Peppered with palm trees, whitewashed wood-panelled shops and restaurants, and twinkling fairy lights come evening, Byron Bay is the ultimate beachside escape. It's easy to see why everyone raves about this place, and why a few celebrities have even made this place their home (shout out to my future husband, Zac Efron, and also one of the Hemsworth brothers) - I fell for its charms almost instantly.
Boasting a chilled, beachside town vibe, it's the kind of place where you would enjoy a proper bouji brunch, but barefaced of makeup and in flip flops. Amidst a plethora of long weekends (and big changes - one for another blog post coming soon), I booked a week away to Byron Bay, a 10-hour drive or 90-minute flight, up the coast from Sydney, near the Queensland/NSW border.
Thanks to its location, it enjoys warmer climes than Sydney and, although you'll likely feel relaxed the moment you step off the plane at Ballina Airport, or out of the car, here are a few tips to really capitalise on the feeling and achieve optimum zen.
Choose your base wisely
Due to booking, cancelling and rebooking of our accommodation (this COVID pandemic is synonymous with constant changes, hey), we ended up booking two different AirBnbs for our time in Byron. The first three nights were spent at Beachfront Apartments, mere metres from the Main Beach. The location was perfect: we could amble to the beach, to the Aldi for supplies, and our designated driver for the trip could enjoy as many drinks as she wanted as it was barely a 10-minute walk back to our apartment from most restaurants. One morning really epitomised our relaxation: I went for a morning run back and forth along the coast, followed by a cooked breakfast on the patio with a view of the sea, then went for a walk on the Main Beach "just to get my toes wet", and was treated to a show of a few dolphins playing in the water! Bliss.
Our second base was an absolutely gorgeous AirBnB, All About Byron, about 15 minutes' walk inland - I can't rave about this place enough. Adorned with bamboo shoots, Buddha statues and boasting our very own hot tub, I felt like I'd stepped into a Balinese retreat. Our host was brilliant too - easily and quickly contactable when needed. We spent many an hour in the hot tub, trying not to nap in the water when we weren't chatting or drinking (or stepping out for a smorgasbord of snacks) - it was so relaxing.
Relaxed yet fulfilling activities
While we graced the beach every day of our stay and didn't plan much, we made sure to still make the most of our time.
One of the few plans we did make was a 90-minute sunrise horse ride through the forest and onto the beach with Zephyr Horses. I hadn't ridden a horse since a child, and even then it was guided by a professional who walked the horse around. This time, I was in control; we were taught simple commands, and we were (thankfully) on horses used to carrying amateurs. The experience was absolutely incredible; I felt like a real cowgirl, more so when we got the horses to trot, and when we had to climb up and down steps with nothing but our balance and new skills to keep us on the horse. At one point, the sea was to my right, there was a rainbow to my left and mountains in front... it was magical.
Another activity that you can't miss in Byron is casting a look over the area from the lofty heights of the Cape Byron Lighthouse, which offers 360-degree vistas of the sea and mountains. You can either walk or drive up (parking is $4-$8) and spend time just soaking up the incredible views. We even saw dolphins and whales as we looked out to sea!
Although Main Beach was great, our favourite was just on the other side: Wategos Beach. Here, you have a full view of the mountains, you’re surrounded by picturesque green hills, and there are trees for respite from the sun. It is well worth the quest to find parking (and a hardy quest it is). The water is pretty shallow a fair bit out, so sit back (or stand in) and enjoy as the waves wash over. You might even see local wildlife - no, not whales, dolphins or horses again: the humble bush turkey! He/she came over to us, unbeknownst to us, until he clawed my housemate (eeek!) and then we watched him claw through peoples belongings until chased away.
We also ventured 20 minutes north of Byron Bay to the even more bohemian town of Brunswick Heads. We spent a few hours by the lovely lake surrounded by towering trees, where you can paddleboard or boat around, or make like us, and just chill on the side with a pastry from Bruns Bakery.
Eat really well
Now, I tell ya, this is something we truly mastered in Byron Bay. From our first evening dining on fancy fish and chips (sweet potato fries and Hoki) from the lauded Fishheads and desserts from the 24-hour bakery, Byron Bay Hot Bread, we sure as hell started as we meant to go on:
Three Blue Ducks - this rustic eatery sits on a farm - The Farm, actually - and serves delicious farm-to-plate fare. My flatmate had "the best green curry of [her] life" here, while my cocktail and platter went down pretty well too. After, be sure to have a stroll past the pigs, bees and other animals (and the gelato stall).
The Balcony - on a Sunday, The Balcony, a beautiful two-story, whitewashed wood number with, you guessed it, a balcony, holds Drag and Dine. The drag show comprises one act who does three or four sets, and this time around, a prize giveaway won by my flatmates (and then we promptly had my caption stolen by the restaurant's official Instagram!) My favourite part, however, was the food; in fact, it was one of my favourite meals of the trip. I had the softest trout, with the crispiest skin, on a bed of greens, drizzled with a delicious sesame-based sauce. Divine AND healthy. The cocktails were pretty good too.
Miss Margarita - speaking of cocktails, Miss Margarita had a brilliant list, playing host to my favourite fruit, like mango and watermelon, in martinis, mojitos and, of course, margaritas. The food was flavoursome, with a signature Mexican kick.
Bayleaf - a renowned cafe in Byron, we headed to Bayleaf for breakfast one morning. Their dishes are a tasty work of art, and even the humble scrambled eggs on toast looked so pretty, cooked into a swirly design. I even had an iced coffee! Who have I become?!
The General Store - another celebrated cafe in Byron. The team put emphasis on health, with ingredients like acai and coconut water taking pride of place on the menu frequently. I opted for a post-breakfast smoothie, which was as healthy and delicious as it was filling. What most intrigued me though was the way they announced your order was ready: "thanks, ‘Name’" each and every time. How very polite!
The Mez Club - a vision both in and out. Between the whitewashed exterior, curved archways, cushions and intricate lampshades, it felt like a cross between a Greek and Moroccan taverna. It's all about sharing plates here, and boy, was the food good. I tried oysters for the first time here (loved them), had THE softest lamb ever, delicious ravioli, gorgeous crisp potatoes, warm bread, and to follow, churros. The innovative cocktails are ones to savour too… though I’m not too sure about the one featuring avo.
I am so glad Byron Bay lived up to the hype; it was a place I wanted to visit since I first visited Sydney in 2018, well before I made it my home. I can’t wait to one day return with my mum - it is very much her vibe.
