I’ve lived in Sydney for a couple months now and Manly Beach has become one of my favorite places to spend an afternoon. How could I not adore a place that has you take a ferry ride through the iconic Sydney harbor to get there. At Manly one can find activities to make the perfect beach day or if you are looking to stay dry there is still plenty to do. Here are my top five ways to spend an afternoon in Manly.
Shop
After you get off the ferry, there are tons of adorable shops to explore as you make your way to the beach. In fact, as the weather has been getting colder, Manly has become my ideal place to look for warmer clothes. Some of the stand out stores are Cotton On Body, Rip Curl, and Ghanda. However, there are plenty of touristy shops and small businesses to explore as well.
Try the viral Butterboy Cookies
As you walk through Manly, you might spot a dessert shop with the line way out the door. This is Butterboy. After a couple of viral Tiktoks, Butterboy has become a must do for anyone visiting this beach town. The store offers warm and freshly made cookies. I find that it’s the perfect comfort food when I’m homesick and miss the chocolate chip cookies my Mom would make.
Surf
Manly is great for beginner surfers. Some of my friends that come from landlocked states have taken to going to Manly every weekend to get better at surfing. The beach is perfect for this as it isn’t as crowded as Bondi but also offers plenty of places to rent foamy boards.
Go Snorkeling At Shelly Beach
Just a short walk from Manly is the stunning Shelly Beach. Here you will see an array of snorkelers and divers in search of parrot fish and sea turtles. Shelly Beach is void of the big waves you’d see at Manly, plus there are plenty of unique sea creatures that inhabit this reef.
Explore The Jungle
Okay so it isn’t really the jungle. But from Shelly Beach is a small 15 minute trail that will take you through the trees and past a gorgeous view of the coast. If that isn’t enough there are lots of birds that live in this area. I’ve seen seagulls, Australian brush turkeys, and colorful rainbow lorikeets.
