Things To Do On The Gold Coast

Upon awaking this morning I promptly headed on over to Coolangatta Beach. A surf-rental client was leaving the area very early in the day and needed me to come by and pick up the equipment (a short board and a minimal) they had been using before they went ahead to check out. Hence I went for precisely that purpose, arriving a little earlier than 7am.

Coolangatta is located about 30 minutes south of Surfer's Paradise by car, along the Australian Gold Coast, both places renowned the world over for their phenomenal surf conditions. Surfer's Paradise at the northern end of the Gold Coast has some of the most incredible beach breaks given its shifting sand sea floor, a characteristic that imbues plenty of swell to the waves there.

Coolangatta, on the other hand, is farther to the south and more known for its point breaks, particularly at sites like Kirra, Snapper Rocks and Greenmount. Despite lacking the swell of the waves at Surfer's Paradise, the waves at these breaks are without a doubt the best in the area. On the right day, the waves continue to bend around the point all day long without interruption. After a full and tiring day of surf, a surfer can easily kick off a wave rather than having it end on them.

Not this morning though. This morning on arrival, the waves were less than a foot, clean as they get though with no wind to speak of. Having picked up the rented surfboard, I decided to have breakfast at a lovely little cafe on the beach front and see what happens at our beaches when there is no surf.

In looking around, it pretty quickly became clear why the Gold Coast in Australia's northern State of Queensland, is one of the premier beach holiday destinations in the world. Its only 7am in the morning and there is already so much happening. Obviously the 24 water temperature helps, as does the balmy 26 outside, who wouldn't want to go to the beach.

Enjoying the tame water, a few longboarders and Polynesian-style surfers (the standing-and-paddling kind) were out doing their thing in the ocean. Many beach-goers were already dipping themselves into the water in the areas designated by the flags, riding small breakers right up to the shore's edge.

Coolangatta is graced with an impressive 50 meters of perfectly golden sand as the average beach width, the perfect scenario for the many women working on their tans in their bikinis (even at a little past 7 in the morning!). Comically, I find that the ones out tanning so early are usually the ones wrapping up their vacation, desperate to reach that next shade of bronze before going back to the office job at home.

Other morning activities to be observed are being carried out by the several groups of folks enjoying the running and bike paths that are neatly cut out of the park pastures, where health-conscious people do exercise routines. Also, many simply stop for a minute to observe the whales way out in the ocean splashing and frolicking along their migration route.

I take in this marvelous vista, bustling with activity, as I comfortably sip my coffee and eat my eggs benedict which a pretty waitress kindly has served me. Being a local from the area, it is so gratifying to be able to just sit back and bask in the glory that so many tourists have traveled half a world to see. Hopefully you too will one day discover the beauty of this our home--it really just doesn't get that much better!

Damian Papworth knows that with holidays in the sun, with a warm ocean, golden sand and sun drenched days, no destination beats the Queensland Gold Coast.

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