The Best Gold Coast Beaches And Swimming Spots

Surf, swim or sunbake on these gorgeous sweeps of Gold Coast sand.

Queensland isn’t short on beaches, but it’s fair to say that the Gold Coast lays claim to some of the state’s biggest beauties and best surf breaks. And with over 300 days of sunshine promised per year, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to enjoy them, whatever the season.

We’ve scoured the region’s 52 kilometres of coastline to bring you the very best Gold Coast beaches. Grab your swimmers and sunblock, and enjoy!

Main Beach

Starting at The Spit (the northernmost spit of sand on the Gold Coast) and stretching for two kilometres all the way to Narrow Neck at the northern edge of Surfers Paradise, Main Beach was originally named due to being quite literally the main beach for the nearby town Southport.

Main Beach is the northernmost spit of sand on the Gold Coast. (Image: Tourism & Events Queensland)

This surf beach is patrolled all year round by lifeguards but it’s best saved for strong swimmers (or those only interested in dipping their toes in the water) because of the rips and occasionally treacherous surf. Having said that, Main Beach is mighty popular with surfers due to its open shore break, and it tends to be a tranquil spot if all you want to do is spend some one-on-one time with a good book.

It’s a popular surfing spot. (Image: Tourism & Events Queensland)

Surfers Paradise

Arguably the most iconic beach in the region, Surfers Paradise boasts great proximity to all the local attractions, whether it’s shopping at the beachfront market, exploring Home of the Arts, or grabbing a scoop of your favourite ice cream.

Surfers Paradise boasts great proximity to all the local attractions.

The suburb’s beach delivers two kilometres of golden sand and foamy surf as well as two diametrically opposed but equally tantalising views: the cobalt blue of the Pacific Ocean to your east and the urban jungle of steel and glass skyscrapers to your west. It’s a view unlike anything else in Australia. Once you’ve tanked up on vitamin D and beachside naps, head off on an afternoon walk along the wide, paved boulevard that lines this entire stretch of coastline.

Broadbeach

For a clean, calm, and quiet stretch of sand, you can’t go past Broadbeach. Not only is this beach away from the razzmatazz of Surfers, but thanks to the strip of greenery that backs the beach, and the fact that there are far fewer sky-high developments, you don’t get the shadows from skyscrapers stealing your afternoon sunshine.

Come for the clean, calm stretches of sand at Broadie.

Mermaid Beach

A little further along from Broadbeach is Mermaid Beach, a quieter spot than its next-door neighbour with a gentle atmosphere and flagged swimming areas. It’s a popular beach to swim, surf, play beach volleyball with the nets provided, or even beach-fish without the crowds.

For a calmer option, head to Mermaid Beach. (Image: Tourism & Events Queensland/ Matthew Taylor Thomas)

Document your visit and wander across from Mermaid Beach Life Saving Club to take a photo with a statue of a little mermaid basking in the sun with her arms outstretched. While in Mermaid Beach, grab a coffee and an incredibly sweet treat from Bam Bam Bakehouse.

Mermaid statue at Mermaid Beach Gold Coast

Snap a photo with the mermaid while you’re there. (Image: Tourism & Events Queensland/ Matthew Taylor Thomas)

Nobby’s Beach and Miami Beach

If you’re up for a long beach walk and you want an A to B route for purpose, look no further than the three-kilometre Mermaid to Miami Beach walk.

Miami Beach turns on the charm. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

A short stroll down the shoreline from Mermaid Beach is Nobby’s Beach — a secret beach some might say! Deliciously sandwiched between Mermaid and Miami Beaches, it’s the perfect pit stop to enjoy a quick rest and snack. Once you arrive at pristine Miami Beach, you’ll find beautiful fine white sand and a headland that offers some protection from the breeze. Look out for the colourful rainbow stairs leading up the Lores Bonney Lookout which offers fantastic views of the coast.

If you want to keep going, you can follow the coastline all the way to Burleigh Head National Park.

Tallebudgera Creek

Want some quality time with the family? You absolutely must go to Tallebudgera Creek, best known for its sparkling creek which is framed by the Burleigh Heads National Park on one side and Palm Beach on the other.

You can’t leave the Goldie without spending some quality time at Tallebudgera Creek. (Image: Tourism & Events Queensland)

Choose your own adventure here, with pockets of white sand dotting either side of the water. Those less confident in the water (or travelling with a brood) should plump for the southern Palm Beach side, where there are shallow waters, lifeguards patrol and there’s more parking. Otherwise opt for a spot like Echo Beach, which sits just snugly below the Burleigh Head National Park.

When the kids are asking for a snack, wander a few sandy footsteps to Custard Canteen for coffee, all-day brunch, pastries, and more.

