Wandering on the whitest sand in the world

Hyams Beach is home to the whitest sand in the world. It’s truly amazing. My partner James and I spend a lot of time on this beautiful stretch of coastline and it’s always worth the trip. With sand so soft it feels like you’re walking on flour, you’ll want to stay here all day. We spend hours here, just drifting in the water and walking along this unforgettable beach.

So, where is Hyams Beach?

Hyams beach is a gorgeous little seaside village you can find tucked away on the east coast of New South Wales, Australia. All the way down under! To be more specific, it is in Jervis Bay.

Fun little fact!

When you look on a map, Jervis Bay looks to be in New South Wales. However, although it resides in New South Wales, the laws of the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) apply here. The reason being is so Australia’s capital, Canberra, has access to the ocean. It was surrendered by NSW in 1915.

Is it really the whitest sand in the world?

Hyams Beach has actually been officially recognised by the Guinness Book Of Records as the whitest sand beach in the world. While there are so many other beautiful white sand beaches in Australia, it’s hard to argue with a claim like this!

Caring for Hyams Beach

Since Hyams Beach is home to the whitest sand in the world, you can only imagine the amount of tourism it attracts. The town is only populated by just over 100 people, however each year, the number of visitors to Hyams Beach just keeps on multiplying.

It’s so important to keep this gorgeous stretch of land as pristine as it was when you arrived. Not just for ourselves, but for future generations to come. Be respectful when visiting Hyams Beach. Basic common courtesies go a long way to ensuring everyone can have a peaceful and enjoyable time when visiting.

Leave only your footprints
There is no doubt Australia is a beautiful country. Being surrounded entirely by ocean ensures this! However, micro plastics and pollution are an extreme problem to marine and aquatic life. The water here is crystal clear so please pick up everything that you bring with you. When you’re leaving the beach in the afternoon, it should look just the way it was when you arrived waiting for you to enjoy the next day.

Be friendly
This one’s an easy one. A smile goes a long way. People in Australia are friendly, particularly in small towns like this. While it may be normal to walk past someone in the street in Sydney and not say hello, this isn’t normal in Jervis Bay. Give a wave even when you’re driving.

Take note of the “no overnight parking” signs
The rangers in Hyams Beach are ruthless. If it says “no overnight parking”, then don’t even try. You may think the ranger has done his last round and he’s done for the day, but I promise you, he will be back. If staying in your van is the only option, think about staying somewhere else for the night. Or, be really, really discreet. You’ll have to get creative here!

Be careful where you fly your drone
Download the “Can I Fly There” app. This lifesaving app has been developed by CASA and it states where you can and cannot fly. There is a military airfield in Booderee National Park meaning there is a 5.5km radius exclusion zone. A lot of people also don’t know this, but Navy base HMAS Creswell is located at the southernmost end of Hyams Beach, so I wouldn’t go flying over this!

Care for the park
Respect the earth and Mother Nature. Observe the amazing wildlife from a distance and don’t interfere with their feeding. They have natural food sources around them. Make sure you check for any fire restrictions in the National Park too. If you’re going to light a fire, keep it under control and make sure you have water nearby to put the fire out. Remember not to cover the fire with sand as it’s still going to be hot the next day and a passer by may step on it during their morning walk.

When to visit the whitest sand in the world!

If you’re looking to visit Hyams Beach, I highly recommend visiting during the week. It’s much quieter and isn’t packed with the weekend tourists. This is no joke. Sometimes Hyams Beach is so full that the rangers will block the roads off and turn you around, meaning it is completely inaccessible.

If you can only visit during the weekend then make sure you’re up early. When we visit, we wake up with the sun and enjoy the beach before the majority of tourists are awake. It’s beautiful. We watch the sun come up over the ocean and there are only a handful of people on the beach. It’s something definitely not to be missed and everyone should be lucky enough to experience it at least once.

After 9am, we are in the car heading off to enjoy the other beaches this area has to offer. Why? I’d prefer to enjoy a beach with barely anyone on it. With the whitest sand in the world, this beach is always going to allure to the masses.

Go exploring

Hyams Beach may have the whitest sand in the world, but Jervis Bay’s surrounding beaches are just as breathtaking. I believe everyone should get out there and explore for themselves, so whilst I’m not going to share my favourite spots in the area, I will tell you 2 other beautiful beaches that I love visiting when I am in Jervis Bay.

Greenfield Beach
Just two beaches over from Hyams, this is a much smaller little cove. The sand is just as white, and the atmosphere is much more relaxing! Take a book, some cut up fruit, and you’ll have a perfect summer day on your hands!

Green Patch Beach
This beach is gorgeous and stretches on for what feels like miles. Meaning there is lots of space to take advantage of! It’s a great place to spend your day. Bring a packed lunch, wander up the length of the beach to keep active and spend your day swimming in peace.

Finding your own special gems is all part of the fun! Especially along this coastline. The local council has even launched a challenge named the 100 Beach Challenge, encouraging tourists to see how many beaches they can visit for themselves!

It’s not hard to find a special place of your own. You definitely won’t have to go far.

All photography by James Knight at Aeroaus.
Bikini (worn throughout) by FAE SWIM.

Where have you witnessed the whitest sand you’ve ever seen? Leave me a comment below. I’d love to check the destinations out!