How I got there: Merimbula is about 6 hours’ drive from Sydney, if you do not take the scenic route. We drove from Sydney around 9 AM in the morning with short breaks in between.
Total duration: The journey takes around 6 hours and is 526 KM from Western Sydney
Traffic light for children: Green
About the place: Merimbula takes the top spot in the list of best beach days that I have ever had. It’s no wonder it is called the Sapphire Coast. As soon as I heard that the coast was called the "Sapphire Coast", I wanted to get here. Sapphire blue is one of my favourite colours and the beach did not disappoint me. It exceeded my expectations, in certain places I almost cried at Mother Nature’s beauty! The beaches are very accessible, great for paddle boarding and really fun to just walk on the sand (shallow beaches) during low tides.
1. The Bar Beach
One of the most iconic beaches in Merimbula is the bar beach. You've got to give it to this beach, I really marvel at how this beach was formed. As soon as I caught a glimpse of the waters, I screamed with joy, this was exactly what I was hoping to find! We played in this beach for several hours, sunbathed and just lazed around in the Bar Beach Kiosk, which sells really cool toasties. Just sitting at the kiosk and looking at the ocean, I could spend my time here forever! There is also a board walk that has really good views and you can walk from the bar beach to the Rotary Park.
2. Rotary Park Merimbula
Rotary Park also offers spectacular views of the beach, from the other side. You can walk on the sand for a long distance during low tide. Watching the pelicans zooming past us whilst we were walking on the sand knee deep in water was a super cool experience. Be careful of the tides! While walking on the sand, it almost felt like quicksand, it was sinking bit by bit as I treaded on it, the entire beach gets submerged in water in low tides! The views from the viewpoint are also surreal from here.
3. Main beach, Merimbula
Just a few kms away from the town center, the Main Beach is a typical Aussie Beach which is dog friendly and suitable for fishing. This beach is perfect to lay around in the evening and just watch the waves soaring past you.
4. Merimbula Boardwalk amongst Oyster Farms
This is a 3.5 km return boardwalk which meanders through mangrove forests and oyster farms. Very peaceful walk and walking past the mangroves gives you a groovy feeling. The real estate (houses) here are also really amazing to watch and drive past. When you get to the start of the boardwalk, you have to go downhill, and you get to see some magnificent views of the oyster farms. Low level waters make for amazing pictures.
5. Merimbula Wharf
We saw people fishing and diving from the wharf, but for us it was chilling in the waterfront restaurant, while sipping on some beers and looking at the sapphire waters! The waters are surreal from here and you get to see vast expanses of the ocean. Really cool place to chill in the afternoons!
Website: https://www.merimbulawharf.com.au/
6. Eden’s lookout and Rotary Park, Eden
Eden is about half an hour's drive away from Merimbula, further south. Eden has historic viewpoints and beaches and makes for a great afternoon get away. Driving to the Rotary Park is real fun because you feel like you are driving off the edge of the map. We spent about an hour near the lookout and surrounding areas.
7. The Pinnacles - Ben Boyd National Park
The main reason why I visited Eden was so I could go to The Pinnacles. I had seen pictures of this place and it was surreal. It really looked like someone had painted half the structures white. What surprised me even more is that it looks better than the pictures! I was mind blown, truly elated when I saw these structures, white and red, weirdly wonderful. It is about 1 km walk to get to these structures and just watching them from the lookout amongst trees and the sea really puts things into perspective, Mother Nature is absolutely amazing! What flabbergasted me even more wa learning that these structures were formed millions of years ago!
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