This post was originally published on A Globe Well Travelled in 2019. The content has been revised and updated with fresh information.
According to Guinness World Records, the whitest sand in the world is found here in Australia.
A quiet beach in Jervis Bay, a few hours drive south of Sydney, has claimed this prestigious title. Hyams Beach is a totally idyllic Australian destination surrounded by national parks, wild kangaroos, and cute little beach towns.
The beaches of Jervis Bay had been recommended to Rob and I by a few of our friends. When we were invited to tag along to a music festival in the town of Berry, we took advantage of the opportunity to do a NSW South Coast road trip for a few days of exploring and relaxation.
While it is possible to reach Jervis Bay in a day trip from Sydney, I would definitely advise against it. This scenic drive is best done at a relaxed pace. Stay at least one night down in Jervis Bay, preferably two nights so that you can visit some of the other beaches and do some nature activities while you’re there.
If you want to visit the gorgeous beaches of Jervis Bay, here’s how to see the world’s whitest sand on a road trip from Sydney!
Quick summary:
See the world’s whitest sand on a Sydney to Jervis Bay road trip. Drive the stunning Grand Pacific Drive, stop at Sea Cliff Bridge, Kiama and Berry, then explore Huskisson, Hyams Beach and Booderee National Park.
Recommended tours:
🚐 Jervis Bay Day Tour from Sydney – Small-group tour from the city including dolphin cruise, Hyams Beach, and wild kangaroo encounters.
🐬 Jervis Bay Dolphin Watching Cruise – Spot playful bottlenose dolphins as you cruise through crystal-clear waters, departing from Huskisson.
🛶 Half-Day Jervis Bay Sea Kayak Tour – Paddle along coastline, explore secluded beaches, and learn about local wildlife with a guide.
Where to stay:
🏠 Worrowing Jervis Bay – A peaceful bush retreat just 10 minutes from Huskisson, featuring lakeside boathouses, abundant kangaroos, and a tranquil farm setting. The perfect base for a relaxed South Coast escape.
How to get to Jervis Bay from Sydney
Jervis Bay is around 2.5–3.5 hours south of Sydney, depending on whether you take the motorway or the scenic Grand Pacific Drive. You can easily self-drive the route, but there’s also a fantastic guided tour option if you’d rather sit back and let someone else do the navigating.
Option 1: Join a guided day tour from Sydney
If you don’t have a car, this small group guided experience covers all the region’s highlights in one seamless trip:
🚐 Sydney: Jervis Bay Day Trip with Dolphins, Roos & Beach Time – This full-day tour takes you from Sydney to Jervis Bay’s pristine coastline for an unforgettable mix of beaches, wildlife, and adventure.
This is an easy (and fun!) way to experience Jervis Bay without driving. You’ll start the morning with a 1.5-hour dolphin cruise through Jervis Bay Marine Park. After lunch in Huskisson, spend the afternoon on Hyams Beach, and walk the White Sands Trail. The tour finishes with wild kangaroo encounters at Cave Beach inside Booderee National Park — one of the best places to see roos relaxing right on the sand.
Option 2: Self-drive from Sydney
This is what my husband and I did when we visited Jervis Bay. The quickest route is down the M1 and Princes Highway, but most travellers choose the Grand Pacific Drive, which winds through Royal National Park and follows the coastline past the Sea Cliff Bridge. It only adds about an hour, and the scenery is 100% worth the detour.
You’ll need a car to explore Jervis Bay properly — especially if you want to visit remote beaches or the far end of Booderee National Park. We rented a car from Sydney for our NSW South Coast road trip.
Driving route from Sydney to Jervis Bay via Grand Pacific Drive
0 – Sydney
1 – Sea Cliff Bridge
2 – Kiama
3 – Berry
4 – Huskisson
5 – Booderee National Park
Sydney to Jervis Bay road trip itinerary
Sea Cliff Bridge
About an hour drive from Sydney is Sea Cliff Bridge, which is the first stop on our itinerary. Driving over this scenic bridge is a popular activity for tourists road tripping through this part of Australia. The S-shape road stretches out over the ocean and seemingly floats off the coastline as if it’s magically weightless.
👉 Read more: How to visit the amazing Sea Cliff Bridge from Sydney
There are a few vista points south of Royal National Park that you can stop at to see your first glimpses of the bridge. We stopped at Otford Lookout and Stanwell Tops for a few photos, then continued on and parked our rental car on the far side the bridge so that we could walk across it. The views of the coastline and the Pacific Ocean here are pretty damn awesome.
Kiama
Kiama is a great spot to stop for coffee and to stretch your legs after a few hours of driving. This town is a popular vacation spot for Sydneysiders heading south for a weekend getaway.
We drove through Kiama on our way down and loved the relaxed seaside atmosphere. After stopping in at Wild Patch Cafe for some soy lattes, we then walked out to the Kiama Blowhole to watch the ocean water shoot dramatically upwards through a gap the rocks. It was pretty awesome! My inner kid loved it here.
Berry
I’d never heard of Berry before this road trip, and I have no idea why. It’s totally adorable! This small town is filled with historic Victorian architecture that remains from the time when it was an industrial village in the mid-1800s.
