Honeymoon Bay is a beautiful beach located in the Jervis Bay area of New South Wales, Australia. The small pristine bay is perfectly crescent-shaped with crystal clear water and makes for some stunning photos!
The location of Honeymoon Bay is spectacular, set amongst a natural bush setting with sheltered waters, views across Jervis Bay and kangaroos hopping around.
This magical beach makes for a great place to visit for an afternoon or day trip, and for the ultimate experience, you can camp overnight here – although you need to be quick to get a spot as they fill up quick!
Here’s all you need to know about Honeymoon Bay, including how to get there, when it is open, things to do there, as well as how you can secure a camping spot to this little-known paradise!
Where Is Honeymoon Bay?
Honeymoon Bay is about a 3 hour drive from both Sydney and Canberra. It is located on the Beecroft Peninsula – on the northern headland of Jervis Bay, NSW.
The nearest village is Currarong – roughly 9km away. Callala Bay is 20km away, and Huskisson is 47km away by road (a 45 minute drive).
How To Get To Honeymoon Bay
To get to Honeymoon Bay you will need to have a car as there are no public transport options. Turn off the Princes Highway at Forest Road, south of Nowra and continue 25km down the road.
Then turn right onto Lighthouse Road where you’ll need to go past the checkpoint to get to Honeymoon Bay.
It’s important to note that the access road to Honeymoon Bay is a very bumpy unsealed dusty dirt track road for around 5km! We were fine in our normal car, so 2wds are fine, just drive slowly.
Be careful of kangaroos and other native wild animals if you’ll be driving during dawn or dusk or in the dark, as this is when they are most active.
If you’ll be visiting Honeymoon Bay just for the day, park in the separate car park for day use. Day visitors aren’t allowed to park in the campground.
The day car park is very close to the beach and is an easy walk – just about 150 metres along a path under the trees. Go down a few steps and then you’ll see the stunning Honeymoon Bay.
When Is Honeymoon Bay In Jervis Bay Open?
The most important thing to note about Honeymoon Bay is that access is not always open to the public!!
Honeymoon Bay is located on Navy/Department of Defence land (Beecroft Weapons Range) which is usually used for Defence exercises as a firing range during the week.
Access is generally only open to the public on weekends, public holidays and NSW school holidays!
Generally access is only from 1 pm on a Friday until 2.30 pm on a Sunday, with last access in the evenings being 6 pm.
However it is always best to ring up before you leave home to double check as it can sometimes become closed at short notice!
We had several unsuccessful attempts in the past at going to Honeymoon Bay as it was either closed due to bushfire damage or heavy rain from previous days meant the road was impassable!
So don’t assume if it’s a weekend that Honeymoon Bay will automatically be open – always check beforehand! Sometimes it also gets closed when the car park reaches capacity or when there is road maintenance.
Also – the odd time Honeymoon Bay is open during the week, so it’s always worth ringing them to find out.
Telephone the Beecroft Weapons Range on 0244483411 or check the Booderee Weapons Range Facebook page for access updates.
It’s a long way to drive if you have to turn around and go back to Jervis Bay.
There are no signs along the road telling you if Honeymoon Bay is open or not – there’s only a sign when you get to the security checkpoint gate at Lighthouse Road.
Entry is by a manned boomgate at the security checkpoint on the beginning of Lighthouse Road, so there is no way to enter if the gate is closed, and there are no alternative entrances!
When Can You Visit Honeymoon Bay?
During the summer (Christmas) holidays and other school holidays (April and September) Honeymoon Bay gets very crowded with families.
Therefore it’s best to visit outside of the holidays if you have the choice, or visit very early in the morning!
Other Ways To See Honeymoon Bay
If road access to Honeymoon Bay is closed, you can still see Honeymoon Bay by going on the Jervis Bay Passage Cruise.
This two hour boat trip goes past all the white sandy beaches of Jervis Bay on the White Sands Walk, as well as Booderee National Park (Green Patch Beach, Murrays Beach, Captains Beach, Hyams Beach etc), Point Perpendicular and Honeymoon Bay.
The boat will slow down at Honeymoon Bay – you won’t be able to get off the boat but you’ll be able to have a good look at it from the sea when it’s empty which is quite cool!
Do You Have To Pay To Get Into Honeymoon Bay?
No – there is no access fee to pay at Honeymoon Bay if you are just visiting for the day. Entrance is free. You only need to pay if you will be camping overnight.
What To Do At Honeymoon Bay
Go Swimming
The bay is perfect for swimming as the water is very calm. Honeymoon Bay is great for families – children will love exploring near the rocks and playing in the shallow water.
Whilst Honeymoon Bay is a great place for safe and sheltered swimming, always remember to supervise children at all times and that Honeymoon Bay is an unpatrolled beach.
Go Snorkelling
Honeymoon Bay is also a great spot for snorkelling. If you’ve got a snorkel, pop it on and see if you can spot some fish or any other sea creatures!
The water clarity is very good and the water is crystal clear, making it perfect for snorkelling!
See The Kangaroos
There are many places in Jervis Bay to see kangaroos in the wild, with Honeymoon Bay being one of the best places!
We saw a handful of kangaroos on the grassy area near the picnic tables about an hour or two before sunset. The backdrop of the ocean and the sunset behind the kangaroos was just stunning.
Of course remember they are wild animals so never get too close if a mum kangaroo has a baby joey in her pouch.
Have A Picnic
There are several picnic tables in the shade in the day area where you can have a picnic. Especially if you’ll be here all day make sure to bring some food as there are no shops nearby!
