Discover Hyams Beach: Experience the World’s Whitest Sands and Vibrant Marine Life in Jervis Bay, Australia
There is a great debate about where the most brilliant white sandy beach in the world is located. Hyams Beach—which is located in New South Wales, Australia in Jervis Bay—is a strong contender for the world’s whitest sandy beach. The sand at Hyams Beach is composed of sparkling quartz that shimmers in the sunlight. Sunglasses are strongly recommended for visitors who frolic in the waters of Hyams Beach on a sunny day. The glare when the sun shines on the sand can be so bright that onlookers can hardly look around without squinting.
The pristine waters of Hyams Beach are ideal for swimming, snorkeling, surfing, sailing, windsurfing, and kayaking. Jervis Bay even features a White Sands Walk that allows visitors to walk along several white sandy beaches over the span of an hour.
Hyams Beach is also an excellent spot to view marine life. Dolphins, seals, and penguins are a common sight near the Hyams Beach shoreline. From May-November, elusive and majestic blue whales sometimes appear in the waters near Hyams Beach. Blue whales are the largest animals on Earth, yet it is estimated that only 1% of the world’s population will ever view a blue whale in the wild. If seeing a blue whale is on your bucket list, you just might be lucky enough to spot one at Hyams Beach.
Hyams Beach is located inside of Jervis Bay National Park. The park is home to dense forests and hiking trails galore. Jervis Bay National Park is also home to an abundant bird population. Yellow-tailed black cockatoos, white-bellied sea eagles, and Australian pelicans abound. Visitors may even spot a frisky sugar glider feasting on eucalyptus sap. A sugar glider is a marsupial with wing-like appendages that allow it to gracefully glide through the air.
Jervis Bay is also home to a high concentration of important archeological sites related to Aboriginal people who communicated using the Dharawal-Dhurga language. Visitors can view Aboriginal rock art, grooves created by ancient axes, and stone tools that were used to prepare food and craft weapons.
It is not uncommon for Hyams Beach to be covered in ornate sandcastles. Visitors cannot resist the urge to create stately palaces out of powdery white sand that sparkles in the sunshine. If your dream vacation includes lounging on a beach covered in soft white sand, a trip to Hyams Beach should certainly top your list of places to visit.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Hyams Beach shoreline, Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia (beach-area reference)
- Coordinates
- -35.11332, 150.69864
- Access
- Hyams Beach is a public, roughly 2 km shoreline at Cyrus Street. Village parking is very limited and often fills in busy periods; NSW recommends parking at Greenfield Beach and walking the White Sands Walk as an alternative. The beach is unpatrolled and may have strong rip currents. The optional Hyams Beach Trail is a separate steep, grade-5 walk with many steps and limited signage. Pets are not permitted on the national-park trail; fishing is prohibited in the adjacent marine sanctuary zone.
- Admission
- The NSW Government lists free entry to Hyams Beach. This is separate from any paid services or parking; the reviewed beach listing does not list an admission ticket.
- Time needed
- No standard duration is published for time on the beach. The separate Hyams Beach Trail is 2 km return and takes an estimated 45 minutes–1 hour 15 minutes; it is steep, grade 5 and has many steps. The White Sands Walk is a separate 90-minute route between Hyams and Greenfield Beach.
- Best season
- NSW National Parks suggests spring for mild beach weather, summer for swimming and water activities, and winter for possible migrating whales. These are seasonal activity options, not one universal best time. The beach is unpatrolled year-round.
- Opening hours
- No daily gate hours are posted for Hyams Beach. Jervis Bay National Park is normally open at all times but may close during poor weather or fire danger; check current alerts before walking the park trail.
- Location checked
- 2026-09-29
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-08
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