SYDNEY - Visiting Port Stephens - Shoal Bay, Fingal Bay, Nelson Bay etc.

Port Stephens is a beautiful holiday destination and it's just 2.5 hours drive from Sydney and 1.5 hours drive from Hunter Valley. So it is highly recommended to visit both places at the same time! Visit their official website at www.portstephens.org.au for more information. We visited the different beaches in order to compare which was the best and I must say Zenith beach is number 1 on our list. Zenith beach is not as crowded as other beaches as it is quite difficult to find and the waves are huge. There are no beach patrols so swim at your own risk! We stumbled upon it after we did a climb to the top of Tomaree Mountain. It is highly recommended as the view from the top was breathtaking! The entrance to begin trekking up to the Tomaree lookout is at the corner of Shoal Bay and after the climb, go relax by Zenith beach located just beside it.

There are so many lovely beaches to explore. The soft white sand, clear blue waters and the sounds of the crashing waves provide just a relaxing atmosphere for a retreat away from the bustling Sydney city where I live at. We did beach combing, swam in the lovely beaches and went for Moonshadow Dolphin watching cruises at d'Albora Marinas. We were lucky to spot several dolphins and I thank God for such a lovely birthday surprise! We ate the Award-winning Fish and Chips in Australia at BUB's Famous Fish & Chips located at 1 Teramby Road, Nelson Bay which is extremely fresh and crisp! We also had hi-tea at Inner Lighthouse Cottage Museum and Tearoom which had quite a beautiful view of Port Stephens headlands at the top of Nelson Bay.

We visited the famous sand dunes in Anna Bay which is easily accessible from Birubi beach. I must say I was surprised to see sand dunes located just beside the beach at such close proximity! Birubi beach is patrolled by beach life guards so it's safe for swimmers who need extra reassurance to swim in the beach. There is camel-riding, sand-boarding, quad biking activities that will be suitable for the young and energetic. We have done that previously when we travelled to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

♥ Lora Christelle Lim ♥
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