Watch The Sunset
Honeymoon Bay is a great place to watch the sunset in Jervis Bay as it is one of the only beaches in the area that is west facing, which means you get a perfect view of the sunset!
Go Fishing
Honeymoon Bay is also a popular spot for people to go fishing on the rocks.
Visit Bindijine Beach
Bindijine Beach is just around the corner from Honeymoon Bay (it shares the car park with Honeymoon Bay and is actually even closer to the car park than Honeymoon Bay is!).
Look out for signs for Bindijine Beach on the right hand side of the car park. Bindijine Beach is lovely and quiet and makes for a perfect place to escape the Honeymoon Bay crowds.
You can see it in the photo below – it’s the beach just above Honeymoon Bay.
You may even be able to spot some stingrays in the water here!
Honeymoon Bay Camping
Honeymoon Bay is a stunning place to camp overnight. It’s also a popular place to camp – especially for families who want to enjoy the lovely calm waters here.
You can camp overnight at Honeymoon Bay on most Friday and Saturday nights, and during NSW public holidays and school holidays only!
During weekends and public holidays Honeymoon Bay campsite spots are available on a first-come first-served basis. You can’t make bookings in advance!
For the NSW school summer holiday months you need to apply for a campground spot through a ballot system a few months in advance.
Even if all the spots in the campsite have gone before you manage to secure one, do not let that put you off – you still need to visit Honeymoon Bay!
Honeymoon Bay is absolutely a great place to come and spend the day. The great thing is that there are plenty of camp spots in Jervis Bay, so even if you don’t get a spot here, there are other options to find a last minute spot.
How Much Is It To Camp At Honeymoon Bay?
It costs $15 per night for 2 people to camp overnight at Honeymoon Bay. For each additional person it costs an extra $5. Children younger than 16 years old can camp for free.
All camping fees must be paid in cash at the Visits Centre.
On weekends you can pay for a camping spot on a first-come first-served basis:
- after 1pm on Friday
- between 1pm and 3pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
During the NSW school summer holidays (December-January), camping spots are allocated through a ballot system.
Applications forms are available each year from July 1st, and close on August 31st. There are around 60 spots at the campsite and they will always get booked out during the summer months.
Honeymoon Bay Camping Facilities
Camping facilities at Honeymoon Bay are very basic so you will need to bring your own gas-operated cooking equipment. Only gas stoves are allowed – absolutely no wood or charcoal fires are allowed.
You will also need to bring your own water when camping at Honeymoon Bay. There is no water supply here and creek water may not be safe for drinking.
At the Visits Centre carpark entrance (5km from Honeymoon Bay) you can refill any water containers.
Do be aware this is a natural bush setting and as such it may be possible that snakes, spiders, rats and other animals may be near if you leave food unattended or your tent/van open.
Are There Toilets At Honeymoon Bay?
There are several portable toilets spread throughout Honeymoon Bay Campground but you will need to bring your own toilet paper.
Are Dogs Allowed At Honeymoon Bay?
No dogs or other pets are allowed at Honeymoon Bay and security will check you aren’t bringing any pets with you.
Things To Do Near Honeymoon Bay
Point Perpendicular Lighthouse
Carry on along Lighthouse Road for another 9 kilometres to get to the iconic Point Perpendicular Lighthouse.
Visit Other Beaches On The Beecroft Peninsula
There are several lovely beaches on Beecroft Peninsula, all located on the western side like Honeymoon Bay. Most of them are much larger than Honeymoon Bay – which is actually one of the smallest beaches on the peninsula!
Cabbage Tree Beach and Long Beach are both lovely beaches nearby, with the lovely white sand and crystal clear waters that Jervis Bay is known for. They are both great for swimming and snorkelling.
In addition, if you fancy doing some hiking you can reach the remote beaches of Target Beach (4km return from car park) and Silica Cove and Boat Harbour Beach (both 6km return).
Callala Beach
Callala Beach and Callala Bay are lovely towns around 20km from Honeymoon Bay with stunning beaches.
They both have many accommodation options here, as well as some restaurants so it’s a great place to stay if you don’t fancy camping at Honeymoon Bay!
Currarong
The nearby village of Currarong is also worth a visit. Check out the Currarong Rocks Pools and Abrahams Bosom Reserve.
You can also find some restaurants and several accommodation options here.
Blenheim Beach
Whilst Honeymoon Bay is absolutely stunning, if you don’t get to visit due to opening times, don’t worry – there are so many stunning beaches in the Jervis Bay area!
In our opinion, Blenheim Beach is even better than Honeymoon Bay – the sand is much whiter, the water is a stunning turquoise colour and is clearer, it’s closer to all the other beaches in Jervis Bay, and there’s some great snorkelling here (we even spotted baby stingrays!).
Huskisson
Of course if you are in the Jervis Bay area you should head over to Huskisson and enjoy all the beaches here!
You can walk all the way from Huskisson to Hyams Beach (home of the whitest sand in the world!) and enjoy the spectacular views along the way.
You can also go dolphin watching in Huskisson or even hop on a whale-watching ship in the winter months!
Honeymoon Bay Jervis Bay Summary
A visit to the idyllic Honeymoon Bay is absolutely worth the drive! When we heard the cute name of this place and saw the incredible pictures of it online, we knew we had to visit, and it didn’t disappoint!
This perfectly shaped secluded beach is a great place to visit for the day or to camp overnight, despite not having the white sand that Jervis Bay beaches are known for!
If you want to see some white sandy beaches, make sure to visit other beaches in the area as well to truly appreciate the natural beauty of this fantastic area!