Where to stay in Kiama, area by area

Compare the Kiama areas before you book

Kiama is small, but each pocket gives you a different holiday. The town centre is about walking. The south side is about beaches and quiet streets. The north is surf and holiday houses, and the hinterland is green hills and farm stays.

The times below are from Kiama Ridge Waters at 2 Surfleet Place, in south Kiama, so you can see how far each area is from a central-south base.

Walk everywhere from the town centre and Kiama Harbour

Stay central if you'd rather leave the car parked. The Kiama Blowhole, Kiama Lighthouse, Kiama Harbour and most of the places on our where to eat in Kiama guide are a short stroll apart, and Kiama station is in town.

The trade-off is crowds. The centre is the busiest part of Kiama over summer and on long weekends, and street parking fills fast (see Kiama parking). Blowhole Point, beside the harbour, has council-run cabins a few steps from the Blowhole and the Blowhole Point rock pool. Surf Beach, the main town beach, has a council holiday park on the headland above it.

Choose this area for a one- or two-night stay, a couples' weekend or a trip by train. It also works well for evenings out in Kiama, since you can walk home.

Base yourself in south Kiama near Kendalls and Easts Beach

South of the centre, the streets go quiet and the beaches get gentler. Easts Beach and Kendalls Beach are both family favourites, and the Kiama Coast Walk passes along this stretch.

Two holiday parks sit right on the sand here. Further back, it's residential: holiday homes and apartments on hillside streets, which is where you'll find more space for the money.

Kiama Ridge Waters is in this part of town. From 2 Surfleet Place it's a 15-minute walk (1.3 km) to Easts Beach and 16 minutes (1.4 km) to Kendalls Beach. Town and the station are about 27 minutes on foot, or a few minutes by car. The apartments aren't on the beach and don't have ocean views. What you get is a quiet street, three bedrooms and a garage for two cars.

This area suits families who want the beach in the morning and an early night, and groups who want to spread out. See family accommodation in Kiama and our guide to Kiama rock pools.

Head north to Bombo, Kiama Downs and Minnamurra

North of town, Bombo and Jones Beach are more exposed surf beaches, with the basalt columns of Bombo Headland nearby. Beyond them, Kiama Downs and Minnamurra are mostly suburban streets running down to the Minnamurra River.

There are no big hotels up here. Expect holiday houses, often with a yard and room for a board rack. From Kiama Ridge Waters it's about an 8-minute drive to the north end of Bombo Beach and 9 to 11 minutes to Kiama Downs and Minnamurra.

Premier Illawarra buses link Kiama, Kiama Downs, Shellharbour and Wollongong, but most people staying up here travel by car. It's a good pick for surfers and for families planning fishing in Kiama on the river.

Go south to Gerringong, Werri Beach and Gerroa

Gerringong is a small village about 10 minutes' drive south of Kiama Ridge Waters. Its beach, Werri Beach, sits between two headlands with rock pools at one end. A little further on, Gerroa looks out over Seven Mile Beach and the mouth of Crooked River.

Stays here range from beach holiday parks to a resort and wine-estate villas. It's a strong choice for couples and for anyone planning a day around wineries near Kiama. Kiama Coachlines runs buses to Gerringong and Gerroa on weekdays only, so plan on a car.

Swap the beach for farmland in Jamberoo and the hinterland

Inland, the valleys around Jamberoo, Jerrara and Saddleback Mountain are farm country. Stays here are farm cottages, glamping tents and large country houses, several with views across the paddocks to the sea.

It suits couples after quiet, and large groups or wedding parties who want one big property. You'll need a car: Jamberoo is about 14 minutes' drive from Kiama Ridge Waters, and the local bus runs weekdays only. The upside is easy access to Jamberoo Action Park and Minnamurra Rainforest.

Choose a stay type and budget

Destination Kiama sorts the region's accommodation into hotels, motels and resorts; caravan, camping and holiday parks; holiday homes; B&Bs and farm stays; and self-contained stays. Here's what each costs, using the lowest "from" rates on its directory.

These are the cheapest advertised rates and change with the season, the day of the week and the number of guests. Check current prices before you book. For the full list, Destination Kiama's Stay directory also has a downloadable Accommodation Guide.

Match the stay to who's coming

Families: south Kiama and Surf Beach put you close to the beach and the rock pools. A holiday park gives kids a pool and playground; an apartment or house gives everyone a bedroom. See family accommodation in Kiama and things to do in Kiama with kids.

Couples: the town centre for walk-home dinners, or the hinterland for farm stays and glamping. For a weekend getaway in Kiama, check sunrise times first on our sunrise and sunset spots guide.

Groups: most hotels top out at a family room. At Kiama Ridge Waters you can book several apartments for a group on the same site, with separate kitchens and bathrooms so no one queues.

Weddings: guests can split across apartments or a country estate. See accommodation for Kiama weddings.

Dog owners: the council's Kiama Coast Holiday Parks take dogs on selected sites or cabins, mostly outside school holidays and long weekends, and pets are welcome on request in most of our apartments. See pet-friendly accommodation in Kiama.

Work and long stays: a self-contained apartment with Wi-Fi and a laundry beats a hotel room after the first week. See work stays in Kiama and long-term rentals in Kiama.

Get to Kiama and around without a car

Destination Kiama puts Kiama about 2 hours 30 minutes' drive from Canberra. From the Sydney CBD to Kiama Ridge Waters it is about 1 hour 45 minutes (134 km) without traffic, so allow extra for Friday traffic.

Intercity South Coast Line trains run from Sydney to Kiama about every hour. For Bomaderry (Nowra), change at Kiama. Plan your trip on Transport NSW. Shellharbour Airport is about 20 minutes' drive from our apartments.

Once you're here, two bus companies cover the area. Kiama Coachlines serves Kiama, Jamberoo, Gerringong and Gerroa on weekdays only. Premier Illawarra serves Kiama, Kiama Downs, Shellharbour and Wollongong. Without a car, the town centre is the easiest base, and south Kiama is a manageable second, about a 27-minute walk from town. See Sydney to Kiama for more.

Book early for school holidays and long weekends

Kiama is a short trip from Sydney, so it fills up in the summer school holidays, at Easter and on long weekends. Book these periods as early as you can, especially if you need several rooms or apartments together. Some holiday parks also restrict pets in peak periods.

Outside those periods there is usually more choice. If you are coming in the cooler months, read up on whale-watching season and things to do in Kiama in winter. When you have dates, check availability.

Stay at Kiama Ridge Waters

For a quiet base in south Kiama with room for the whole group, Kiama Ridge Waters has three-bedroom apartments in Kiama at 2 Surfleet Place, run by MadeComfy. Each sleeps six across three bedrooms (a king, a queen and two singles, or a double in place of the singles in 3-Bed with Alfresco Dining). You also get two bathrooms, a full kitchen, a laundry with washer and dryer, ducted air conditioning and secure parking for two cars.

All of them have the same layout. First Floor Unit by the Ocean and 3-Bed Apartment with Study Nook are on the first floor. Ground Floor Home in Kiama's Heart, 3-Bed Kiama Unit with Courtyard and 3-Bed with Alfresco Dining are on the ground floor, with a garden outlook and no stairs. You can walk through them first with the 3D floor plans.

Check-in is from 3pm and check-out is by 10am. Pets are welcome on request in every apartment except 3-Bed Apartment with Study Nook, with a $200 cleaning fee. Cancel up to 2 days before check-in for a full refund, less a 3% payment fee. After that, you get 50% back, less a 10% service fee.