Rainbow Beach - Fraser Island, Queensland, Australia

When people talk about Rainbow Beach, they're not focused on Rainbow Beach. That's because Rainbow primarily serves as a gateway to Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world at almost 110 KM long and an average of 14 kilometers wide. Declared a World Heritage Site in 1992, Fraser is a gem, with beautiful freshwater lakes and dramatic scenery.

Rainbow Beach and Fraser are approximately 250 kilometers north of Brisbane. The most popular way to tour Fraser Island is by renting a 4WD truck, either by yourself or as part of a larger group. These tours generally go out for two nights. One of the best parts of your trip will be driving the truck. I actually learned to drive a manual transmission on Fraser Island!

Fraser has over 100 dune lakes, beautiful desert oasis' that are some of the cleanest in the world. The most famous is Lake McKenzie, blessed with sand that is nearly pure silica. Don't be surprised to see people rubbing the sand over watch faces and jewelry; the non abrasive silica works well as a cleaner. The sand also exfoliates the skin.

The 75 mile beach on the east coast of Fraser Island isn't as popular for swimming, due to dangerous currents and plentiful tiger sharks. Other highlights include Champagne Pools, a rock outcropping constantly hit with bubbly ocean overflow, and Indian Head, a vantage point from which you can usually spot schools of sharks knifing through the waves. Another popular spot is the Maheno shipwreck, right on the beach. You can walk through the wreck, but keep an eye out for sharp and rusty edges.

If you have some extra time in Australia, Fraser Island is a great getaway for a few days. It’s sure to provide some of your favorite memories.

Byron Bay Beach Australia

Actually, Byron Bay is a small town in New South Wales, a state in Australia. If you were to go to the eastern most point, that's where Byron Bay Beach is located. The name came from Captain James Cook who named the cape here after John Byron, grandfather of English poet Lord Byron. But boy, we got away from talking beaches!

Head north out of Sydney and some 800 kilometers up the coast you're at Byron Bay. Feeling homesick for the States while you’re in Australia? The closest to the U.S. you’re going to get is Byron Bay, the most easterly point on the continent. Come for the geography, but stay for the beautiful beach and fun resort town.

Byron enjoys a warmer climate than Sydney or Melbourne, so you can enjoy the beach almost year-round. Temperature during the winter has an average high of 21 degrees Celsius, or almost 70 degrees Fahrenheit. That means that, even in June, you can get lucky with a scorcher, and have all day to play in the sand.

This beach town is immensely popular with backpackers, with many considering it to be a "must see" attraction. This gives Byron quite an international feeling. Cooking dinner in a hostel, you could hear four or five different languages spoken over the course of your dinner.

Byron Bay is well known for its surf, with the waves being regarded as some of the finest in all of Australia. Body boarding is also popular, along with scuba diving and snorkeling. There are numerous shops that rent surfboards for reasonable prices, usually around 10-15 dollars an hour. For novices, the Byron Bay Surf School offers lessons for less than 50 dollars for four hours.

There are a number of festivals year-round, most involving local, national, and even international music. The Byron Bay Film Festival in March, first put up in 2006, draws films critics from across Australia. Nearby Nimbin is likened to Woodstock in the United States as a progressive, free-spirited town (plus the whole legalized marijuana thing).

Byron Bay is a great stopping point on the Gold Coast between Sydney and Brisbane. This is regarded as one of the premier beaches in Australia, and for good reason.

Bondi Beach Sydney Australia

Bondi Beach delightfully wraps itself around the suburb of the same name in Sydney, Australia. Pronounced BOND-eye, this one kilometer beach has a good mix. On one end, you'll find water gentle enough to let your cares escape. And on the other end, Surf Life Saving Australia has given Bondi Beach a 7 out of 10, with 10 being the most hazardous! Where's the Bondi Blonde?

What gives Bondi Beach its celebrity is a famous rip current. Locals call it the Backpackers Express, the Bondi Tram, or the Bronte Express, as you would supposedly end up at Bronte Beach if you got caught in the thing. But Bondi Beach has more than the one rip. We were told there are five known rip currents that operate off the beach. Backpackers is simply the most common because it is closest to shore, to people wading, swimming. You get the picture.

Isn't offshore Sydney shark territory? Indeed. And Bondi shares a shark net with other beaches in the area. The local government checks the nets often for tears. There are also lifeguards on duty. And there hasn't been a shark fatality since... 1937.

Remember the Olympics in Australia? That was in the summer of 2000. It was here on Bondi Beach that the Olympic beach volleyball was held. A temporary stadium made to hold 10,000 was placed on the beach. The local government of Waverley now frowns of volleyball at the beach, not because it isn't cool, but because of the amount of space it takes up on the sand. Remember, one kilometer beach, thousands of residents living within meters.

So now that we have you scared with the shark and rip currents, why go? Ha! The southern end of Bondi Beach we found some cool "Baths" - the Bondi Baths - over 100 years old we're told. And at the northern end there is a wading pool for kids. These are actual pools, two of them! Now out in the ocean, remember to stay within the marked swimming areas (red/yellow flags), and when the surf is up. It's best to stay near the shore.

Bondi Beach - Beach Index:

• Sand - lightly packed light tan in color, medium to fine grain
• Facilities - full with the beautiful Bondi Pavillion and the Swiss Grande Hotel
• Shade - rent an umbrella, otherwise lots of sunscreen
• Sports - a few rentals along the strip, beach toys, surf boards
  
• Notes - obey local signage, nice beach in the metro area