Paradise right at home at Coolangatta
'Before them were the sands, with rocks and little pools of salt water, and seaweed, and the smell of the sea and long miles of bluish-green waves breaking for ever and ever on the beach. And oh, the cry of the seagulls! Have you ever heard it? Can you remember?'
C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Coolangatta beach is one of the most popular beaches on the Gold Coast in Australia. The photograph shown was taken on an abundantly clear day when the tide was relatively low. I have never seen the water so clear on this beach. The water is generally clear regardless of when you go, but I was standing in water that was up to my chest and I could look down and see little fish swimming between my feet.
Coolangatta is a little further than Surfer’s Paradise when you take the highway, and takes about another half hour on the highway to reach the beach. Though always busy, you can nearly always find a park easily enough if you’re patient and drive around for a few minutes.
Sometimes blue bottle jellyfish frequent the area, but this generally only happens once in a blue moon, and even then, only when the tide brings them in. If you get stung, lifeguards are on hand to provide ice…or if you’re really desperate, you can pee on the sting. Personally, I wouldn’t, but to each their own.
During the year, sometimes you can watch whales breach off in the distance, and occasionally you can see dolphins swim in quite close to the shore. On New Years Eve, the sky erupts with fireworks and the reflection of the colours plays on the surface of the water and the waves. You can hire paddle boards and surf boards from the beach, and there is an excellent selection of seafood available from the restaurants and cafes along the main road off the beach.
Near Coolangatta you will be able to also visit Snapper Rocks, Kirra Beach, and Tweed Heads — all of which are popular beaches, and for good reason. The Gold Coast in Queensland has some of the best beaches in Australia, and (arguably) the world.
