Sawtell: Beaches, Bays and Coastal Views

Sawtell is a coastal destination shaped by its beach, Bonville Headland and Sailors Bay, each offering a different side of a stay. At the beach, surfing, swimming and fishing take centre stage; the headland adds a paved walking path, picnic areas and wide-ranging views. When planning your trip, the first question is whether you mainly want to spend time by the water, outdoors or at a festival.

Bonville Headland and Sailors Bay

Bonville Headland is at the southern end of Sawtell Beach. There, you’ll find a paved walking path and grassy areas for picnics. From the headland, you can enjoy expansive views of the mouth of Bonville Creek and Sawtell Beach. A visit can bring together a walk, a break in the green surroundings and a scenic outlook—three distinct ways to enjoy this stretch of coast.

Sailors Bay is also at the southern end of Sawtell Beach. A small island shelters the bay; the island is accessible at low tide. If you’re particularly interested in this sheltered coastal landscape, you can time your visit for low tide. The two spots offer different ways to spend time on the coast: take in the views from the headland or visit the bay sheltered by an island, which is accessible depending on the tide.

Beach and rock pool

Sawtell Beach is a popular spot for surfing, swimming and fishing, and is home to the Sawtell Surf Club. The beach is patrolled daily from the start of the NSW school holidays in September until the end of the NSW school holidays in April of the following year. Seasonal patrols may change, so check the latest information before your visit. If swimming is important to your trip, factor this time frame into your plans. The Sawtell Memorial Rock Pool is also accessible from Bonville Headland.

WinterSun: Festival and Food Bowl

Sawtell WinterSun is a nine-day coastal festival in the heart of Sawtell. The program includes a surfing competition; WinterSun Food Bowl offers curated culinary experiences, pop-up offerings and local flavours. The two festival components have different focuses: the surfing competition as a sporting event, and the Food Bowl with its culinary offerings. If you’d like to plan your trip around WinterSun, check the festival dates and the program for that year. Festival dates may change from year to year, and individual activities vary by edition.

Golf and finding accommodation

Another highlight for golfers is Sawtell Golf Club: the course has 18 holes and is 500 metres from Sawtell village. If you’d like golf to be part of your stay, you can consider the club as a separate option. Check the latest access and operating details before making specific plans.

When looking for a hotel in Sawtell, it helps to first decide on the kind of stay you want: time at the beach, views and a picnic at the headland, a visit during WinterSun, or golf as a separate activity. The planning considerations differ: for the beach, check the seasonal patrol period; for WinterSun, the specific festival edition; and for the golf course, current access. This way, you can plan your trip around the experiences that matter most to you.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Grong Grong, Copeland, Leonay, Smiths Lake, Morpeth, Umina Beach, Cobbitty, Tenterfield.

For the broader travel guide: New South Wales.