Australia is filled with the craziest and coolest places on the planet. You drive a couple of hours and all of a sudden you are transported into a seemingly new world. Just a couple of hours south of thriving and colourful Sydney, you can step into the crystal clear waters and white sand of Hyams Beach in Jervis bay. This little inlet combines a magical experience of squeaky sand between your toes, towering navy vessels in the distance and the very high likelihood that there is a school of sharks swimming just off shore (really though). As you lie back on the beach that is frequented by celebrities and tourists alike, you will be on one of the whitest beaches in the world and in a tropical paradise, that is quite far away from the real “tropics” of Australia.
Relaxing in Paradise: Hyams Beach is an Instagrammers Playground
There is a tonne of places in Australia that could be considered “insta-worthy”. Jervis Bay and Hyams Beach are just some of the amazing ones. While I’ve explored many of the places that are scattered all over Instagram with influencers each taking their time to capture an amazing photo, Jervis Bay’s Hyams Beach is one that really blew me away.
Even while I was there last we watched as a full-blown photo shoot took place, with the swimwear model entrenched in the silky white sand. You won’t even want to swim if you have an Instagram account, because you’ll be too busy exploring the rocks, sand and coves of this amazing area trying to get that instal-worthy shot. This is one of the best places for Instagram photos in Australia.
Getting to Hyams Beach: Your Journey to Jervis Bay
There are a number of ways to get to Hyams Beach, but the easiest is from Sydney. Travelling down the highway you will go through Royal National Park and this is an amazing detour if you want to see remote vegetation and sprawling coastlines with terrifying cliffs. As you get closer to Jervis Bay you will follow the signs through the winding back roads until you are confronted with the small section of houses, guest accommodations and singular café along the shore, you know you have arrived.
Where to Stay in Hyams Beach
The one thing I can’t say about Hyams Beach is the abundance of accommodations. There aren’t any resorts or major hotels to spend your time at. Instead, you can choose between guesthouses, AirBNBs and converted condos. When we were exploring places to stay, we found great reviews for one – Walters Holiday Flats.
This little section of condos/guesthouses came complete with stairs directly to the beach and a BBQ right out front. There were 4 attached places to guests to stay, and we’ve heard in the summer months that they fill up insanely quickly. Luckily, we were able to book for an entire week.
The moment you walk into this place; you are taken aback but also excited about the charm of the place. Everything is older and very traditional beach front living. You can see that the place has been well used. You also need to clean up after yourself or you may get a penalty (aka have to pay for cleaning!!). But the little places are super adorable and rustic, making them a perfect beach front property in Hyams Beach.
Eating in Hyams Beach: Grocery Shopping is Your Friend!
Right as you drive into Hyams Beach you will notice one little shop. This is Hyams Beach Store and Cafe. They are the only little shop nearby and provide the essentials. You can get all the little things you forgot here, and enjoy a nice cup of coffee for your stroll along the beach.
But, if you want real food you need to head to Vincentia, which is a small town just north of Hyams Beach. There you will find a nicely done up Woolworths which will cater to all your food and living needs.
There is also one restaurant that I’d love to mention, this is the
Transportation around Jervis Bay: Do You Need a Car in Hyams Beach?
If you don’t have a car on your adventure to Jervis Bay, you will not get very far. You need to be able to drive around in order to get to the shops, the beaches and the grocery store. You can get almost all the way there on the train from Sydney, but after that you do need a vehicle to get around.
Where Else to Explore in Jervis Bay
So Hyams Beach is the major tourist destination! People go to take pictures in the glossy white sand. But it is not the only place that you should be exploring if you are in the Jervis Bay area. There are beaches and snorkelling spots all around it, and you need to go to at least a couple of them while you are there.
Chinamans Beach
This beach is just off to the edge of Hyams Beach and carries the same amazing white sand and turquoise water as Hyams Beach but without the people. There is a rocky area that is basically perfect for Instagram posts and is awesome for getting photos.
Murray’s Beach
Murray’s Beach is an ADVENTURE to get to. In fact, you need to go through a path to emerge onto the beach. This beach is surrounded by dense jungle and Australian vegetation. But the short trek to the beach is totally worth swimming in the turquoise water and exploring the wildlife below the surface (aka this place is PERFECT for snorkelling!!).
Safety in Hyams Beach
Every single time I have visited Hyams Beach, whether it was for a day trip, or for a week long relaxing vacation I have always felt that this was a safe and beautiful place to be. Obviously, you need to look out for looters on the beach, and you should also check the shark warnings. I’m honestly serious about this one. There are plenty of sharks that you can run into in this bay as they like the
