Discover Sawtell: Beach and Coast

Sawtell combines a popular beach with coastal scenery and a nine-day festival. At Sawtell Beach, surfing, swimming and fishing take centre stage; Bonville Headland offers expansive views of the coast. If you’re looking for a hotel in Sawtell, you can plan your trip around what matters most: beach activities, scenery, WinterSun or golf.

Beach and seasonal lifeguard patrols

Sawtell Beach is a popular spot for surfing, swimming and fishing; the Sawtell Surf Club is also located there. If these activities are part of your plans, the beach provides a shared focal point for your time by the water. Lifeguard patrols operate seasonally: Sawtell Beach is patrolled daily from the NSW school holidays in September until the end of the NSW school holidays in April the following year. As seasonal arrangements may change, check the current lifeguard patrol information for your travel dates.

Bonville Headland and Sailors Bay

Bonville Headland lies at the southern end of Sawtell Beach. It has a sealed walking path and grassy areas for picnics. From the headland, expansive views stretch across the mouth of Bonville Creek and over Sawtell Beach. Sawtell Memorial Rock Pool is accessible from here.

Sailors Bay is also at the southern end of the beach. A small island shelters the bay and is accessible at low tide. This complements the views from the headland with a second coastal point of interest, whose access is explicitly tied to the water level. To navigate the area, you can distinguish between the two: the headland brings together a walking path, picnic areas and views, while Sailors Bay is associated with its sheltered bay and the island accessible at low tide.

WinterSun: Keep Festival Dates in Mind

Sawtell WinterSun is a nine-day coastal festival in the heart of Sawtell. Its program includes a surf competition. The WinterSun Food Bowl adds curated culinary experiences, pop-up offerings and local flavours to the festival.

Festival dates and the program may change from year to year or with each edition. You can plan your trip around the specific festival dates, rather than assuming dates will remain the same or the program unchanged.

Golf in the Nearby Area

Sawtell Golf Club offers an 18-hole golf course and is located 500 metres from Sawtell village. It’s another option for travellers considering golf alongside the beach and coastal scenery. The distance refers to Sawtell village; it does not indicate the location of any particular hotel. If golf is a deciding factor for your trip, check the club’s current access and operating information in advance.

Discover more destinations: Moss Vale, Casino, Molong, Summer Island, Hawks Nest, Prestons, Wollongong, Newrybar

For the broader travel overview: New South Wales.