Byron Bay is a wonderful, coastal town with a village-feel that reminded me a lot of Hawaii. Palm-tree lined streets, vegan food joints, a laid back vibe and barefoot people coming back from a day of surfing. It makes you want to unwind, relax and let your hair loose for a bit.
How to Get to Byron Bay
You can fly into the small regional airport at Byron Bay from Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle. The closest major airports are the Gold Coast or Brisbane. I arrived in Byron Bay after spending a weekend in Brisbane on the Greyhound, which is by far the best way to get to Byron Bay, except for the 40 minute stopover they insist on having at a gas station... Check schedules and ticket prices here.
How to Get Around Byron Bay
The best way to get around Byron is to walk. For the things further afield such as Broken Head Reserve and even the lighthouse, I highly recommend a bike. The Wake Up! Hostel lends bikes out for free and you can join the rest of the locals peddling their way around town.
Where to Stay in Byron Bay
After my fantastic experience at Wake Up! in Sydney, I decided to splurge again and booked the Wake Up! Byron Bay. It is more expensive than most hostels I've stayed at, more in the $40/night range, but it was my birthday the week I was in Byron and I value comfort and cleanliness (even when it's not my birthday!). This hostel is by far one of the nicest ones I've ever stayed at - the rooms are huge and clean, there's personal lockers and plugs, the wi-fi is great, the huge outdoor patio with twinkle lights is warm and welcoming, and you can borrow surfboards and bikes at any time!!
Things To Do in Byron Bay
Broken Head Nature Reserve
A little bit out of town (meaning it's a little less busy!) is the beautiful Broken Head Nature Reserve. You can get here by bike from town and spend the day enjoying the beaches watching all the surfers enjoy this popular spot before walking the Three Sisters Walk with lovely coastal viewpoints.
Surfing at Byron Beach
Byron Bay is one of the best spots to try your hand at surfing. Get some lessons, or ask your roommates to show you the ropes! Wake Up Hostel in Byron lends out free surfboards to guests, so I just had to give it a go!
Cape Byron Walking Track
The 3.7km walking track around Byron Bay's most beautiful spot walks past some stunning beaches, high up over coastal views, along to the famous lighthouse and through dense tropical jungle where you may spot wild red kangaroos!
The Pass
Perhaps the most beautiful and most instagrammable spot on Cape Byron, The Pass is a set of wooden steps up a rocky outcrop with 360 degree beach perfection all around.
Most Easterly Point of Australia
I visited the most westerly point in Cape Range National Park so completed the trip with visiting the famous most easterly spot (even commemorated with a sign) on beautiful Cape Byron.
Byron Bay Lighthouse
The famous lighthouse of Byron Bay is an icon on the horizon here, standing proudly above the Cape. From here, you can see every beach and surfer for miles. It opened in 1901 and is an active lighthouse, Australia's most powerful!
Tallows Beach
The best beach in Byron for surfing, you can take in the birds eye view from above from just past the lighthouse.
Newrybar
A wonderful day trip from Byron Bay is out to the tiny historical village of Newrybar set back in the hinterland. Newrybar has a few darling little shops that make you want to move in and never leave, plus a great restaurant called Harvest. It's made up of a deli (take out and small lunch things for picnics), a bakery and a restaurant. It's the perfect place to wear your linen shirt and feel super trendy. Check out my guide to a day in Newrybar here.
Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
