Exploring Coolangatta

Coolangatta is the southernmost point of the Gold Coast, right on the border between Queensland and New South Wales. The area maintains it's small beach town feeling despite the several high-rise complexes that line the coast. Cooly is home to a handful of scenic beaches and iconic surfbreaks - including Snapper Rocks, D-Bah, Greenmount and Kirra.We made the two week detour to Coolangatta to be at the Quik Roxy Pro. Even though the contest ended within the first week, we decided to stay in Cooly. Our Airbnb is very comfortable and the beaches are wonderful with world-class surf spots. Why leave?The main two streets, Marine Parade and Griffith Street, are full of a wide variety of restaurants and cafes with something to satisfy any craving. The cafes are impressive with delicious lattes and macchiatos (see above! Cafe Enchante). Other personal recommendations include Bambi Deluxe, Cafe DBAR, and Grill'd. There's minimal shopping, only a couple surf shops and a few mediocre boutiques; this only became an issue once my flip flops broke and I had very limited options to replace them with. There's pockets of nature to appreciate, such as Kirra Hill offering picturesque glimpses of both north and south - our personal favorite spot to workout at with stronger winds up on the hill to keep you cool. The harbor inlet from Duranbah is also deserves a walk around the esplanade. On a sunny day, the water is a vivid turquoise and extremely inviting for a jump in. Perfect calm waters to rent a kayak or SUP for a half day.Coolangatta is exciting for a weekend away, but it's well worth a full seven days to take time to relax, enjoy the beaches, try a handful of cafes and explore a little deeper.