Burleigh Heads

A spectacular curve of sand, backed by spiky pandanus palms and tall Norfolk pines, and framed by the skyscrapers of Surfers Paradise, almost like a hazy mirage in the distance, Burleigh Heads is the hippest hangout on the Gold Coast.

Burleigh Heads is the hippest hangout on the Gold Coast. (Image: Tourism & Events Queensland)

The headland is a great little spot for wannabe surfers to learn the ropes, with several local surf schools offering lessons. And if the waves are too hectic along the rest of the coast, this is the place to come: there’s almost always a calm place to swim in the sheltered waters here.

The headland is a great spot to learn to surf. (Image: Tourism & Events Queensland)

As the sun slips over the horizon, take your salty, sun-kissed self over to neighbouring restaurant Rick Shores, where bi-fold doors give way to stellar views over the whole Goldie coastline. Or do it the DIY way like the locals, and take to the parkland barbecues with a couple of steaks and a bottle of something sparkling (or a six-pack) and soak it all in.

Currumbin Beach

Another wonderful family beach option is the coastal nook of Currumbin Beach on the Southern Gold Coast, regularly voted Queensland’s cleanest beach.

Currumbin Beach is a great family option. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

Home to Elephant Rock (a well-known rock formation with a viewing platform at the top), you’ll also find sheltered calm waters for swimming and entertaining the kids.

For surfers, nearby Currumbin Alley is one of the most fun and exciting (and famous!) surf breaks on the coast.

Head to Currumbin Alley for the surf breaks. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

Rainbow Bay Beach

Popular with families and surfers alike, Rainbow Bay Beach at the southernmost tip of Queensland, is a scene-stealer: think white sands lapped by Tiffany blue waters and fringed by tropical greenery. Thanks to its protected location, Rainbow Bay Beach – or Greenmount, as it’s sometimes known – has little in the way of waves, making it a safe spot to bring the whole family.

Rainbow Bay Beach is a real scene-stealer. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

But edge a little closer to the rockpools at the southern end of this beach, and you’ll find one of Australia’s longest and most reliable point breaks: Snapper Rocks. This spot is for expert surfers only (world champions Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson are known to frequent the multiple barrel sections at this man-made break) as the surf here can be unrelenting.

Find one of Australia’s longest and most reliable point breaks at Snapper Rocks. (Image: Destination Gold Coast)

Has the fresh ocean air piqued your appetite? Check out the local beachfront institution at Rainbow Bay Surf Club and chomp into the beer-battered flathead and chips.

Ready to see the green behind the gold? Discover the best Gold Coast Hinterland walks.

The unique tranquillity of Japanese bathing culture can now be experienced in a Queensland rainforest.

I’m the first official guest at SOL Elements, an elemental bathhouse located in Mt Tamborine, roughly 50 minutes inland from the Gold Coast beaches. The town is already a calm-inducing hinterland heaven as birdsong echoes over rolling hills and roadside avocado shacks pop up around many corners. But with the arrival of SOL Elements, Mt Tamborine evolves into a wellness destination. Let me take you through the experience.

The new bathhouse is set in the calming hinterland. (Image: Timothy Birch)

First impressions

The exterior of the new SOL Elements Bathhouse in the Gold Coast hinterland

The setting delivers maximum serenity. (Image: Timothy Birch)

Given the jaw-dropping rendered photography released by the team in January 2025, I wondered if SOL Elements could meet the hype. Additionally, the location is at the end of a large car park at Tamborine Mountain Glades’ Thunderbird Park, an iconic kid-friendly hinterland attraction, so I was curious as to how they’d bring the Zen.

Surprisingly, no shrieking children are heard as I approach one architecturally magnificent facade. Positioned off a small lake dubbed Lotus Lake, swimming with turtles and ducks, it features thin timber boards that gradually fan out via meticulous three-millimetre increments. More than 2000 metres of hand-charred wood, burnt personally by Russ Raven, who founded SOL Elements with his wife Shae Raven, make up the entrance and much of the interior walls, channelling the ancient Japanese art of wood preservation, Yakisugi. It’s an aesthetic that pops amid bushland without ever jarring. It’s dramatic yet graceful, bold yet grounded – a lot like what’s going on inside, really…

Communal bathhouse

The communal bathhouse is circular with treatment rooms branching off from a garden. (Image: Timothy Birch)

Positioned to take in the entire breadth of that fairytale lake, three small outdoor thermal mineral pools are the cornerstone of SOL Elements’ communal bathhouse, which caters to just 30 people at a time. While the warm pools bubble at a toasty 38 degrees, the cold plunge drops to an icy 12 degrees.

There are two ways to soak up some hot and cold therapy. The first starts inside SOL’s Cedar Wood Sauna, fitted with bench seating and extensive windows that let in more Lotus Lake views, before I go 90 full seconds in the cold (I’m aiming for two minutes, but it’s still winter). The sauna is small, and I’m grateful to be in there alone, but six or so people could fit in here comfortably.

