There are coastlines everywhere. But what makes one beach more enjoyable than any other? Is it the waves? Is it the whiteness of the sand? Is it how fine the sand is? It is the atmosphere? Or is it that isolated feeling you get at some places? Maybe it’s just the overall beauty of the beach?

Australia is famous for its beaches. And it offers plenty of them. There are tourist beaches, surfing beaches, private beaches, nudist beaches, dog beaches. The list goes on. But which beaches are the best? And why?

Here are 5 great Aussie beaches that are continually referred to as the best beaches in Australia:

Bells Beach, Victoria

Bells Beach is incredibly popular and has an established reputation for its surfing conditions. It hosts the annual Rip Curl Pro Surf & Music Festival, the world’s longest running surfing competition. At 100-kilometres out of Melbourne, Bells Beach’s reputation and conditions draw the local city crowd and well as tourists.

Bells Beach’s surfing conditions and its reputation as a tourist attraction means that it is often included in various Melbourne tours. It is also one of the first landmarks stopped at on Great Ocean Road tours that travel the coastline of Victoria.

Whitehaven Beach, Queensland

Photo by Dick and Pip Smith

Whitehaven beach on Whitsunday Island is a difficult beach to get to. It is only accessible by boat, and as such, has a reputation as an exclusive beach. It is 7-kilometers long, which also adds to the feeling of isolation. Whitehaven beach is renowned for its pure white sand and aqua-looking water. The beauty of this beach can be attributed to its strict rules, such as no dogs and no smoking on the beach. As a result, it has won many Australian clean beach awards.

Bondi Beach, New South Wales

Picture: Jane Dempster, Source:The Daily Telegraph

This is possibly Australia’s most famous beach. The 1-kilometer beach is popular due to its conditions and vibrant culture. The many shops, cafes and restaurants bordering the beach support this atmosphere. Bondi Beach hosts the successful television program Bondi Rescue that is broadcast internationally. It is also the end point for the annual City to Surf, a 14-kilometer road run.

Cable Beach, Western Australia

Photo by Tourism WA

This 22-kilometre long beach near Broome is famous for its white sand. This large beach means that whilst it is popular, it is still possibly to find privacy. It is a popular tourist activity to partake in a camel ride whilst watching the Indian Ocean sunset.

Hyams Beach, New South Wales

Photo by Agent Smith

Photo by Microsoft Whitest Beach in the World

Located near Jervis Bay (300-kilometers south of Sydney), Hyamsbeach has been officially recognised by the Guinness Book of Records for having the whitest sand in the world. Hyams beach is surrounded by national parks, meaning that it is a popular location to see wildlife. There are plenty of birds and animals on the beach, as the bush land is quite close.

These five beaches are continually recognised for their pristine conditions. Whether you love beaches because of the surf, the view or just for walking, you must check out these great Aussie beaches. They are more than worthy of a visit.