Coolangatta and Tweed Heads travel guide

What Surfers Paradise is to rollercoasters and shopping malls, Coolangatta is to sand and surf. Its greatest attraction is undoubtedly its beaches and the mighty surf that breaks upon them. The coast around Coolangatta and Tweed Heads is not only renowned as one of the world’s premier surf spots, it has also produced many world-class surfers such as the legendary Michael Peterson ‘MP’, and ex-world champions Peter Townend ‘PT’ and Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew. Such a reputation has led to something of a population boom in the Coolangatta region and this, coupled with an increase in the popularity of surfing, has caused a massive increase in the numbers of surfers in the water on any good day.

Coolangatta is fringed with superb beaches that surround the small peninsula known as Tweed Heads. The tip of the peninsula, named Point Danger by Captain Cook in 1770, provides a fine starting point from which to survey the scene. Below and to the right is Duranbah Beach, which flanks the sea wall at the mouth of the Tweed River. Like all the beaches around the heads it is a popular surf spot, and Point Danger provides a good vantage point if you want to watch.

To the left is Snapper Rocks, one of the most popular surf spots on the southern Gold Coast. It’s a great place to watch the surfers as you can literally sit on the rocks beside the ‘launch zone’ only metres away from all the action. Just to the west of Snapper Rocks is the pretty little beach called Rainbow Bay, which is the first of the beaches that combines good surfing with safe swimming. Continuing west, Rainbow Bay is then separated from Greenmount Beach by a small headland that offers fine views from Pat Fagan Park. Greenmount Beach then merges with Coolangatta Beach, both of which are idyllic, excellent for swimming and enormously popular with families. At the western end of Coolangatta Beach, Kirra Point also provides great views back down Greenmount and Coolangatta beaches and north, beyond North Kirra Beach, to Surfers Paradise. Between Snapper Rocks and Kirra Point is the famed surfers’ Superbank.