views of dolphins, whales, the weedy sea dragon and blue devil fish. Orion Beach is also one of Vincentia’s best-kept secrets, and the White Sands Walk can be enjoyed on foot or by bicycle.

Forster

Forster is a coastal town and popular holiday resort located in the Great Lakes region of the Barrington Coast. It hosts a number of white-sand beaches, but the breakwater between Main Beach and Pacific Palms is perhaps the most popular thanks to the high number of dolphin and whale watching cruises (as well as scuba diving courses). Driving past Forster will take you to the Booti Booti National Park, located on a chunk of land between the lake and the sea and inundated with tropical forest. Bird lovers, bring your binoculars: rainbow lorikeets, pelicans and yellow-faced honeyeaters are all glimpsed on the regular.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.