Sit around the sunken fire pit at SOL Elements Bathhouse

Sit around the sunken fire pit. (Image: Timothy Birch)

The second way to hop between hot and cold is via the showstopping submerged outdoor fire pit. I take a seat on its curved bench seating and watch the flames flicker against my serene view. Sitting in wet cozzies, I feel reinvigorated, ready to dip in and out all over again.

Then there’s the communal Earth Lab, a mind-blowing alchemy station. Before I hit the showers, I’m invited to spoon out two ingredients from a bar filled with salts, flowers and powders. Utterly delighted to personalise my sensory journey, I go for the ground coffee and hibiscus flower petals before pumping body wash into my palm and creating an exfoliating polish. It’s hard to ignore the likes of raw brown sugar, chamomile flowers, rose petals and spirulina powder (there are 10 options in total), but my blend is straight-up delicious.

The Earth Lab features an alchemy station for guests to create a personalised sensory journey that suits their mood. (Image: Kristie Lau-Adams)

Himalayan Salt Sanctuary

The Himalayan Salt Sanctuary at SOL Elements. (Image: Kristie Lau-Adams)

There’s one other communal element at SOL: the Himalayan Salt Sanctuary, featuring a gasp-worthy design (and gasps are welcomed, given the respiratory benefits salt therapy is famed for).

Built with illuminated salt bricks that morph between sunrise shades, pale pink and clear white, the room radiates as I breathe in negative ionised air. Bench seating wraps the entire space while three stunning pendant lights glisten, dialling up the drama. It feels as though I’m sitting inside a lantern, all while my lungs are high-fiving me as I attempt further breathwork.

Floatation caves

For the ultimate sensory deprivation experience, two Floatation Caves are calling. Located right next to the Himalayan Salt Sanctuary, the rooms open to beautiful all-black stone fit-outs. Magnesium salt water is heated to complement your unique body temperature. Epsom salt and Dead Sea salt are expertly utilised to create the most extensively filtered water in Queensland. This is magnesium magic on steroids.

Once the doors shut, it’s completely dark. I float blissfully unaware of my surroundings; waterproof headphones ensure total immersion.

Secluded Suites

an outdoor mineral plunge at SOL Elements

The onsite accommodation features a heated private mineral plunge. (Image: Kristie Lau-Adams)

I step up my SOL Elements visit by booking one of its two Secluded Suites, and the experience is end-to-end luxurious. Facility-wise, the suite (which caters for groups of up to five) gives me my own infrared sauna, single-person cold plunge, shower, private Earth lab with four ingredients, mini-bar with mocktails, tea station and clay mask, all while floor-to-ceiling glass windows throw up more of those soothing views.

The cherry on top? An outdoor private warm mineral plunge right by the lake. I sip on an organic, caffeine-free lemon myrtle and ginger root tea as the afternoon slips by. But before I go, there’s one more unmissable element to indulge in.

Massages and treatments

Inside the treatment rooms at SOL Elements Bathhouse

Up the ante with a rejuvenating massage at one of the two onsite treatment rooms. (Image: Timothy Birch)

I dress in a plush black waffle robe and stroll a couple of doors down to one of SOL Element’s two treatment rooms. I’m booked in for the Earthing Immersion as I love hot stone massages, and this features stones gathered with permission from Indigenous elders right around Australia. How special is that?

For so many reasons, but mainly the skills flexed by therapist Milena (who specialises in stretching), this is a massage like no other. I’m asked about my mood and lifestyle before Milena tells me she’s reading my energy. I’m not typically partial to energy readings, but I can’t deny that my limbs surrender under the hands of Milena, who uses Synthesis Organics’ essential oils that smell divine.

The stones differ in size and shape, heated and rolled across me like Café de Paris butter. 90 minutes later, I feel weightless as I return to my Secluded Suite to shower again and, begrudgingly, depart. I’m truly transformed into jelly. It took Shae and Russ four long years, but SOL Elements manages to live up to every expectation before soaring far beyond.

Details

Address: Cedar Creek Falls Rd and Tamborine Mountain Rd, Tamborine Mountain (within Tamborine Mountain Glades)

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, 8 am to 8 pm, Friday to Sunday, 8 am to 10 pm

Prices:

Communal Bathhouse: $95 for 90 minutes
Floatation Cave: $90 per person for 60 minutes (2 guests maximum)
Secluded Suite: From $360 for two people, for 90 minutes
Earthing Immersion: $300 for 90 minutes
Other massages, facials and treatments: View the spa menu

Accessibility: SOL Elements welcomes guests with access needs. The building features wide pathways, accessible for wheelchairs, throughout. A pool hoist can also be arranged if requested in advance.

Please note: All guests must be over 18.

A guide to the best Gold Coast beaches