Whether you're returning to the beaches of your childhood, dressing in your resort best to dip toes in cool new rooftop pools, or swimming in a sinkhole on a South Australian farm - the beauty of an Australian summer is you  can do it all, and more. Here are some of the best places to swim, snorkel, surf, paddle and play around Australia.
Forget Whitehaven Beach and Hamilton Island. Head to Daydream Island for a snorkelling holiday to remember. Daydream Island Resort & Living Reef marine biologist Amelia Keynes says you’ll find the best snorkelling in the Living Reef lagoons.
Tip: “Once you’ve explored… the Living Reef, go for a snorkel at Lovers Cove and see our coral restoration project up close.”
It’s a snorkeller’s dream and you don’t need advanced scuba certification to explore Tangalooma Wrecks, one of Australia’s most accessible shipwreck sites.
A favourite among influencers, Millaa Millaa Falls is the stuff of Nat Geo documentaries, cascading into an inviting pool surrounded by Tropical North Queensland rainforest. Swoon.
One of Australia’s best family-friendly public pools, Yeppoon Lagoon is metres from the sand, free to enter and patrolled.
In the heart of Brisbane’s CBD, The Westin transports city slickers to the likes of a Fijian island resort. “The Westin in Brisbane is the perfect example of an urban oasis,” says Escape managing editor Kelli Armstrong.
Tip: “Start the morning with the incredible brunch at Settimo, a treatment at Heavenly Spa and then laze away the day at the Nautilus Pool.”
We couldn’t have a swim list without Byron Bay in it, but instead of picking the town for its surf, award-winning ocean photographer Craig Parry is lauding its underwater beauty.
“The reef off Byron Bay’s best surf spot, The Pass, has some of the best snorkelling and wildlife encounters on the east coast of NSW,” Parry says. “It’s an amazing reef called Old Man’s Reef, which sits just 50m west of The Pass beach and has an amazing amount of sea life. And it’s only 2m-3m deep and crystal-clear, so it’s also great for kids on a flat day.”
Tip: “The best time to visit Byron Bay for snorkelling and swimming is in autumn.”
Whether you’re inclined to join teenagers jumping off the rock platforms or gingerly make your way down the slippery steps, Newcastle’s Bogey Hole is a fun swimming hole. Hand-cut by convicts in the 19th century, this saltwater pool has plenty of character.
Beloved by Sydneysiders is Manly’s Shelly Beach, and you don’t have to be a scuba diver to enjoy its underwater treasures.
“Shelly Beach is part of the protected Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve and a snorkeller’s dream, with clear, shallow waters and lots of underwater life to watch,” says Amanda Woods, co-author of One Hundred Beaches Sydney and Escape contributor. “You could spot rays, wobbegongs, eastern blue gropers and Port Jackson sharks.”
Tip: Cook your own lunch on Shelly Beach’s free electric barbecues, or grab a bite at the The Boathouse Shelly Beach kiosk.
A new rooftop lap pool has opened in Sydney, alongside the cool new Harper Rooftop Bar at the stylish Kimpton Margot. With pastel hues, a laid-back vibe and a Mediterranean menu, why not pop by after work for a build-your-own Martini and post-dinner dip?
Fancy stepping off a rock ledge and dropping into a torrent of water 30m above a chilly pool? You can do just that with Blue Mountains Adventure Company. The Empress Falls Canyon and Abseiling tour is aimed at beginners (yes, you heard right), and will see you jump off boulders into deep pools before abseiling down a raging waterfall.
Promising a quintessential Aussie beach holiday is Fingal Head on the Tweed Coast of northern NSW where you can swim, surf, SUP and foil board. All-round waterman Alex Hayes says Fingal is his favourite place to foil because the environment is pristine.
“With the right swell direction, you can get amazing waves with long rides, and there is a lot of sea life,” he says.
Tip: “Go to Cubby Bakehouse on the Tweed River afterwards for a banh mi roll.”
Fancy smashing your way through a whitewater rapid named Grave Yard? With 60 rapids staring you down along 19km, the Mitta Mitta River is not for the faint-hearted.
