Top reasons to visit Byron Bay
There's more to this northern NSW town than its beautiful beaches. With great food, natural wonders and fab weather, it’s clear why it's such a drawcard.
- September 2019
- Updated April 2021
The laid-back, earth-loving spirit is alive and well in this beachy northern NSW town but there is so much more to the beloved destination than surf, sun and plant-based eats.
Its beauty extends beyond the beach
Beyond its pretty beaches, there are dozens of ways to experience the region’s natural beauty. Walk the track to Cape Byron Lighthouse, looking out for dolphins along the way, then head inland. Byron’s hinterland often feels like a local secret – it can be discovered on scenic drives through bucolic villages such as Federal, by swimming under Minyon Falls in Nightcap National Park or even hot air ballooning over farmland.
Hippies are welcome. So is everyone else
Byron Bay was originally a workingman’s town with sand mining operations, a meatworks and even a whaling station. The arrival of the first surfers started to change Byron and later the 1973 Aquarius Festival in nearby Nimbin cemented the area as counterculture central. While you’re never too far from crystal therapy and tarot readings, it’s now also a hipster haven dotted with upscale boutiques and trendy lifestyle precincts such as Habitat Byron Bay.
And despite becoming more popular in recent years, Byron is still an earthy, give-way-to-pedestrians place where people have time to chat and smile at strangers. Its hippie heart is intact – and infectious.
There’s more on offer than mung beans
While there are plenty of vegan eateries – try No Bones– the region is also home to a sophisticated food scene with venues like Beach Byron Bay and Raes Dining Room. An ethos of sustainability underpins most things though, whether it’s the native ingredients used at Harvest Newrybar or the hyper-local produce at The Farm restaurant.
It’s still a country town
Byron might have a big heart but it’s a surprisingly small town – the population hovers around 9000. It’s also conveniently compact and flat, making it easy to walk or ride a bike around. Byron Shire, on the other hand, is home to about 34,000 and includes townships such as Mullumbimby, Bangalow and Brunswick Heads – all about 20 minutes from Byron Bay by car – as well as outlying suburbs such as Suffolk Park and Belongil (handy to know when booking accommodation in “Byron Bay”).
Surfing rules
Look around and you’ll see sun-bleached hair, sandy feet, surfboards on cars, surf schools and surf shops on every corner… In Byron, where salt-scented air ruffles the tops of the Norfolk pines, everyone either surfs, wants to learn or just loves the sea.
It’s perfect – anytime of year
If Byron were any further north, it’d be in Queensland, which makes it a swim-all-year-round destination. Plus, it’s less busy outside summer. Cape Byron shelters Main Beach, Clarkes, The Pass and Wategos from winter’s chilly southerly winds, while between June and November, migrating whales pass closer to shore here than anywhere else on the east coast.
You don’t have to be a backpacker
Sure, Byron is a budget destination with several hostels, including the refurbished Byron Bay YHA but there are plenty of swanky options, too. Crystalbrook Byron is set amidst sub-tropical rainforest while Elements of Byron offers beachfront luxury in spacious private villas. Boutique options in town include Bask and Stow, 28 Degrees and The Bower, while high-end health retreats such as Gaia Retreat & Spa are slightly further afield.
It’s eco-minded
Caring for the planet is part of daily life in Byron, with locals and visitors alike getting involved – whether it’s supporting the Thursday farmers’ market, local sustainable eateries or the Plastic-Free Byron initiative. The world’s first solar-powered train also launched here in 2017.