Yamba, NSW: Best beaches and things to do

There aren’t many attractions in Yamba, NSW. There aren’t many activities in Yamba. But if you’re looking for things to do in Yamba, you’ve got it completely wrong. It is worth staying in Yamba, but only if you want a laid-back New South Wales beach town.

In 2009, a big secret was blown wide open. Back then, Yamba was a sleepy but pretty surf town at the head of the Clarence River. It wasn’t really on the tourist map.

Then Australian Traveller magazine published a special issue, naming the best 100 towns in Australia. In at number one was Yamba, a town that most Australians hadn’t even heard of, let alone been to. 657km (or seven hours’ drive) north of Sydney and 276km (just over three hours’ drive) south of Brisbane, Yamba takes an effort to get to. The town is a detour from the main highway, and is best regarded as a stop on an east coast road trip. Sandwich it between Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay on the way north, perhaps.

Things to do in Yamba, NSW

But is that detour worth it? Well, it depends what you’re wanting. The first thing to realise about Yamba is that there is almost nothing to do. If you want museums, cultural attractions, theme parks or big, shiny towers, forget it. This is a New South Wales beach town, and it’s all about the vibe. It is a place to hang out and enjoy the simple life, splashing in the surf and idly strolling. A visit to the tourist information centre, hunting for Yamba attractions and activities, isn’t going to yield all that much excitement.

Yamba beaches

What this New South Wales beach town does have is enough good cafes, restaurants and bars to make staying in Yamba not seem like slumming it. There are also five beaches to choose from, handily facing in different directions, which means there’s usually good surf at one of them. Long, sweeping Pippi Beach is arguably the most beautiful of them all, but the point is the choice and variety.

Other Yamba beaches worth investigating include Turners Beach, Yamba Main Beach and Green Point Beach. For swimming elsewhere, try the Angourie Blue Pool. You don’t need to worry about crocs at any of them – there are no crocodiles in Yamba.

Yamba is essentially what many people imagine dolphin-kayaking hotspot Byron Bay to be. Chilled-out, low key, sunny and surfy. If that’s what you want, then it is worth staying in Yamba. If not, give it a miss.

Yamba accommodation options include the Angourie Resort and the Calypso Yamba holiday park. While here, you can also take the Clarence River ferry to Iluka.

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