[1] The beach is white sand and has stairway access at the western end where Taylor Inlet discharges into the ocean.
Toilets, a picnic area and a former caravan park are also situated near the western end of the beach.
[2] Approximately 4.2 kilometres (3 mi) in length, Nanarup has scattered beachrock reefs at the eastern end for a distance of about 1.0 kilometre (1 mi) then curves to the southwest; the remaining length is a wave dominated surf zone that extends as far as the inlet.
The beach is mostly backed by scarped 12-metre (40 ft) calcarenite bluffs to the east and unstable dunes to the west.
[3] The far western end of the beach has the 20-metre (66 ft) granite boulders of Islet Point connected to the shore by a small tombolo, which forms a sheltered pool area that is suitable for safe swimming.