Blissful Byron
- Poppy Lang
- Aug 16, 2023
- 5 min read
Wednesday 16th August 1:10pm
WooHoo! My first blog post begins here! And what a better way to start than with a short review of the infamous Byron Bay [Land of the Cavanbah people.] Now, I know what you're thinking, who the hell goes to a beach town in the middle of winter?! Well, it can't be worse than Melbourne in peak winter... right? I know my fellow Melbournians can relate to the blistering cold days we have to endure for 3 months a year. The weather alone makes you want to crawl into a ball and never come out. So I decided to embark on my first solo trip, up the surf coast of Queensland. I've always felt so drawn to Queensland; perhaps it's the people, or the nice weather [I suppose the people are only nice because they never actually have to feel cold] And I knew it wouldn't dissapoint!
I began my journey arriving into Gold Coast Airport, Monday the 31st of July. Stepping off that plane into warm air was honestly the cure to all my problems. I grabbed my luggage, and trecked 2km to my hostel. Now I don't know if any of you know what company I'm talking about, but Youth Hostels Australia are by far the best accomodation I've ever stayed in. If you're a backpacker looking for a place to stay [and for relatively cheap too] then this is the place to stay. They have over 5000 hostels all around the world and I was lucky enough to stay in some of them. I stayed in YHA Coolangatta for the first half of my trip, a cute little lodge with a few dorms and some private rooms. Gold Coast was glorious as per usual, but the real highlight of my trip was the second half.
Spontaneously, I decided to book some accomodation in Byron after realising just how close it was to Gold Coast Airport! It is around a 30-45 minute drive depending on traffic conditions etc. However, if like me you rely on public transport to get around, there are plenty of options for that too! I found the cheapest option to be the NSW TrainLink public bus which runs from Tweed Heads to Byron Bay Interchange. With my student discount, my return ticket cost $10! Super cheap compared to the other private charter options.
Upon arriving to Byron, I found the bus Interchange to be just a short 5 minute walk away from the main street [which my 2nd YHA was conveniently located on!] I made my way to YHA Byron Bay [not Cape Byron] and was even more impressed with this location! A super modern hostel, with cute murals and a huge swimming pool and commercial sized kitchen! After unpacking my stuff, I strolled down to the Main Beach, and watched the sun go down [See below] This beach was just glorious, even in peak winter. The sand melts under your feet and the water has exceptional clarity. As if the beach couldn't get even better, I walked back up to the seating area and a live band began to set up! All 4 nights I was here, there was a different entertainer on every night either on or around Main Beach! So I found my evenings to be planned for me! I've attached a video of "The Seeding" A local band who are both activists and incredible musicians! This night was just spectacular, seeing the community of Byron, and the beauty of "slowing down" as is Byrons catchphrase. Every local would just hug each other, and for long times too! It made me shed a tear, just seeing this tight knit community.
On the 2nd day, I went to explore the famous "The Farm" just a 6km drive/bike [yes, I rode here] from Byron. The best thing? ITS FREE! [we love free things on this page] Now, this place WAS smaller than I expected, but had everything you really needed for a few hours of fun. As an avid piglet-lover, I was easily pleased as I watched the large pig enclosure for around an hour! Then, after my short walk around the farm, I treated myself to a matcha and pastry from the "Three Blue Ducks" Cafe. While it is on the pricier side, I understand that this farm has to make a profit somehow and was happy to pay roughly $14.50 for a pastry and coffee. The pastries were delicious and I highly recommend you try them if you visit the farm. I rode back into town before beginning my trek to the lighthouse.
The lighthouse walk is definitely not for the faint hearted. It is a pretty decent climb, just shy of 3km up and another 3 down from main street to the top. On a warm day, I would definitely recommend driving up to the top if you can. Believe me though, this spot is honestly one of the most incredible views I've ever seen, and easily the best in Byron. During the day, a little cafe operates at the top and I highly recommend the Iced Chocolate after your hike! It is the perfect spot to whale-watch during migration season and is well worth the walk at sunset [see below]
To finish off my trip, I joined Cape Byron Kayaks on their morning whale/dolphin kayaking tour [$90 pp] Which I was super excited for. Unfortunately, I don't think this was worth the hefty pricetag for what you get. It is a very short tour and we were only out there for roughly 1.5 hours instead of the promised 3. We did see a few whales and a couple of sea turtles in their natural habitat, which was spectacular; but I just feel like you could do it on your own for a fraction of the price. Ensure you go on the morning session if you do plan on doing this tour, as around midday, the waves started to pick up and you get properly thrown around!
For my final dinner, I went to a restaurant named "Orgasmic Falafel [Click link below!!]"
and their food is exactly as it sounds! I got the special which was a falafel pocket with a cup of lemonade. The worker, Bar, was a lovely guy, with a great sense of humour. He chatted to all the customers and asked them about their days! As if the service wasn't good enough, the food was even better. This is by far the best falafel in Australia. It just has the perfect amount of flavour and isn't as dry as competitors. I highly recommend you visit this place on your trip at some point.
Overall, Byron Bay was by far the most down-to-earth and soul opening holiday I have been on in a very long time. I would highly recommend this place for any solo travellers as there are plenty of backpackers in hostels and surrounds that you can interact with! It truly felt like a magical place and I can't wait to return in the near future!
I hope you enjoyed this short review of Byron Bay and be sure to keep an eye out for more posts coming in the near future!
Love,
Poppy
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