Byron Bay is one of those places that everyone falls in love with and it’s easy to see why. When I was planning this trip there wasn’t one person I spoke with who didn’t talk about this little beach side town as though it was their one great love. Needless to say, my expectations were high! While I wasn’t mentally prepared for the insane humidity levels that rival Bali, the Byron way of life really will have you contemplating a move, because daily life here is a bohemian paradise. The magic of Byron Bay is that most people are planning their return trip before they’ve even left, myself included! Given it’s only a quick 2 hour Jetstar flight from Melbourne, I’m ready to make this town my long weekend getaway on the reg.
What to Do:
We spent our mornings waking up at 4.30am and hiking up to the lighthouse for sunrise, because one morning with this view just isn’t enough. The other mornings we walked along Main Beach and to be honest I was actually more impressed with this view for sunrise. So if you can’t be bothered going all the way up to the lighthouse first thing in the morning, this is also a much quicker and closer option. We spent the rest of our mornings walking along theCape Byron Walking Track, stopping at all the beaches along the way – Little Wategoes beach, Wategoes beach and my favourite place – The Pass (this view is not to be missed). We also made sure to give ourselves a little time away from the beach to explore all the amazing local brands, because Byron is a shopping mecca for all things boho. Spell, Kivari, Auguste, Arnhem, Rowie and Mister Zimi all have boutiques here.
Everywhere You Must Eat:
Byron Bay is a food lover’s paradise, so much so that much of our to-do list revolved around where we were eating breakfast, lunch and dinner. Brunching is a serious pastime for most Aussies and there are some great options here. Where to Brunch: Bayleaf if you want to eat healthy and vegan, Topshop for breakie burgers (among other things), Combi for Super Bowls – the Dragonfruit one was my fave, The Farm for the best food in town! Seriously you can’t come to Byron and not visit this place. Give yourself a few hours because you’ll want to spend some time in the sunflower field and visiting the piglets. Finn Poke is great for when you need a late lunch / early dinner when most cafes have closed and the restaurants haven’t opened yet. Dinner time is best spent at The Mez Club if you fancy some major Mykonos vibes and happy hour drinks.
Where to Stay
We were traveling during a long weekend so were unfortunately dealing with much higher prices than normal. One of the few budget options that actually looked half decent was Bay Beach Motel. It was just towards the edge of the main part of town, so we could still walk everywhere but avoid the noise from all the bars and clubs. If you’re traveling outside of peak season or just wanting to spend period, I highly recommend Elements of Byron, Atlantic Byron Bay or Byron at Byron. These resorts are all beautifully designed and the perfect place to relax.
