The best place to watch surfing

If you are a person who loves sunshine, coast and surfing, then the Gold Coast of Australia is a perfect place to visit. From Brisbane all the way down to Byron Bay, the coastline of eastern Australia is ripe with great beaches for ripping waves. While some are more secluded than others and some offer bigger waves than the rest, there is a little something for everyone all over the Gold Coast. For those of us, though, who like to just watch surfing while dazing out and dreaming about shooting out of a crashing pipe, one great place to visit is Coolangatta.

Located a little over 100 km from Brisbane, Coolangatta is an upscale surf town with a great vibe. On any typical day, the coast from Kirra Beach all the way to Tweed Heads is filled with surfers who make slicing down glassy curls look easy. While this may be abundant throughout Australia, what makes Coolangatta so, well, cool, is that it is naturally set up to watch surfing.

The coastline of Coolangatta is backed by rolling hills and cliffs, so onlookers can pop a squat almost anywhere and spend their day watching surfing. While the rocks near Tweed Heads are great for feeling the sea breeze while daydreaming, the walkway from Coolangatta Beach to Rainbow Bay is the perfect spot. The benches at the top of the incline boast a view over the entire beach throughout the city.

If you are looking to catch some pro surfing action, Coolangatta is also the place. For two weeks each year, pro surfers from around the globe descended on the town for the Roxy and Quicksilver Professional Surfing competition. The competition is in early March each year, and boasts the absolute top names in surfing. The town becomes a madhouse, with days spent in the sun, and nights spent trying to score an invite to party with the pros.

Enjoy the Gold Coast and dreams of being Kelly Slater!

Photo courtesy of Hightide