Canoe around the trunks of dead trees along the haunting Lake Elizabeth in Great Otway National Park where lucky paddlers spot platypuses.
Phillip Island is home to some of Victoria’s best surf breaks and four of its sites are National Surfing Reserves, including Smiths Beach.
“This spectacular part of the southern coast on the island is famous for its barrelling reef break, when the conditions are right, and also has a mellower wave where many grommets experience their first wave,” says Serena Cabello from Destination Phillip Island.
Tip: “If you’re keen to experience it for yourself but aren’t confident, book a surf lesson with Island Surfboards Surf School and learn from a local.”
Taking the Aussie surf scene by storm, the man-made surf park URBNSURF is all about bringing the stoke with wave after wave after wave.
Lake Burley Griffin
Canberra may be landlocked, but you can still get out for a kayak, canoe or stand-up paddleboard on Lake Burley Griffin. You can even join “taste of paddling” sessions with Burley Griffin Canoe Club.
Famous for its aqua water and orange-lichen-covered boulders, the Bay of Fires has white sandy beaches and rock pools galore. Enjoy the main beach at Binalong Bay or travel further north to more secluded spots such as Sloop Reef, and explore via an eco tour or kayak.
The First Basin pool, set in grassy lawn at Cataract Gorge in Launceston, has opened for the summer season.
One of the strangest swimming spots in Australia is Kilsby Sinkhole, located on a South Australian sheep farm. The uniqueness of this spot and its alluring teal water attracts freedivers and snorkellers from across the country.
Keep your eyes peeled for kangaroos as you soak in the beauty of the rugged Almonta Beach on the Eyre Peninsula.
Follow the dirt road past fishing shacks to Kangaroo Island’s Vivonne Bay where you’ll be met with white sand, aqua water and plenty of space. Afterwards, order a whiting burger from Vivonne Bay General Store.
Grab a bundle of fish and chips and your beach brolly for a day of sun and sand at Adelaide’s Brighton Beach.
Whether you want to teach the kids to snorkel, go for a gentle paddleboard, or you’re searching for a protected bay to moor your boat, Castle Rock Bay near Dunsborough ticks the boxes and woos every visitor.
With limestone cliffs, a protected swimming and snorkelling spot, plus a boat ramp for fishers and divers, Hamelin Bay is a highlight for anyone visiting the Margaret River Region.
“Along the shore most days you can experience up-close-and-personal interactions with the stingrays,” says underwater photographer Lauren Trickett. “With crystal-clear waters and rarely any swell, it’s ideal for shooting underwater portraiture.”
Tip: “Grab an ice-cream at the beach kiosk on the foreshore and, if one day isn’t enough, you can always camp at Hamelin Bay Holiday Park and spend the whole weekend there.”
Quokkas aren’t the only reason to smile on Rottnest Island – you’ll be beaming through your snorkel as you check out the reef at The Basin.
Adventurous travellers will love the challenge of reaching Karijini National Park’s Handrail Pool via a Class 5 rocky scramble.
A surfing mecca for generations of water-loving women and men, WA’s Quobba Station is the stuff of legend and home to Red Bluff where you can camp off-grid just metres from the sand.
“You need to be a half-decent surfer to surf there but, even if you’re not good, it’s great to just watch,” says surf photographer Tony Harrington. “The camp kitchen serves really good food, there’s glamping, basic huts to shelter or stay in, or you can take your own tent. And the sunsets are to die for.”
Tip: “The best time to go is between April and August when you’ll get offshore breezes, crystal-clear days, good surf – and this is when the heat and flies tend to back off, too.”
Grab a pool noodle and gaze at the canopy of palms as you float down this natural thermal pool. Bitter Springs is a popular stop for road-trippers. Buy a parks pass and check weather conditions.
Maguk is one of Kakadu National Park’s best swimming spots during the dry season (April to October). Arrive early to beat the crowds.
If you’re short on time, Darwin’s waterfront wave pool is the perfect spot to cool off with the kids.
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