Must-do Bondi summer activities for first time visitors

If it's your first Bondi summer and you only have a day or two, do these five things first: swim between the red-and-yellow flags, walk at least the opening stretch of the Bondi to Coogee coastal path, watch the waves from the Icebergs pool, browse the Sunday markets, and be on the sand for one sunrise. That's the shortlist I give every visiting friend; everything else is a bonus.

Best months

December to February (peak summer)

Coastal walk

Bondi to Coogee, ~6km, allow 2-3 hours

Markets

Bondi Markets, Sundays, Bondi Beach Public School

Golden rule

Always swim between the flags

Swim between the flags (this one's non-negotiable)

The single most important thing I can tell a first-timer is where to get in the water. Bondi has rips - narrow channels of water pulling back out to sea - and they're the reason lifesavers plant the red-and-yellow flags where they do. The patrolled zone between those flags is the safest water on the beach, watched over all summer. Swim there, not in the tempting-but-empty corners near the rocks. If you're unsure, the north end near the pavilion is usually the gentlest.

Walk the coast to Coogee

The Bondi to Coogee coastal walk is the best free thing to do in the east. It runs roughly 6km along the cliffs, dipping down to Tamarama, Bronte, Clovelly and finally Coogee, and most people take two to three hours with photo stops. You don't have to do the whole thing on a first visit - even the first leg to Bronte, past the Icebergs pool and Mackenzies Point, delivers the postcard views.

• Go early: by mid-morning in summer the cliff path is busy and the sun is fierce.
• Bronte and Clovelly make great swim-and-turnaround points if you don't want the full 6km.
• Carry water and sunscreen - there's little shade on the clifftops.
• Check the tide and swell if you plan to swim; the ocean pools along the way are the calm option.

Icebergs, the markets and a sunrise

No first Bondi summer is complete without the Icebergs pool - that famous ocean pool at the south end where waves crash straight over the lap lanes. You can swim in the public pool or just watch from above with a coffee - it's the shot everyone comes for. Session times, entry and dining hours change with the season, so check the Icebergs website before you go rather than turning up on spec.

On a Sunday, the Bondi Markets fill the Bondi Beach Public School grounds on Campbell Parade, a block back from the sand - vintage clothing, local designers, handmade jewellery, art and food stalls. There's a separate farmers' market on Saturdays if you're chasing fresh produce and breakfast.

If you do one thing at an odd hour, make it sunrise. Bondi faces east, so the sun rises straight out of the ocean. Walk down early, watch the surfers paddle into the pink light, and you'll understand why locals put up with the crowds the rest of the day. It's my favourite hour on the beach.

That's the honest first-timer's list. Swim safely, walk the cliffs, and give yourself one early morning on the sand - do that and you'll leave already planning your next Bondi summer.