There are pubs, boutique stores, and eateries lining the main strip along Queen Street, though the most popular attraction is arguably the Berry Donut Van, which has been a part of the local scene for decades. The fresh cinnamon sugar donuts here are so damn tasty… we may have gone overboard and ordered 8 of them to share between the two of us!
Huskisson
Huskisson, known by locals as ‘Husky’, is the main town at Jervis Bay. It has a few cute beachwear stores, coffee shops and cafes, plus a popular pub (The Huskisson Hotel). It’s definitely worth heading into the town for a meal at some stage during your stay.
🛶 Huskisson can be used as a base for day tours, such as a Half-Day Jervis Bay Sea Kayak Tour which will take you out on the water to see amazing sea life in Booderee National Park.
From Huskisson, it’s only a 12 minute drive south to the famous Hyams Beach. This beach is a truly beautiful spot, though to be honest, we found that all of the beaches around Jervis Bay had equally as white sand and were just as pretty.
We visited Hyams Beach twice – the first time we drove there in the evening to take a sunset walk along the sand, and the second time we did the White Sands Walk from Nelsons Beach. Some of my favourite spots in Jervis Bay were the tiny secluded beaches that we passed on the White Sands Walk… there really is nothing better than discovering a secret beach without any other people around.
🐬 If you have some extra time, there are plenty of things to do in Huskisson. I’d suggest going on a Jervis Bay Dolphin Cruise to experience wild dolphins jumping around your boat in Jervis Bay Marine Park.
Booderee National Park
Booderee National Park is situated in Jervis Bay Territory – an offshoot of the Australian Capital Territory (where Canberra is located). The Jervis Bay township doubles as a military base for the Australian Navy, so you may spot them doing training exercises as you drive around.
Exploring the national park is one of the best things to do in Jervis Bay. Entrance to the national park costs $20 AUD per vehicle (as of 2025) for a single day pass. Some of the speed limits inside the park can seem pretty slow, but it’s important to understand that this is to protect the wildlife from cars (you’re almost guaranteed to see kangaroos around here!). There are often cops parked by the road with speed cameras, so don’t go over the limit unless you’re willing to pay a hefty fine.
There’s enough things to do in Booderee National Park to fill an entire day. Murrays Beach is a popular spot for visitors, which is right at the far end of the park. We took a picnic here and sat under the tree canopy by the beach to eat our lunch. Unfortunately it started raining right after we finished eating, so we couldn’t stay longer to enjoy the beach.
We made our way to Caves Beach next, which had impressive ocean waves crashing on the shore, then it was onwards to the Botanic Gardens. I didn’t find the gardens to be all that impressive, but we did get to see a massive wild snake – the python was probably around 2 metres (6.5 feet) in length and was curled around a tree trunk right beside the garden path. Only in Australia!
Where to stay in Jervis Bay
🏠 I booked a cabin at Worrowing Jervis Bay, a farmland nature retreat 10 minutes drive inland. Our accommodation was a custom-built boathouse perched over a lake.
It was such a peaceful spot – I loved sitting on the small balcony to relax while listening to the sound of water lapping beneath our feet. There were literally hundreds of kangaroos around here, which made it all the more amazing! It turned out to be the perfect place to base our stay in Jervis Bay.
FAQ: Sydney to Jervis Bay road trip
How long does it take to drive from Sydney to Jervis Bay?
The fastest route takes around 2.5 hours via the motorway, but I highly recommend driving the Grand Pacific Drive instead (at least one way). It’s a gorgeous coastal route that takes about 3.5 hours with scenic stops along the way.
Can you visit Jervis Bay on a day trip from Sydney?
It’s possible to do a day trip from Sydney to Jervis Bay, though it does mean a long and rushed day. If you can manage it, I’d recommend spending 1–2 nights in the area so you can enjoy the beaches, walks, and national parks at a relaxed pace.
What’s the best time of year to visit Jervis Bay?
Summer is ideal for swimming, but spring and autumn are perfect for mild weather and fewer crowds. Winter is quieter and still beautiful — though the water will be chilly!
Where can you see the world’s whitest sand?
Hyams Beach in Jervis Bay holds the Guinness World Record for the whitest sand. That said, many of the nearby beaches are just as stunning.
What are the top things to do in Jervis Bay?
Walk the White Sands Walk, swim at Hyams Beach, go dolphin or whale watching, hire SUP boards or take a sea kayak tour, and spend time exploring Booderee National Park’s beaches and wildlife.
Do you need a pass to enter Booderee National Park?
Yes — a vehicle pass costs a small fee and covers you for one day. Drive slowly inside the park as kangaroos and wildlife are everywhere.
Is Jervis Bay good for spotting wildlife?
Absolutely. You’ll almost certainly see kangaroos (especially around Booderee National Park), birdlife, and occasionally pythons or echidnas.
Is the Grand Pacific Drive worth the detour?
Definitely! Sea Cliff Bridge is one of the most scenic coastal drives in Australia. Stopping at lookouts like Otford and Stanwell Tops makes the route even better.
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